ALBANY, N.Y. – While the University at Albany men's lacrosse team warmed up on the field before a March 24 game at UMass Lowell, fans swarmed the gates and filled the seats in a way that had never happened at Cushing Field Complex. The crowd of 1,751 set a record for the venue.
That's the power of the #DaneTrain: Whether at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium or on the road, the Great Danes have become college lacrosse's must-see attraction.
UAlbany is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation in road attendance, and heading into Friday's game at UMBC, every UAlbany road opponent has drawn its largest crowd of the season against the Great Danes.
“It's great when you're playing away from home and there's a hostile crowd. It certainly gives you added energy to play well and perform,” UAlbany Head Coach, Scott Marr, said. “It's just nice to see people coming out to see us. It just goes to show that with the schedule we're playing, we're playing some quality teams – Syracuse, Maryland and Yale coming up. We're excited about it.”
Not surprisingly, UAlbany's 10-0 start has helped the Danes rank No. 3 nationally in home attendance, with an average of 2,517 fans visiting Casey Stadium through six home games. And the crowd of 4,044 this past Saturday that saw UAlbany beat Stony Brook, 13-7, was the third-largest in program history.
But how eager are out-of-town spectators to see the nation's No. 1-ranked team? Consider this: On average, UAlbany's road opponents have seen average attendance increase of 141 percent when the Great Danes are in town.
In fact, each of the Great Danes' first four road opponents have recorded top 5 regular-season attendance numbers in the past five years.
Here's a closer look:
- Syracuse: 7,238 (fourth highest in past five years)
- UMass: 1,167 (second highest in past five years)
- Maryland: 7,475 (third highest in past five years)
- UMass Lowell: 1,751 (all-time facility record)
It helps that the Great Danes also have an exciting, up-tempo style of play, with an offense that features national stars like freshman Tehoka Nanticoke, the nation's No. 1 recruit; Connor Fields, the program's all-time goals leader; and TD Ierlan, the top faceoff specialist in the country, among others.
“The pace that we play at, the excitement we bring to the game and the fact that we have a lot creative kids on the team – you never know when you're going to get that highlight-reel goal,” Marr said. “It makes it exciting for young kids to watch and see.”
The Great Danes also are known for engaging with fans in more ways than wins. They regularly sign autographs and chat with spectators after games, connecting with old fans and earning new ones.
The result is a team that's the talk of college lacrosse – whether at home or on the road.
