Albany, N.Y. - Luke Schoen, an All-America pole vaulter, Dave Kubiak, an all-conference pitcher, and Nikki Branchini, an All-America lacrosse defensive midfielder, have been selected the University at Albany's 2010-11 Male and Female Athletes of the Year, as announced on Thursday, June 30 by Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy. The athletes were chosen in voting by the head coaches of the school's Division I 19-sport intercollegiate athletic program.
     A second-team All-America pole vaulter after tying for 12th place at the 2011 NCAA Championships, Schoen is the first UAlbany track & field athlete to earn Division I outdoor All-America recognition three times. He tied for first at this spring's NCAA East Preliminary Round and won the IC4A championship with a mark of 16-feet, 10.75-inches. In addition, he tied a meet record (17-3.50) in winning the America East Conference crown, his second conference outdoor title. He was named America East Field Performer of the Meet for the second time in his career, as UAlbany won its seventh consecutive conference outdoor championship. Schoen, who hails from West Islip, N.Y., posted three top-10 finishes during the regular schedule, including second at North Carolina State's Raleigh Relays and sixth at the Florida Relays. The school record-holder in the pole vault by clearing a height of 17-6.50, Schoen has captured two indoor America East pole vault championships during his career.
     Kubiak, a second-team All-America East Conference pitcher from Southold, N.Y., shares the UAlbany male athlete award with Schoen. He became the seventh player in school history to be chosen in the Major League Baseball Draft earlier this month. Kubiak was taken by the Tampa Bay Rays in 36th round and has been assigned to the club's Gulf Coast League rookie team. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound right-hander started 14 games and posted a 6-7 record with a 4.72 ERA. He registered 73 strikeouts, fourth-best on program's single-season chart, plus had five complete games and one shutout. The school's all-time leader with 227 strikeouts, Kubiak totaled 18 career wins, 12 complete games, 51 appearances and 278.3 innings. UAlbany (21-31) reached the America East championship game against Maine after upsetting regular-season champion Stony Brook in an elimination contest. Kubiak, who was a first-team all-league selection as a junior, led the Great Danes to their third consecutive championship game appearance.
     Branchini receives her second consecutive UAlbany Female Athlete of the Year award. She was named to the IWLCA All-America second team, her second year in a row on the squad, and was a member of Synapse Sports All-America unit. A first-team All-Northeast Region selection, Branchini was voted America East Conference Co-Player of the Year and became the third player in conference history to win multiple top player awards. The native of Guilderland, N.Y. was the first UAlbany player to be voted all-region three times and first-team all-conference in all four seasons.
     The America East Woman of the Year had 21 goals and three assists, plus ranked second nationally in draw controls at 5.26 per game. She led UAlbany to its most accomplished season since the program became a varsity sport in 1992. The Great Danes won their first America East championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's quarterfinal round, losing to eventual national champion Northwestern. UAlbany (18-1) was ranked in the top 10 nationally in both polls for the first time. The 2011 IWLCA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American is the first UAlbany female to earn All-America status on the field and in the classroom since UAlbany upgraded to the Division I level.
**********
University at Albany Athletes of the Year (Division I)
2010-11: Male: Dave Kubiak (Baseball) & Luke Schoen (Track & Field), Female: Nikki Branchini (Lacrosse)
2009-10: Male: Tim Bush (Football) & Valete Graham (Track & Field), Female: Nikki Branchini (Lacrosse)
2008-09: Male: Joe Greene (Track & Field), Female: Michelle Simpson (Field Hockey)
2007-08: Male: Brian Lillis (Basketball), Female: Amber Maisonet (Softball)
2006-07: Male: Frank Resetarits (Lacrosse) & Jamar Wilson (Basketball), Female: Casey Halloran (Softball)
2005-06: Male: Jamar Wilson (Basketball), Female: Blair Buchanan (Volleyball) & Casey Halloran (Softball)
2004-05: Male: Luke Daquino (Lacrosse), Female: Blair Buchanan (Volleyball)
2003-04: Male: Gary Jones (Football), Female: Andee Lindgren (Softball)
2002-03: Male: Gary Jones (Football), Female: Teresa Covert (Track & Field)
2001-02: Male: Chris Phillis (Football), Female: Amy Di Micco (Field Hockey)
2000-01: Male: Michael Oliva (Baseball), Female: Dawn Di Micco (Basketball/Lacrosse)
1999-00: Male: Todd Cetnar (Basketball), Female: Megan Buchanan (Basketball)