ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany women's basketball team visits newly-secured and first-time opponent Seton Hall on Sunday for the middle leg in a three-games-in-five-days stretch.
 
Game Info
Sunday, December 13 at Seton Hall (2:00 p.m.)
Live Stats | Pirate Sports Network
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany scheduled the game against Seton Hall on Friday, December 11, after Saint Peter's, scheduled Thursday, elected to play its conference games against Iona instead
• Seton Hall had an opening after their game against Fordham was postponed to later in December
• UAlbany is 13-7 in home openers in the Division I era, including 6-1 in the last seven years
• Ellen Hahne recorded a double-double at Hofstra, her first appearance as a Great Dane
• This is the first meeting between the two programs

 
Scouting Seton Hall
Seton Hall has started the season 2-0 with victoried over Saint Peter's and Wagner, winning both games by an average of 45 points.  The Pirates' first three scheduled games, against Rider and Fairfield and at Butler, were either postponed or cancelled outright.  Unanimous Preseason All-BIG EAST selection Desiree Elmore leads the Pirates, having averaged 13.0 points and 7.2 rebounds last year while recording six double-doubles in 31 appearances.  UAlbany has never played Seton Hall in women's basketball.
 
Last Time Out
The Great Danes finally opened the 2020-21 season after several false starts, taking the court on the road at Hofstra on Friday.  UAlbany jumped out to a quick, 6-2 lead over the Pride, and ultimately opened the game with consecutive three-pointers from Helene Haegerstrand, Kyara Frames, and Izzy Om.  The Great Danes suffered an extended scoring drought in the second half that saw the Pride take the lead and never look back.  UAlbany trailed by as many as 21 in the fourth quarter, but came as close as 12 with seven minutes to go.  The Pride held on, however, despite a double-double from transfer Ellen Hahne, to win 63-45.
 
Around the America East
Before Friday's game at Hofstra, UAlbany was one of three America East teams who had yet to start their season.  That number is down to two, with Vermont and Harford still awaiting their opener dates.  NJIT and New Hampshire have played the only conference games so far, splitting the pair.  As a result, NJIT, new to the conference this season, remains atop the America East standings by virtue of a better overall record than the Wildcats, by a half game.  Maine played its first games on December 10 and 11, and at 2-0 are the only undefeated team in the conference.
 
Sunday's America East Games
UAlbany at Seton Hall, 1:00 pm
Binghamton at #20 Syracuse, 2:00 pm
 
Upcoming Milestones
Kyara Frames: 92 appearances, 749 points, 244 assists
 
Late Addition
A disruption in Saint Peter's MAAC schedule had forced the Peacocks to postpone their road series at Niagara, opening up an opportunity for the Great Danes to secure another game at home.  Coming together in less than 24 hours, UAlbany added Saint Peter's to its schedule, moving the home opener up three days to December 13.  Originally, the Great Danes were schedule to open at home against Marist on December 16, a game that was cancelled just before news of Saint Peter's availability broke.  A day later, Saint Peter's pulled out in favor of starting their conference schedule at Iona, leaving UAlbany without an opponent for Sunday.  The Great Danes, Friday evening, secured a road matchup with Seton Hall instead.
 
Double-Double
In her debut as a Great Dane, junior guard Ellen Hahne scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double to lead UAlbany in both categories in their season opener at Hofstra.  It mirrored the season opening double-doubles last season against Columbia, from Alexi Schecter (31 points, 11 rebounds), and fellow Swedish national Amanda Kantzy (10 points, 10 rebounds).
 
Late Start
December 11 is the latest date on record that the UAlbany women's basketball team has played its first game.  In prior years, the Great Danes have started as late as November 25, most recently in 1986.
 
Preseason Disruptions
Since returning to campus, the Great Danes have seen their team activities interrupted multiple times due to COVID-19 protocols.  On September 11, a cluster of presumptive positive cases within the UAlbany athletics community paused all athletic-related activities for a total of 24 days, with full activities not resuming for another seven when the pause was finally lifted.  On November 10, an increase in cases within the campus community triggered SUNY's remote learning protocols, including pausing athletics activities.  The women returned to practice on November 25.  Less than a week later, the women had to pause again after presumptive positive tests within the team's Tier 1 personnel, before returning to practice on December 4.
 
Captains
This year, the team has selected three captains to lead the program through the unprecedented 2020-21 season.  Redshirt-senior guard Khepera Stokes, senior guard Kyara Frames, and sophomore forward Helene Haegerstrand will take up leadership roles for the Great Danes this year.  Stokes and Frames are the longest-tenured Great Danes in the program, and the only two on the roster with postseason experience in the NCAA Tournament or the WNIT.
 
Reunited
Swedish nationals Helene Haegerstrand and Ellen Hahne have reunited as teammates at UAlbany after playing together previously on Sweden's national team.  Haegerstrand is a sophomore this season and in her second year with the team and Hahne joined the team this year as a transfer from Wake Forest.
 
Last Holdout
Redshirt-senior Khepera Stokes is the only player on the roster who was a member of the Great Danes' last America East title and NCAA appearance.  Stokes was a freshman when UAlbany defeated Maine 66-50 in the 2016-17 America East finals to win the program's sixth-straight conference championship.  Stokes appeared in all 33 games for UAlbany that season, starting 19 after moving into the starting lineup halfway through the season.  She finished the year with 95 assists, second in program history for a freshman, behind only then-teammate Mackenzie Trpcic, who finished the year with 103.
 
First Years
Including this year's seven new recruits, 13 of 16 players on the roster have just one year or fewer in the program.  Only Khepera Stokes, Kyara Frames, and Lucia Decortes have two or more seasons under their belts.  Only Stokes and Frames have made postseason appearances in the NCAA Tournament or the WNIT.
 
Transfers
In addition to a freshman class of four, UAlbany welcomes three transfer players in guards Ellen Hahne (Wake Forest), Grace Heeps (UMass), and Fatima Lee (Providence).  Heeps hails locally from East Greenbush, N.Y., and played high school at Northfield Mount Herman.
 
Roster Changes
The Great Danes return three starters from last season, but will have to replace top scorer Alexi Schecter and top rebounder Amanda Kantzy, who combined accounted for 38% of UAlbany's total scoring.  Returning this year are second and third leading scorers Helene Haegerstrand and Kyara Frames, as well as fifth-year senior guard Khepera Stokes.  Stokes is the only player on the team this season who appeared and started in all 30 games for UAlbany last season.
 
Picked Fourth
The Great Danes were selected to finish fourth in this year's America East Preseason Coaches' Poll.  UAlbany drew 54 points overall, clear of Binghamton and UMBC's 53, tying for fifth.  Ahead of UAlbany was Maine (78 points and six first-place votes), Stony Brook (76 points and four first-place votes) and UMass Lowell.
 
America East Announces Basketball Schedule Format
On October 19, 2020, the America East debuted its revised schedule format for the 2020-21 season.  The conference season will begin on December 19-20, with teams playing back-to-back games at the same site against the same opponent on Saturdays and Sundays.  There are built-in off weekends to accommodate potential postponements throughout the season.  It will also be the first year that the conference schedule expands to 18 games to account for NJIT joining the conference.
 
Next: UAlbany visits Marist on December 15.  Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.  The Great Danes open conference play on December 19 with the first of back-to-back games at UMBC.