SEFCU Reno

[B9j2j6s]

275000 is better than 0.  Glad the deal is done.  Next order of business Benson and Company need to land is an indoor track and practice facility.  Hope they can get some of the extra money the Gov gave to SUNYs in the most recent budget.  Not sure how that is all allocated.  If we can get that built and move to phase 2 of the PE building renovation that would be great for athletics.

[Dane96]

6 minutes ago, B9j2j6s said:

275000 is better than 0.  Glad the deal is done.  Next order of business Benson and Company need to land is an indoor track and practice facility.  Hope they can get some of the extra money the Gov gave to SUNYs in the most recent budget.  Not sure how that is all allocated.  If we can get that built and move to phase 2 of the PE building renovation that would be great for athletics.

Question: has anyone come across what Phase 2 of the PE building is going to be about?   I see general comments about programming for recreation and athletics.  But what does it really mean.  
 

In my mind, there are four massively important projects.  The indoor facility, the phase 2 cote work on SEFCU, the PE building phase 2 (presuming it frees up space elsewhere), and the end zone facility for football. 

[dslyank]

10 hours ago, B9j2j6s said:

275000 is better than 0.  Glad the deal is done.  Next order of business Benson and Company need to land is an indoor track and practice facility.  Hope they can get some of the extra money the Gov gave to SUNYs in the most recent budget.  Not sure how that is all allocated.  If we can get that built and move to phase 2 of the PE building renovation that would be great for athletics.

++.  The Indoor track & practice facility needs to get done yesterday. And needs to be FULL size, {NOT an 80 yd. field, as shown in previous plans??}  All other projects IMHO are nice visions for the future.

[B9j2j6s]

Most of us would agree the indoor track and practice field is priority 1 after phase 1 of the SEFCU reno.

[godanesgo99]

6 hours ago, B9j2j6s said:

Most of us would agree the indoor track and practice field is priority 1 after phase 1 of the SEFCU reno.

Most, not all of us. My son is picking colleges based on Track and Field opportunities, so I totally get that revamping those facilities is important. I am living it right now when visiting schools with him. He might not make a D1 track program, but the facilities available to him and the programs stature is part of his decision matrix.

I still think priority 1 is improving the football and basketball facilities (and to a lesser extent LAX) to stage 2 or stage 3 is more important long term. Having those teams have facilities that sell out and bring in recruits to win games will ultimately bring in more money to support the non-revenue generating sports. Unless we can pull a Binghamton and get a rich baseball alum or Track and Field alum endow a facility improvement, the school needs to win and draw fans in those revenue sports. That will improve everything else faster, at least in my opinion.

[dslyank]

15 hours ago, godanesgo99 said:

still think priority 1 is improving the football and basketball facilities (and to a lesser extent LAX)

The indoor facility will greatly BENEFIT football and IS pretty much a MUST for Lacrosse; as well as being essential for track/field. IMHO being that it enhances two of the three "money" sports, I still think it more than rates priority one status.

ps. before the post covid collapse Lacrosse was fast approaching football and basketball as a "revenue generating sports" at UA. Add in the PLL and NCAA Tournament host site and less operating expense {less players needed than football and scholarship $s lower} one could argue it has already surpassed football & basketball in profitability. I do not have the numbers to back this up; and maybe totally off base on this. I admittedly AM biased on Lacrosse and still think it could/should be UA's best BET to National Athletic recognition for UA. 

[godanesgo99]

Agreed on LAX, thus me mentioning it in my response. I just see the ceiling of revenue and potential profitability of LAX as being lower than basketball and football. Being good in those sports can bring in more revenue from TV, Buy Games, and NCAA Shares than LAX does. While lacrosse is increasing in national recognition, I don't see it passing FB and MBB nationally anytime soon.  It is definitely a top 3 long term, and as you state could be #1 or #2 today.  

[dslyank]

While I totally agree with you, that Nationally Football & Basketball far out distant Lacrosse in popularity and revenue potential. However {and again remember I admit to being Lacrosse bias}, I simply DO NOT seed UA ever being more than a mid major at best in football or basketball. Also, note I've been following both for +50 years and certainly WISH I was/am wrong. 

UA has been a player @ the highest level of lacrosse for almost 20 years {with some hip-ups of course.} Pretty close to a National championship more than once. Sorry just do not see this happening EVER in football or basketball.

 

[cwdickens]

UALBANY MEN’S BASKETBALL

 

Danes excited about returning to arena

 

By Mark Singelais

UAlbany’s Justin Neely is recovering from knee surgery and doesn’t have an exact return date. The Danes hope to be back in their building by November.

James Franco/ Times Union

Mark Singelais/Times Union

UAlbany’s Jonathan Beagle of Hudson Falls, right, and teammates pedal stationary bikes in Thursday’s workout in their temporary practice facility.

ALBANY — The University at Albany men’s basketball team is probably the only Division I program in the country that has the following sign in the entrance to its practice gymnasium:

“NO SWIMMING unless Certified Guard is on Deck Duty.”

 

The Great Danes are holding their summer workouts in a drained pool converted into a basketball court. It’s the same arrangement they had last season because SEFCU Arena is still undergoing its $12 million renovation. So is the PE Gym, located in the adjacent Physical Education Building.

UAlbany played its home games about 10 miles off campus at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy. The Great Danes seldom practiced there.

But those days will come to an end next season and the Great Danes can’t wait.

UAlbany athletic director Mark Benson said last week he’s still targeting November for when the team will be able to practice again inside SEFCU Arena.

Benson estimated the first game will be in early December.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since I got here and I’ve been excited about the renderings, excited about the meetings and it’s even better than I hoped for,” Benson said.

The renovations include reorienting the direction of the court, new locker rooms and the addition of hospitality areas.

SEFCU Arena will be under a new name. An athletic department spokesman said Broad-view will be in the name in some capacity because of a recent rebranding.

By any other name, the players are just happy to have a real home court again.

“We’re super excited to get back in there,” UAlbany forward Jonathan Beagle of Hudson Falls said. “Obviously, Mr. Benson, the whole athletic office has done a great job letting us get a new arena, so we’re really excited to get back in there.”

UAlbany’s temporary practice court has its limitations. While it’s regulation size, there are low ceilings at both ends that make it difficult to practice baseline out of bounds plays. Junior guard Ny’Mire Little, coming back from a hip injury, also noted the hotter temperatures inside the former pool.

There is some benefit to the heat because UAlbany coach Dwayne Killings said he’s trying to improve his team’s conditioning from a year ago. Players rode exercise bikes on the side of the court to build their stamina after a basketball workout.

“I definitely can’t wait,” Little said. “Just a new arena. I know all our fans are going to come out to support. I can’t wait to see that place packed. It’s definitely going to be a huge experience. … Every (home) game (last year) we’d get on a bus to go 15 minutes. We’re not getting our home crowd. We’re not getting our home feeling.”

UAlbany went 5-6 at HVCC last year during an 8-23 season. The Great Danes had almost no student attendance off campus. Certainly, UAlbany had other issues besides the arena renovation: injuries and terrible defense were among them.

“Playing in a foreign gym is playing in a foreign gym,” Killings said. “I thought that disrupted us. But to be honest we weren’t as good as we needed to be defensively. But that’s behind us.”

Neely on the mend

UAlbany junior forward Justin Neely, the 2022 America East Rookie of the Year, is back with his teammates at summer workouts. Neely, eight months removed from an ACL tear suffered against Siena, has spent time at home in Miami with his lifelong trainer.

He didn’t speculate on whether he’ll be ready to play in the season opener in November.

“I don’t really have a timeline right now,” Neely said. “When I’m ready to play, I’ll be back playing. But I’m progressing pretty well, so I’m looking forward to the season.”

He said he just began more running about two weeks ago. He has not been cleared for contact and playing. Neely wasn’t wearing a brace or sleeve on his knee, but said he will when the contact begins.

“I’m feeling really good,” he said. “I’ve been running well. I’m able to get some shooting in, a little bit of working out. It’s a different time now. ACL injury doesn’t mean the end of your career now. A lot of guys professionally have had the same injury and bounced back that are All-Stars. So I’m blessed to be in the position I am.”

[Eli]

Knew there were delays. I think we all thought it'd be ready for the home opener but now it's into December.

Probably won't be visiting anymore, but looking forward to the opening on TV.

[Dane96]

That's a two-three week delay.  Jeesh.  

[B9j2j6s]

UVM fans would love to only have a possible two-three week delay.

[bob87]

4 hours ago, B9j2j6s said:

UVM fans would love to only have a possible two-three week delay.

Or stony brook back in the day. I forgot how long they were in their old gym. I only remember it was closed properly.

[Eli]

7 hours ago, Dane96 said:

That's a two-three week delay.  Jeesh.  

Hey, you give them more credit than I do. Opening night was supposed to be vs Siena on 11/12. I said the second they moved that to MVP that they were behind. Now it's December - likely closer to Christmas, Benson just won't say it. I wouldn't be surprised if the AE home opener is the actual opener for the arena.

That's not my point though - the point is they don't even have a tentative date to share so out of town alum/people can't make plans. Something this big and their update with less than 6 months to go is 'sometime in December'...maybe that annoys only me but come on now.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Eli

[Clickclack]

I'm ok with it...projects of this magnitude are difficult to pull off with so many subs, inspections etc. We've waited this long, what's a few more weeks between friends?