ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's soccer program renews its rivalry with MAAC opponent Niagara after more than 20 years.
 
Game Info
September 1, 2023 vs. Niagara (6:00 pm)
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Game Notes
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany is 1-0-0 at home this season; Niagara is 0-1-1 on the road
• UAlbany hasn't played Niagara since the 2000 season
• Niagara is playing its third-straight road game to open their season
• Niagara returns 10 players from last year's MAAC semifinal squad, and adds 15 newcomers

 Scouting Niagara
Niagara is winless through two games this season at 0-1-1, with a lopsided goal differential due to their 6-0 defeat at #22 Akron to open the season.  Akron has since defeated then #7 Vermont 1-0 to climb to #9 in the latest national rankings.  The Purple Eagles followed up their season opener with a 1-1 draw at Robert Morris, and will play their third of four-straight road games to start the season against the Great Danes on Friday.  After making the MAAC postseason for the third-straight season in 2022 and making a run to the semifinal round, Niagara was picked to finish seventh in the 2023 Preseason MAAC Coaches' Poll, UAlbany is 2-0 in the program's Division I era against Niagara, but the teams haven't played one another since the 2000 season.
 
Last Time vs. Niagara
September 24, 2000 | Albany, N.Y. | UAlbany 5, Niagara 1
 
Last Time Out
For the second-straight meeting, UAlbany shut out Villanova.  The Great Danes followed up their 1-0 defeat of the Wildcats in 2021 in Philadelphia with a 2-0 victory at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium.  Jeff Thielmann broke the game open by converting a penalty kick in the 33rd minute, and he later set up Caleb Vallance's first career goal in the 80th minute to seal the victory.  Overall, UAlbany outshot Villanova 17-8 and drew 13 corner kicks to Villanova's three.  Defensively, Shafique Wilson recorded his 10th career shutout in net.
 
Around the America East
#19 New Hampshire and #22 Vermont each remain ranked in the United Soccer Coaches national poll, but the Wildcats jumped the Catamounts in the rankings following Vermont's defeat at #21 Akron in their most recent game.  Bryant leads the overall standings with two wins in two games, while three teams behind the Bulldogs, New Hampshire, UMass Lowell, and UMBC, are 1-0-1 and yet to suffer a defeat.  UAlbany is tied with Vermont at 1-1-0, and both Binghamton and NJIT are 0-2-0 on the early season.
 
Friday's America East Games

• Cornell at #22 Vermont, 6:00 pm
• Niagara at UAlbany, 6:00 pm
• Liberty at UMBC, 7:00 pm
• Binghamton at Colgate, 7:00 pm

 Upcoming Milestones

• Trevor Gorman: 96 career wins
• Program: 496 wins

 Without Borders
Including the United States and Canada, the 2023 men's soccer roster features 29 players representing 13 different countries.  In total, 21 players have joined the team from outside the United States.
 
New Faces
The Great Danes' roster of 29 players features 13 new faces.  Three of the 13 are freshmen, while the remaining 10 have transferred into UAlbany from their previous institutions.  The transfers hail from such programs as Akron, South Florida, and defending national champion Syracuse, among others.
 
Picked Third
After a run to the America East title game in 2022, the Great Danes were picked to finish in a tie for third in the 2023 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll.  They shared their point total of 34 with UMBC, and narrowly edging the Retrievers by garnering one first-place vote.
 
Schedule Strength
Including defending national champion and preseason #1 Syracuse, five of the Great Danes 17 opponents in 2023 hold preseason rankings in the United Soccer Coaches national poll.  Behind the Orange, the Great Danes will play games against #12 Vermont, #20 Cornell, #23 New Hampshire, and #25 Penn.
 
Phoenix Rising
Former UAlbany defender Daniel Krutzen '18 signed a deal in January with Phoenix Rising FC of the USL Championship, the second-tier league in the United States.  Krutzen made the move after playing four years in the Canadian Premier League for Forge FC, winning three league titles.
 
Hall of Fame Semifinalist
The most prolific scorer in UAlbany men's soccer history, Lee Tschantret, was named a semifinalist to the National Soccer Hall of Fame's 2023 Veteran Ballot.  Tschantret played at UAlbany from 1987-90, scoring a program-record that still stands today 51 goals.  He earned All-America honors in 1988 and 1989, and after his collegiate season enjoyed a 20-year professional career.
 
U.S. Open Cup
Former UAlbany goalkeeper Danny Vitiello and his Sacramento Republic FC team advanced to the championship game of the 2022 U.S. Open Cup against Orlando City SC of the MLS.  Sacramento was the first team from outside the MLS to reach the title game since Charleston Battery played against D.C. United in 2008.  Vitiello and Sacramento defeated three MLS teams en route to the final, the San Jose Earthquakes, the L.A. Galaxy, and Sporting Kansas City.  In the latter game, the semifinal, Vitiello recorded the decisive save in the penalty kick shootout to advance Sacramento to the final.  Sacramento's magic run ended against Orlando City, falling 3-0.
 
Next: UAlbany visits defending national champion and #1-ranked Syracuse on September 4.