![](http://content.invisioncic.com/p6479/set_resources_3/84c1e40ea0e759e3f1505eb1788ddf3c_pattern.png)
bigpurpl
Admin-
Posts
116 -
Joined
-
Last visited
bigpurpl's Achievements
![Rank: Dane (3/4) Dane](http://content.invisioncic.com/p6479/set_resources_3/84c1e40ea0e759e3f1505eb1788ddf3c_default_rank.png)
Dane (3/4)
0
Reputation
-
UMass Springfield, Mass December, 28 Distance from RACC-90 Miles Mapquest Basketball Hall of Fame Springfield, MA City Guide UMass Ticket Office Site or call 413-545-0810 or 866-UMASS-TIX.
-
Albany Basketball Coach Richard "Doc" Sauers Records His 700th Career Victory Forwards Rich Dormer, left, and Andre Duncan give men's basketball coach Richard "Doc" Sauers a triumphal ride after his 700th career victory, an 89-71 win over the University of Bridgeport on Feb. 8. Guard Bob Markel is in the background. Sauers, in his 41st year at Albany, is the NCAA's fourth-winningest active coach, and only the 10th in history ever to win 700. The victory raised the men's record to 15-8 with three games remaining. Photo: Jeff Couch, The Record -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- University at Albany's Richard "Doc" Sauers became the 10th head coach in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) history to reach the 700-career mark with a 89-71 victory on February 8th over Bridgeport . Sauers, who is in his 41st season as the Albany mentor, has a 700-328 record. Sauers, at 66 years old, stands alongside such legendary coaches as Kentucky's Adolph Rupp, North Carolina's Dean Smith, DePaul's Ray Meyer and F.C. "Phog" Allen of Kansas. Rupp holds the record for victories with 876 over a 41-year career. Sauers, who is the fourth winningest active college head coach, became the 15th person to coach his 1000th game at the collegiate level in February 1996. He has suffered just one losing season during his career. The Great Danes, members of the New England Collegiate Conference, went 12-15 in their inaugural Division II campaign last year, but have already clinched a winning record this season with a current 15-8 overall mark. Sauers, who became Albany's coach in 1955 when the school was known as the New York State College for Teachers, and Mount St. Mary's Jim Phelan are the only active coaches with 40 or more seasons at the same school. Sauers' son, Stephen, played for his father in the late 1980's, and is presently an assistant at Division I Marist College. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NCAA All-Division College Coaching Victories Wins Coach Teams Coached Tenure (as of Feb. 9) 876 Adolph Rupp Kentucky 1931-52, 1954-72 866 Dean Smith North Carolina 1962-* 828 Clarence "Big House" Gaines Winston-Salem 1947-93 768 Jim Phelan Mount St. Mary's, Md. 1955 -* 767 Henry Iba NW Missouri State Colorado Oklahoma State 1930-33 1934 1935-70 759 Ed Diddle Western Kentucky 1923-64 746 F.C. "Phog" Allen Baker Kansas Haskell Central Missouri State Kansas 1906-08 1908-09 1909 1913-19 1920-56 724 Ray Meyer DePaul 1943-84 711 Jerry Johnson LeMoyne-Owen 1959-* 700 Richard Sauers Albany 1956-87, 1989-* 696 Bob Knight Army Indiana 1966-71 1972-* *Active
-
UALBANY COACH BOB FORD RECORDS 200TH CAREER VICTORY IN 28-7 WIN OVER WAGNER Staten Island, N.Y. – Senior tailback Gary Jones rushed for 211 yards and a career-high four touchdowns in leading Albany to a 28-7 Northeast Conference victory over Wagner on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Wagner College Stadium. Albany’s Bob Ford became the fourth active NCAA Division I-AA coach to record his 200th win with the victory. The Great Danes, who improved to 6-3 overall and 5-1 in the NEC, moved into a tie for first place in the conference standings with Monmouth. The Hawks lost for the first time this season, a 14-10 decision against Central Connecticut State. "This is special for all of us," said Jones about Ford’s milestone victory. "Everyone will remember this win because it goes down in history and he started the program. The look on his face at the end of the game was meaningful for the whole team." The Great Danes, who have won five of their last six games, shook off a fumble and two punts on their opening three possessions. Jones then took a last-second option pitch from quarterback Anthony Sciarra and raced 41 yards for a touchdown with 49 seconds left in the first quarter. Wagner (4-5, NEC 1-4) tied the contest in the second period. Following a Sciarra fumble, the Seahawks marched 70 yards in seven plays to the end zone. Junior quarterback David Bateman, who completed 23 of 43 passes for 193 yards, hit freshman Chris Turner on a 15-yard fade pattern for a touchdown with 9:34 remaining. The Great Danes came back with scores on their next two offensive series. Sciarra, who connected on 7-of-15 through the air, fired a 60-yard pass to Jason Miller on a post pattern to set up the go-ahead touchdown. Jones powered his way through the middle on an 8-yard TD with 8:47 left. Albany went ahead 21-7 six minutes later on an eight-play, 82-yard sequence. Jones, who became the first Great Dane to rush for 200 or more yards in back-to-back games, sprinted 28-yards up the right sideline to paydirt. The Great Danes, who broke the NECs’ single-game rushing record for the third time this season with 468 on the ground, put the game away In the third stanza. Sciarra, who directed a 75-yard march, ran two consecutive option plays to the Wagner 7. Jones then rumbled around the left end into the end zone for a 21-point lead with 1:47 left in the period. Meanwhile, Albany’s defense dominated second-half action by holding the Seahawks to 101 of their 275 total yards. The Great Danes, who can clinch a share of the NEC championship against Robert Morris next Saturday, came up with a season-high five sacks and limited the home team to 82 net rushing yards overall. "It’s kind of hard to summarize a career," said Ford, who has a 200-140-1 record in his 35th season at the collegiate level. "We’ve had great kids and great coaches. I’ve been fortunate that people have been patient over the years."
-
Wagner College Location: Staten Island, NY Distance from Ford Field: 162 Miles Tickets call 718-420-4039 or Wagner Ticket Page Wagner Sports Page Staten Island Guide Mapquest
-
Binghamton University Location:Vestal, NY Distance from the RACC: 147 Miles Tickets-607-777-2093 or Binghamton Ticket Office Binghamton City Guide Mapquest
-
UMBC Location: Baltimore Maryland Distance from RACC: 330 Miles Ticket Information: Mapquest
-
The Future Is Bright at Albany by Phil Kasiecki Despite losing handily to Vermont in the quarterfinals and losing three senior starters, the future at Albany is bright. They have two solid cornerstones in freshmen Jamar Wilson and Levi Levine, both named to the conference's All-Rookie team and the former winning the conference's Rookie of the Year award. Levine started fast on Sunday, keeping the Great Danes in the game with several early three-pointers. He would finish with 18 points. Wilson didn't fare as well, going 3-12 from the field for 9 points while handing out 6 assists. It marked just the fourth time he did not reach double figures in his excellent freshman season. Head coach Will Brown feels good about this team's future, building around his two solid freshmen. "I think Levi Levine and Jamar Wilson will be the cornerstones," Brown said. "Levi Levine has got great leadership qualities for a young man. He plays with no fear, and he's going to make sure that everybody works as hard as him. I think our future's bright, this league's getting better every day." He also reiterated his words of praise for Wilson. "He's a boy physically, and we joke about that all the time," Brown said. "He's that good right now and he's a boy, and when he becomes a man physically he's going to be a heck of a player." America East Profile: Albany's Jamar Wilson by Phil Kasiecki Albany's head coach Will Brown can't say enough good things about Jamar Wilson. And if you have seen Wilson, you can't blame his head coach for campaigning on behalf of the young man as the top newcomer in America East this season. New Hampshire head coach Phil Rowe can see exactly why Brown feels that way. "How many did he have, 60?" Rowe asked after Wilson scored 39 points on 14-17 shooting and 11-14 at the line in an 87-79 road win in mid-February. The 6'1", 170-pound Bronx native has wasted little time becoming a star. He broke the school record for points by a freshman en route to finishing second in the conference in scoring at over 19 points per game; he led in scoring in conference games with over 21 per contest. One might look at Albany's record and wonders what his scoring average really says; the first thought is that someone has to score even on a bad team and he's the guy. Still in doubt about how good he is? Try 29 points against Syracuse. Perhaps 30 points against Stony Brook and all-conference guard D.J. Munir doesn't convince you; how about the fact that his 39-point outing against New Hampshire came just two days after that? He's one-dimensional, right? He scores mostly on quick, slashing drives and has a great ability to finish with either hand, but he shoots nearly 37% on three-pointers and hands out over 3 assists per game. He finished second in field goal percentage, making nearly half of his shots, and he's also solid at the foul line, where his 81% clip places him second in the conference. All this, and Wilson just turned 19 in late February. While he looks it physically with his relatively slight frame, his play hides it well "He's a boy right now, physically, and that's scary," Brown says of his young star. "When he becomes a man, forget about it. He's learning to attack angles, he's learning body control, he very rarely gets called for an offensive charge." Asked about the race for Rookie of the Year in America East, Brown thinks the choice is easy between Wilson and Northeastern guard Jose Juan Barea. "As far as the Rookie of the Year goes, it's a no-brainer," Brown said. "I just think he's a better player right now, and Barea's got big bodies with him. He (Wilson) is a marked man every time he steps on the floor." The respect is certainly mutual. Wilson was somewhat unknown among college prospects when he signed with Albany in November 2002, in part because he did not play much AAU. He wanted to sign early, and his visit to the campus sold him on the relative newcomer to Division I largely because of Brown, who was an assistant coach at the time, then became the head coach on an interim basis before being named the permanent head coach after last season. "I just came on my visit and fell in love with Coach Brown, and he treated us like he cared for us like his own sons," Wilson says of why he signed with Albany, indicating that he has not been disappointed. "I love it, I love the program, I love this school." Some wondered why Wilson signed with Albany, especially when high-major programs took note after two years at powerful Our Savior New American in Centereach, New York. Since he did not play much AAU, his time to be noticed was during the season, as Our Savior New American is an independent school that plays a very tough schedule all over the country. Last season, the Pioneers went 25-11 and won two major in-season tournaments, and Wilson did his part by averaging 14.2 points and 5.1 assists per game as a senior captain for coach Rev. Ronald Stelzer. He feels that did a lot to prepare him for the rigors of playing Division I basketball. "My high school coach was the greatest," he said of Stelzer and the schedule they played. "We played against everyone, he scheduled everyone, he didn't fear anyone. The players we played against were very tough." Wilson now goes up against good competition every night, and in a conference with a lot of young talent as one of many freshmen who have entered this season and immediately made an impact. He likes the outlook for the conference in the coming years, even if it might not look good right now to those who only pay attention to the major conferences. "America East is on the rise," he says. "I think we're a low-major right now, but I think a lot of coaches in the conference are doing a good job recruiting. A lot of the rookies are making an impact." He also notes, as observed by some, that many of today's players are more athletic at all levels, and feels that helps the competitiveness as well. Lest one think it has been an easy ride for Wilson, he feels he is now getting comfortable at this level, and his play bears that out. "I think I'm just getting comfortable to the Division I level," Wilson said late in the season when he got hot. "At the beginning of the year it was hard because I wasn't that strong and I got bullied a lot." There have certainly been bumps in the road, but Brown says his star guard has been a quick study. Wilson has also had great help from his teammates, especially the veterans. "I have two senior guards, and what more could you wish for?" he starts. "They taught me a lot of ways to get around things, and they just taught me how to be tough. They bully me at practice, it definitely helps me during the game because it helps me to play tougher." A deeply religious young man who reads the Bible prior to games, Wilson is currently a business administration major. He wants to be involved with kids in sports when his basketball playing days are over. Albany is a small team that goes with what appears to be a four-guard lineup most of the time. Wilson is joined by three seniors on the perimeter in point guard Earv Opong, Antione Johnson and Rhasheed Peterson. Peterson is more of a small forward who has had to play on the post at times due to a lack of size. The middle has been dutifully manned by 6'5" Levi Levine, another freshman who has played well this season. Though they lack size, Brown feels his guards can play with anyone in the conference, and Wilson feels the team is coming together. We will see how that holds up in the America East Tournament as Wilson leads a team trying to win one for the little guys.
-
Eileen Nicole Rodriguez, Ponce, Puerto Rico Volleyball Rodriguez, a University at Albany freshman, has served 200 aces this season, breaking the NCAA single-season record of 171, set in 1991. She is averaging 1.85 aces per game (also a record), and she is already the Great Danes' career leader in aces.
-
Albany Wins America East Men's Lacrosse Championship Freshman attackman Chris Martocchia scored three goals and sophomore Kevin Rae made nine saves as Albany defeated Hartford, 7-5, to win its first America East Men’s Lacrosse Championship at Al-Marzook Field. Rae, who made 16 saves in Albany’s 11-5 semifinal win over Stony Brook Wednesday, was named the championship’s Most Outstanding Player. Martocchia tallied twice as the second-seeded Great Danes (10-5) scored five unanswered goals over a 20-minute stretch. His goal with 1:30 left in the second quarter put Albany up 3-2 and gave the Great Danes a lead they would not relinquish. Hartford (9-8) took a 2-0 lead in the first quarter on goals by Garett Kikot and Travis Eckler. Brendan Russell scored his first of two goals with 48 seconds left in the first quarter to cut the Hawk lead in half. Matthew Green’s goal with 3:25 left in the second quarter tied the game, 2-2, before Martocchia closed the first half scoring to give the Great Danes a 3-2 lead at the break. Martocchia added his second of the game with 10:44 left in the third quarter and Michael Solazzo increased the lead to 5-2 less than a minute later. Raweras Mitchell scored with 6:17 left in the third to cut the lead to 5-3, but Russell answered with his second goal with 4:17 left to give the Great Danes a 6-3 lead after three quarters. Andrew Rohmer’s goal four minutes into the fourth quarter again cut the Great Dane lead to two goals, but Martocchia scored for the third time with 7:34 left for a 7-4 advantage. Eckler scored his second of the game and 42nd of the season with 1:36 left but the Hawks could not get no closer. Rorke Greene, an all-championship selection, made nine saves for the Hawks. The Great Danes (10-5), winners of six straight, advance to the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship. The pairings for the16-team field will be announced Sunday, May 4 at 8 p.m. on ESPN News. First-round games begin May 10 on campus sites. Rae and Greene were joined on the All-Championship team by Luke Daquino, Luke Smith and Emil Bove of Albany, Eugene Fusco and Tom Fallica of Hartford, Jason Cappadoro and Kyle Pearl of Stony Brook, and Brent Wilson and Lowell Thompson of Vermont.
-
UAlbany Upends Duquesne 24-0 in ECAC Classic Albany, N.Y. - Junior tailback Gary Jones rushed 36 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns, as Albany knocked off previously unbeaten Duquesne, 24-0, in the ECAC Football Classic on Saturday, Nov. 23 at University Field. The postseason contest annually matches the regular-season champions from the Northeast Conference and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. NEC champion Albany (8-4) scored on three consecutive possessions in the first quarter to leap to a 17-0 lead. Wind gusts out of the northwest that at times exceeded 30 miles per hour played havoc with both teams passing and kicking games. Following Joe Maker’s two-yard punt, the Great Danes had good field position at the Duquesne 43-yard line. Senior quarterback Ryan Roeder directed his team on a seven-play drive that ended in Jones’ 19-yard dash through the middle to the end zone. Albany scored 10 more points by taking advantage of two consecutive short punts that were directly affected by the wind. Fullback Jon George and Jones ran five straight times, before place-kicker Stan Zylinski booted a 30-yard field goal. The Great Danes, who rushed for 253 yards on a muddy field that was drenched by a heavy overnight rain, had to travel just 29 yards for their next touchdown. George drove over left guard on a one-yard scoring run with 19 seconds left in the period. MAAC champion Duquesne (11-1), ranked 21st in the Division I-AA national polls entering the game, had two scoring chances late in the second quarter. But the first opportunity ended in a missed a 24-yard field goal by Earl Bellisario, and the second drive stalled out at the Albany 13 when quarterback Niel Loebig’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Although Albany failed to score in the third quarter, the offense helped the defense by controlling the clock for 14-plus minutes in the period. The Great Danes put the game away with a late fourth-period drive. Jones, who set the NEC’s single-season records for rushing (1,509 yards) and scoring (142 points), carried five times in the scoring march. The ECAC championship MVP went around right end on a one-yard TD run to cap his team’s upset victory. “This is a picture-perfect way to end a career,” said Albany linebacker Josh Bazan, who led his team with 11 tackles, broke up two passes, and established the school’s career mark in the process with 354. “We lost some close ones this year, but I wish everyone could go out like this.” The Dukes, who were bidding for the program’s first undefeated season since 1941, were shutout for the first time since 1997 and held to 146 total yards, including 44 on the ground. Duquesne was averaging 36.1 points and 430.2 yards entering the contest. Loebig completed 12 of 37 passes for 102 yards, and was picked off twice by Albany roverback Ryan MacLean. “We played like we’re capable of playing,” commented Jones, who rushed for 100 or more yards for the seventh straight game. “We’re lot better than our record. We pounded the football in tough conditions and relied on a line that got the job done.”
-
. Albany Wins 2002 NEC Football Championship 19-7 Win Over Monmouth Earns Great Danes Berth In ECAC Football Classic vs. Duquesne Albany, NY -- Tailback Gary Jones rushed for 103 yards and quarterback Ryan Roeder scored on a 59-yard run in the second quarter as Albany captured its first-ever Northeast Conference championship with a 19-7 victory over Monmouth in the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday afternoon at University Field. The Great Danes also earned an ECAC Football Classic berth by winning the NEC title and will host Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion Duquesne on Nov. 23. Albany (7-4, NEC 6-1) scored on its first series, an eight-play drive that was capped by Stan Zylinski's 37-yard field goal. Roeder, who completed 11 of 17 passes for 91 yards on a field covered by a two-inch, overnight snowfall, started the march with a 25-yard completion to flanker Matt Crudo. The Great Danes' defense, who limited the visitors to 104 yards, including four net rushing yards, set up another field goal in the first quarter. Defensive tackle Matt Kryzak forced fullback Mike DiBella to fumble and defensive end Kevin Gribbin made the recovery at the Monmouth 23. Four plays later, Zylinski's 31-yarder gave his team a 6-0 lead. Albany put together a 13-play, 54-yard drive that took more than seven minutes off the clock for its first touchdown. Jones, who ran for 100 or more yards for the sixth straight game, and broke the school's single-season record for all-purpose yards, rushed four consecutive times to the Monmouth 1. Fullback Eddie Unverzagt busted into the end zone for the final yard, and his team had a 13-0 advantage with 10:45 left in the second quarter. Roeder, who rushed 12 times for a career-high 62 yards, helped extend his Albany's lead in the final minute of the opening half. He checked off against a blitzing linebacker, and sprinted over left guard and up the sideline on a 59-yard touchdown run. The extra-point was blocked, following a celebration penalty, and the Great Danes led 19-0 at halftime. "Winning a conference championship is a great way to finish your career," said Roeder, who scored his eighth rushing TD of the season. "We've come up short in the past, and then to finally win it is a great feeling. We were shorthanded with (fullback) Jon George injured, and the defense just picked it up." Monmouth (2-8, NEC 2-5) got on the scoreboard midway through the third quarter, when quarterback Bill Rankin fired a 25-yard scoring pass to Dennis Carriero. Rankin, who completed just 6 of 21 attempts for 89 yards, drove his team to the Albany 34 late in the fourth quarter, but the sequence stalled out when he was sacked for the fourth time on the afternoon. "We were picked the win the conference in the preseason, and I'd be disappointed if we had to share it," commented Albany coach Bob Ford, whose team finished ahead of Sacred Heart and Stony Brook who tied for second with 5-2 conference records. "The defense was spectacular and they also helped to set up scores today." The Great Danes, who are among the top Division I-AA teams against the run, held an opponent to less than 100 yards on the ground for the fifth time this season
-
What the heck is a Big Purple Fan? It's just a play on the Big Purple Growl held by UA every winter. Most of the domain names invloving Great Danes were taken by dog groups. Who runs this thing anyway? My wife and I. You'll see us on the board as Dane Pound and Lady Dane Pound. What do those paw prints mean under my name when I post? Those signify how many posts you have. The more posts, the more paw prints. I've registered but I can't post? Send me an email at Danefan1@localnet.com and I'll fix you up. What's a Road Dog? A few years ago a friend of mine gave me a hard time for following a losing team on the road. He called us road dogs. I'm trying to compile information on lodgings, resturants, etc near the schools where the Danes play away games. If you take a road trip let us know where the best places are or post your trip in the Road Dogs section.
-
-No Profanity. Your mother should have told this already. If she didn’t, I will. This isn’t the place for it. -Be respectful of your fellow posters. Personal attacks or attacks on the University will not be tolerated. Persisting in attacking other posters will get you suspended or banned from the board. -Though this is an unofficial board for University at Albany athletics fans, your behavior on the board does reflect in some way on the University. We would ask that you consider this when conducting yourself here. -Tell a friend about the board. If they go to www.bigpurplefans.com they will be directed to this site. -Think up a good nickname, register and enjoy the board! .
-
University of Maine, Orono Location: Orono, Maine Distance from the RACC: 410 miles Tickets UMaine Ticket Office or call 207-581-BEAR Hotel and Resturant Recommendations courtesy of the UMaine Message Board Hotel Black Bear Inn and Conference Center, Orono Maine Resturants/Bars Bear Brew Pub 36 Main St. Orono,ME 866-2739 Pat's Pizza 11 Mill Street Orono, ME Memorial Union Food Court On UMaine Campus Margarita's 15 Mill St. Orono, ME Other Useful Links UMaine Fans Message Board Orono Business Directory Mapquest