ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany volleyball team will host UMBC in the America East Championship match on Friday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m. UAlbany seeks its second-straight America East Title. 
 
Game Info
Friday, April 2 vs. UMBC (7:00 p.m.)
Live Stats | Live Video

Leading the Pack

• Kamara Kelly earned America East Player of the Year and Charlotte Macken was named America East Defensive Specialist of the Year.
• Kelly ranked second in the conference in total kills (160), fourth in kills per set (3.48), fifth in digs (167) and seventh in digs per set (3.63).
• Macken led the conference in total digs (208) and digs per set (4.52).
• Danielle Tedesco ranked tied-first in the conference in hitting percentage (.351), second in blocks (44), fourth in blocks per set (0.96), seventh in kills (118) and ninth in kills per set (2.57).
• Malea Stanton has a team-leading 216 assists and 5.68 assists per set.
• Noa Brach leads the conference with 50 total blocks and 1.09 blocks per set.
• As a team, UAlbany ranks first in total blocks (97), second in digs per set (17.46), third in kills per set (13.15) and fourth in assist per set (11.96).

Scouting UMBC
The Retrievers enter the Championship Match with a 10-3 overall record, 9-3 conference, and have won six of their last seven games. With a 9-3 conference record and late forfeits by UAlbany, UMBC earned a share of the Regular Season Champions title. Freshman Aysia Miller earned America East Setter of the Year after racking up 525 assists and 10.71 per set, a number that ranked 23rd in Division I. Darina Kumanova was named America East Rookie of the Year after ranking top-10 in the conference in kills (153), points (170) and digs (148). UMBC earned its first Coaching Staff of the Year award in program history. 
 
All-Time vs. UMBC 
The Great Danes are 28-7 all-time against the Retrievers, including a current nine-game winning streak. They hold a 15-3 record at home and last played UMBC in the postseason on Nov. 18, 2016, a match UAlbany won 3-0. UAlbany's last loss against UMBC came on Nov. 6, 2016 and UAlbany has won 14-of-15 since 2014. In the last matchup between the programs, on March 14, UAlbany won 3-2 but led 2-0 and narrowly held of the Retrievers' comeback with a 16-14 set-five victory.
 
Last Time Out
Due to a cancelation of UAlbany's final two regular season games, the Great Danes last played at home on March 22. UAlbany lost its first conference game of the season 3-0 against Stony Brook, but dropped two of the sets by two points and the other by five. Despite the loss, the Great Danes still clinched a spot in the America East Championship Match and ultimately earned Regular Season Champions on Wednesday, March 24. UAlbany took three-of-four matches in the two-day pod when they hosted Hartford and Stony Brook.

Around the America East
UMBC joined UAlbany as the second team to qualify for the America East Championship and the Retrievers also earned a share of the Regular Season Champions Title with a 9-3 conference record. New Hampshire finished the season in third place at 7-3 and lost a chance at the championship when they could not successfully reschedule a two-game set with Hartford. Stony Brook finished fourth with a 7-5 conference record, followed by Hartford at 4-6, Binghamton at 3-9 and NJIT at 1-11. All-four of the conference's major award winners, UAlbany's Kamara Kelly and Charlotte Macken, and UMBC's Aysia Miller and Darina Kumanov, are participating in the championship match.

Kelly Named America East Player of the Year
Kamara Kelly, a sophomore, earned Player of the Year after winning two Player of the Week awards in the seven regular-season weeks. The Jacksonville, Fla. native ranked second in the conference in total kills (160), fourth in kills per set (3.48), fifth in digs (167) and seventh in digs per set (3.63). Kelly also earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team.
 
Macken named Defensive Specialist of the Year
Charlotte Macken, a junior, earned Defensive Specialist of the Year after leading the conference in total digs (208) and digs per set (4.52). The Clifton Park, N.Y. native earned two Defensive Specialist of the Week awards during the regular season. She played all-46 sets this season for the Great Danes. Macken was also named to the All-Conference Second Team.
 
Tedesco Named First Team, All-Academic; Malcoln Earns All-Academic
Danielle Tedesco accompanied Kelly with her second-straight First Team All-Conference honor. A senior, Tedesco ranked tied-first in the conference in hitting percentage (.351), second in blocks (44), fourth in blocks per set (0.96), seventh in kills (118) and ninth in kills per set (2.57). The Cazenovia, N.Y. native also landed on the All-Academic Team with her 3.72 GPA studying Criminal Justice and Sociology.

Selah Malcoln, a Redshirt Junior, was named to the All-Academic Team for her 3.96 GPA studying Business Administration and Psychology. The Johns Creek, Ga. native has appeared in all-46 sets for UAlbany this season and has 64 kills and 27 blocks, both top-five on the team.
 
Volleyball Final Weekend Series Canceled, Result in Forfeits for the Great Danes
Due to presumptive positive COVID-19 tests within the UAlbany volleyball's Tier 1 group, the regular season series finale was canceled. Out of an abundance of caution leading up to the America East Volleyball Championship, the Great Danes forfeited their final regular season games against NJIT and New Hampshire.
 
The Great Danes Officially Named America East Regular Season Champions
UAlbany finished its weekend series with three-of-four wins and sole possession of first place in the conference. The Great Danes hold all tie-breakers against UMBC, having defeated the Retrievers in both regular season matches. New Hampshire was the only school with tie-breaking chances to claim the No. 1 seed. With the Wildcats' two games against Hartford canceled, the Great Danes officially clinched Regular Season Champions and the rights to host the Championship Match on April 2. UMBC clinched Co-Regular Season Champions after two final weekend victories combined with UAlbany's two forfeits to end the season. 
 
UAlbany Clinches a Spot in the America East Championship
In a home weekend pod against Hartford and Stony Brook, the Great Danes took three-of-four games. Despite losing the final game against Stony Brook, their first conference loss of the season, UAlbany clinched a spot in the championship match on April 2.
 
Kelly, Macken Earn Second Weekly Awards of the Season (3/16)
Kamara Kelly, a sophomore, earned her second-straight Player of the Week selection. She led the Great Danes with 37 kills and added 34 digs in eight sets against UMBC and Binghamton. The Jacksonville, Fla. native led UAlbany with a match-high 25 kills in a five-set victory over UMBC.
 
Charlotte Macken, a junior, earned her second Defensive Specialist of the Week award this season and fourth weekly award of her career. She led UAlbany with 43 digs in the team's two victories, including a season-high 28 against UMBC. The Clifton Park, N.Y. native helped guide the Great Danes to a perfect 6-0 start in conference play.
 
Kelly Named America East Player of the Week (3/9)
Kamara Kelly, a Jacksonville, Fla. native, led UAlbany with 24 kills in two matches against UMBC and Binghamton on Saturday. She added 13 digs, six block assists and three service aces. Kelly's efforts led the Great Danes to two conference victories, as they took six-of-seven sets in the doubleheader and earned their first sweep of the season over Binghamton. The weekly award is Kelly's first in her collegiate career.

Tedesco, Macken Earn America East Weekly Honors (2/23) 
Danielle Tedesco recorded 21 kills, seven digs and seven blocks in UAlbany's two-match series against Sacred Heart. She led the Great Danes to a 3-2 first-match victory with a match-high 16 kills and six blocks. This is Tedesco's first-career weekly award.
 
Charlotte Macken had 31 digs, three assists and three aces in UAlbany's series against Sacred Heart. The Clifton Park, N.Y. native recorded a game-high 25 digs in UAlbany's 3-2 five-set victory over Sacred Heart. This is Macken's third-career weekly honor, her last coming on Nov. 12, 2019. 
 
Picked To Repeat as Champions
As defending America East champions, UAlbany was picked to repeat as champions in this year's Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Great Danes earned 33 points, including four first-place votes, to claim the top spot in the poll. Hartford, UAlbany's 2019 championship opponent, was second, with 28 points and the remaining three first-place votes. Stony Brook (27) and New Hampshire (24) followed behind in a close third and fourth, respectively, ahead of UMBC (17), Binghamton (10), and America East newcomer NJIT (8).
 
Kraham Rejoins the UAlbany Coaching Staff
Brooke Kraham returns to her UAlbany roots, having graduated from the University in 2011 after a dazzling career in which she was named the America East Setter of the Year three times. In addition, Kraham was named the America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2007 and Player of the Year in 2009. Kraham sits second in the UAlbany record books with 4,851 career assists and sits in first among all UAlbany volleyball players with 21 America East Weekly Awards. She also served as an assistant coach for the Great Danes from 2013-15.
 
Returning 2019 Award Winners
Three players, Danielle Tedesco, Noa Brach and Malea Stanton, return for the 2020-21 season after earning 2019 All-Conference Selections. Tedesco was named First Team All-Conference after her 99 regular season blocks helped the Great Danes rank No. 21 in the nation in blocks. Brach and Stanton earned All-Rookie selections after they ranked third in the America East with 106 blocks and 601 assists, respectively.

New Faces
UAlbany welcomes five new members to the 2020-21 roster, composed of three freshman and two transfers. Freshman Hannah Rowe earned First Team All-State honors in Pennsylvania and compiled 673 kills, 212 blocks and 522 digs. Junior ShaLi Niu transferred from George Mason where she earned First Team OIA East College and averaged 2.63 kills per set. Freshman Allie Sturgess earned All-State honors her senior year and Naliah Grannell totaled 419 kills in her high school career.

Big Shoes to Fill
Two Great Danes who lead the offensive attack, Chloe Evering and Akuabata Okenwa, graduated from the program after the 2019 season. The pair led UAlbany in kills with 538 combined, as well as both placing top-four on the team in blocks. Okenwa's 331 kills ranked fourth in the America East as she earned First Team All-Conference honors. Evering earned a Second-Team selection along with All-Academic honors for her 3.99 GPA as a Biology major. 

America East Announces Volleyball Scheduling Format
The teams will compete in a double round-robin (12 matches) from Feb. 28 to March 29. Once the regular season matchups conclude, the top two teams will qualify for the America Each Championship match that is schedule for April 4.
 
Next: The winner of the America East Championship will advance to the NCAA Tournament in Omaha, NE. The winner's opponent will be determined during Sunday's selection show on ESPNU at 4:00 p.m. ET.