ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany field hockey team will open their season at Fairfield on Tuesday, marking the team's first game since Nov. 7, 2019.
Game Info
Tuesday, March 9 at Fairfield (3:00 p.m.)
Live Stats
Leading the Pack
- UAlbany will return 7-of-11 starters from the 2019 America East Tournament lineup and all-three subs
- Kelsey McCrudden returns her team-leading 14 assists that ranked second in the conference in 2019
- Katie MacCallum returns her nine goals, seven assists and 25 points that all ranked second on the team and top-10 in the conference
- MacCallum, McCrudden, Rachel Schannauer and Carli Pelletier return after starting all-19 games in 2019
- Goalkeeper Sheridan Messier, who appeared in three games in 2019, will be asked to fill the shoes of program great Melissa Nealon guarding the cage. The Great Danes also added goalkeeper Hannah Mangan from Dublin, Ireland
Scouting Fairfield
The Stags will begin their season in Tuesday's clash with the Great Danes after they went 19-3 in 2019. Fairfield ended the 2019 season in the NCAA Championships second round with a 2-1 overtime loss against #2 UConn. They also finished the 2019 season as the #24 nationally ranked team. As a result, the Stags enter the 2020-21 season as the unanimous Northeast Conference favorite in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. Fairfield is led by reigning NFHCA All-American Second Team and NEC Player of the Year, Luzi Persiehl. Listed as a defender, the junior not only led a Stags defense that allowed just 26 goals in 22 games, she also recorded 11 assists.
All-Time vs. Fairfield
The Great Danes hold a 10-0 record over the Stags, dating back to 2007. In the last matchup, in 2017, UAlbany defeated Fairfield 8-2. Four UAlbany players,
Cosima Rocktaeschel,
Carli Pelletier,
Katie MacCallum and
Rachel Schannauer, remain since the last meeting between the programs. UAlbany has outscored Fairfield 42-9 in the 10 games played.
Last Time Out
487 day ago, UAlbany lost 1-0 to Stanford in the America East Tournament. UAlbany outshot Stanford 9-8 in the contest, but Stanford goalkeeper Kelsey Bing made seven saves. The Great Danes finished 2019 with an 11-8 record, 2-3 conference, and the loss to Stanford was their quickest postseason exit since 2011.
Around the America East
Every America East has begun its 2020-21 season except UAlbany and Stanford. Monmouth, New Hampshire and UC Davis remain undefeated, while Cal, Maine and Vermont sit at 0-1. UAlbany's season begins on Tuesday and Stanford starts on Saturday, March 20. New Hampshire swept the America East's first weekly awards, as Finn Caron earned Player of the Week and Nikki Tredwell was named Defensive and Rookie of the week. Monmouth was selected to win the America East, accumulating five first-place votes. Maine followed with three first-place votes and Stanford earned the last remaining first-place vote.
Decorated Leadership Returns
Four seniors,
Katie MacCallum,
Carli Pelletier,
Rachel Schannauer and
Cosima Rocktaeschel, and two juniors,
Kelsey McCrudden and
Elaina Burchell, remain on the roster from the 2018 America East Championship team's participating players. MacCallum leads the group with two NFHCA Northeast Region Second Team, All-Conference East Division Second Team and All-Rookie Team selections. McCrudden has NFHCA Northeast Region Second Team, All-Conference East Division First Team and All-Rookie Team selections. Schennauer and Burchell have All-Rookie Team selections in their respective first seasons.
Chasing Top-10 Assists in Program History
Senior forward
Katie MacCallum and junior midfielder
Kelsey McCrudden are chasing a spot on UAlbany's top-10 career assists leaderboard. McCrudden's 18 assists are three shy of entering the top-10 and she has two years of eligibility remaining. MacCallum's 17 assists are four shy of the top-10 as she enters her final season with UAlbany.
2020-21 New Faces
UAlbany added five recruits to the 2020-21 team –
Hannah Mangan,
Lara Mortz,
Robyn Murray,
Charlotte Triggs and
Janelle Volk. Mangan and Murray are both from Ireland, Mortz from Germany, Triggs from England and Volk from Afton, N.Y. "We are super excited about this recruiting class," said coach
Phil Sykes. "Getting to know this group has been a fun process. I think they will add a great deal of quality to our team. Our midfield and defense in particular will be benefitted by their experience and skill."
Two All-Time Program Greats Departed
Graduated after the 2019 season were midfielder
Dana Bozek and goalkeeper
Melissa Nealon – two players who rank amongst the program's all-time leaders. Bozek earned Second Team All-American, three NFHCA Northeast Region Team Honors, three All-Conference East Division selections and 2019 America East Midfielder of the Year in her career. She ranks tied-seventh with 37 goals, eighth with 94 points, and tied-tenth with 20 assists in program history.
Nealon earned NFHCA Third Team All-American, three NFHCA Northeast Region Honors, three America East All-Conference selections and one America East Co-Goalkeeper of the Year award in her collegiate career. She ranks second with 18 shutouts, fourth with 36 wins, fifth with 226 saves, eighth with a .766 save percentage and eighth with 1.49 goals against average in program history.
Picked Third
UAlbany was selected tied-third in the 2020-21 America Est Preseason Coaches' Poll. They earned 46 total points, tied with Stanford, and no first-place votes. Monmouth sat atop the rankings with 60 points and five first-place votes, followed by Maine's 56 points and three first-place votes. Stanford earned the final remaining first-place vote. UAlbany was followed by New Hampshire (32), Cal (29), UMass Lowell (21), Vermont (18) and UC Davis (16).
Next: UAlbany is scheduled to visit Hofstra on Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 p.m.
