ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's lacrosse team returns to Casey Stadium for the third time this season on Saturday afternoon to host America East rival Vermont. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. with coverage on ESPN+.
Game Info
March 23, 2024
Vs. Vermont – Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in Albany, N.Y.
1:00 p.m.
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Leading the Pack
- Jake Piseno has put the lacrosse world on notice with his most recent game at #3 Virginia - scoring two goals, collecting four ground balls, and forcing three caused turnovers. His 3.29 caused turnovers per game continues to lead Division I. He's scored five goals and added three assists with the long pole.
- Sophomore Silas Richmond is coming off a career outing against the #3 Cavaliers, scoring seven goals in the outing. The attack notched a hat trick just 10 minutes into the game, helping the Great Danes jump out to an early 3-0 lead. He currently leads the team in goals (21) and points (27). His average of 3.0 goals per game is tied for the lead in the America East with Vermont's Charlie Pope.
- Graydon Hogg leads the team in assists with seven, having also scored eight goals for 15 points. He had a five-goal performance earlier this season against Hobart – the last time the Great Danes played at Casey Stadium.
- Faceoff specialist Regan Endres has the third-best faceoff percentage in the America East this season at .582, having won 99 of 170 attempts. He is third in the conference in ground balls with a total of 50, averaging 7.14 per game.
- Freshman keeper Landon Whitney was a brick wall in the first half of UAlbany's game at #3 Virginia, making nine saves to keep the Great Danes in contention. He sits third in the America East with a GAA of 11.57 while also recording a save percentage of .477.
Scouting Vermont
The Catamounts come into Saturday's game with an overall record of 3-5, having faced some tough competition. The team has faced multiple ranked opponents, falling against #12 Syracuse (20-7), #18 Boston University (18-8), and RV Harvard (15-12) before stacking wins against #20 UMass (13-12) and RV NJIT (12-9).
- Charlie Pope sists atop the America East leaderboards with 24 goals scored over eight games. His average of 3.0 goals per game sits in a dead tie with UAlbany's Silas Richmond for first place.
- Luke Reiter leads the team with 11 assists with an average of 1.38 per game, tied for fourth in the conference.
- George Egan, a senior, has been the main netminder this season. He currently sports a 15.33 GAA and has a save percentage of .455.
- Henry Dodge has had a solid season at the X, winning 114-206 faceoffs for a percentage of .553.
- The team as a whole is averaging 12 goals per game, with opponents averaging 14.5.
History vs. Vermont
The Great Danes own the all-time series record against the Catamounts, 18-11. The history between the two America East foes has been one of streaks. Starting all the way back in 2000, Vermont won the first two meetings before UAlbany rattled off nine straight wins. Vermont was able to turn the tide in 2011, but UAlbany started another streak the following year – this time winning another eight in a row. From 2019 to 2022 however, the Catamounts got the better of the Great Danes with seven consecutive victories.
In 2023, Vermont pushed the streak to eight straight wins with a 14-7 win during the regular season. UAlbany, however, had the last laugh – traveling to Burlington and taking down the Catamounts, 10-4, in the America East Tournament to advance to the championship game. In that matchup,
Silas Richmond scored five of UAlbany's first six goals and the defense held Vermont scoreless for the entirety of the second half.
Last Time Out
The Great Danes faced #3 Virginia on Tuesday afternoon, bringing a tied score of 3-3 into the locker room at the half. UAlbany would go on to fall, 16-10, but played a hard and physical game against one of the nation's top opponents.
Watch List
Just ahead of the Great Danes' 2024 season opener,
Jake Piseno capped off his three Preseason All-America Second Team honors by being named to the 2024 Tewaaraton Award Watch List. Piseno, designated as a defender, was one of 50 players named to the early watch list, and the only player selected from an America East school. The Great Danes will play against seven watch list players during the regular season: Matt Brandau and Chris Lyons from Yale, Emmet Carroll from Penn, Cole Kastner, Matt Nunes, and Connor Shellenberger from Virginia, and Matt Knote from UMass.
Leadership Group
Jake Piseno has been named the Great Danes' lone captain for the 2024 season, but additional members of the team have been designated as the squad's Leadership Group. The group is made up of every fifth-year player on the team,
Conner Fingar,
Graydon Hogg,
Darien LaPietro,
Wil Pepe, and
Blake Runkle, as well as true seniors
Regan Endres and
Tyler Shook.
Danes Helping Danes
The University at Albany Athletics Department is asking its "Great Dane Family" to come together in support of rescued Great Danes that were found in a hoarding situation earlier this month. It was reported that 22 dogs, all Great Danes, were rescued from a home in Dutchess County after the passing of their owner. The Great Danes, which ranged from puppies to two-year-olds, were said to be undernourished and confined to a house in extremely poor condition. The Great Danes are now being taken care of by local animal agencies including the Dutchess County SPCA, Ulster County SPCA, Ulster County Canines, Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, and the Hudson Valley SPCA. Help is always needed and appreciated. All organizations are currently taking donations, with dog food being the biggest need by far. UAlbany adopted the Great Dane as the school's official mascot in 1965, becoming the first and only Division I university to use the enormous dog as its nickname. The Great Dane was chosen because of its "Size, weight, strength, character, courage, speed, and stamina".
Islands
Blake Runkle is the latest Great Dane to join the ranks of international lacrosse. Runkle's parents claim residency in the US Virgin Islands, and Runkle has been part of the construction and development of the Islands' nascent national lacrosse program, including box, field, and sixes. The next endeavor is to bring the sport into the Islands' high schools and expand to include women's teams.
Raking Them In
Graduate long-stick midfielder
Jake Piseno, following his record-setting 2023 season, earned Preseason All-America Honors from the three most prominent lacrosse publications in the country. Each of Inside Lacrosse, USA Lacrosse Magazine, and the USILA, selected Piseno to their Preseason Second Team.
Picked Third
The Great Danes were picked to finish third in the 2024 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll, earning 38 total points and two first-place votes. Defending conference champion Bryant, a second-year America East program, was selected as the preseason favorite, drawing 47 points and five first-place votes. Recent conference power Vermont, winner of the 2023 regular season, was picked just ahead of UAlbany in second with 39 points, but just one first-place vote.
NLL - Scoring Record
On December 29, 2023, UAlbany alumnus Joe Resetarits scored one goal and recorded six assists for a total of seven points in the Philadelphia Wings' game against the Halifax Thunderbirds. Restetarits' point total that evening launched him into the all-time scoring lead in the National Lacrosse League for an American-born player with 675 points, surpassing Casey Powell's previous such record.
New York's Lacrosse Team
For year six, the Premier Lacrosse League designated each of its eight teams a home venue in an effort to further tie its programs to specific communities. The league will still utilize its touring model, but teams will now play twice in a weekend when visiting their home markets. The Atlas LC was selected to fulfill the role as the PLL team from New York.
PLL - Champions
Connor Fields became the third Great Dane in history to win a Premier Lacrosse League title when his Archers outlasted the defending champion Waterdogs in a 15-14 thriller in Philadelphia. Fields did not play in the game due to injury but was instrumental in bringing the Archers to the championship game. Previously, Blaze Riorden and Troy Reh won the PLL title with the Chaos.
PLL - Goalie of the Year
For the fourth time in his storied career, UAlbany alumnus Blaze Riorden was named as the Premier Lacrosse League Oren Lyons Goalie of the Year. Riorden has won the award in four of the five years of the PLL's existence. In 2023, Riorden led the Chaos to a 5-5 record and the fifth-seed in the PLL Playoffs. He led the league with 135 total saves and ranked second with a .595 save percentage. In addition to his 24 ground balls and two caused turnovers, Riorden also recorded four assists in nine regular-season games for the Chaos.
Finalists
Four Great Dane alumni were named finalists for their position awards following outstanding 2023 regular seasons. Blaze Riorden was up for his fourth Oren Lyons Goalie of the Year, while TD Ierlan was a finalist for the Paul Cantabene Face-Off Athlete of the Year. Additionally, breakout seasons from Connor Fields and Troy Reh landed finalist recognition for the Eamon McEneaney Attackman of the Year and the Brodie Merrill Long Stick Midfielder of the Year awards, respectively. Riorden was also a finalist for the Jim Brown Most Valuable Player and the Brendan Looney Leadership Award.
PLL Year Six
Tom & Mary Casey Stadium on the campus of UAlbany will once again host opening weekend and training camp for the 2024 season of the Premier Lacrosse League. Games will take place May 31 through June 2, and feature the inaugural home games for the newly-designated New York Atlas. As part of the shift to home venues, the Atlas will play twice during opening weekend.
Olympics
The International Olympic Committee approved the addition of lacrosse sixes for inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Lacrosse was one of five sports, with baseball and softball, cricket, flag football, and squash, to gain approval from the governing board. A decision regarding the Haudenosaunee national team participation is forthcoming.
45
For his entire career at UAlbany,
Graydon Hogg has worn #45. The number holds a special significance for Canadian players, and particularly from those who attended The Hill Academy, where Hogg attended high school. The number honors Jamieson Kuhlmann, who passed away following an in-game collision in 2008. 45 holds additional personal significance for Hogg this season, who will now share the number with his younger sister, Bryar, who switched from #11 for her senior year on UAlbany's women's lacrosse team.
NLL Draft
Three Great Danes were selected in the 2023 National Lacrosse League entry draft.
Graydon Hogg was picked in the first round, and 15th overall, to the Rochester Knighthawks.
Jake Piseno was picked in the third round, 35th overall by the Calgary Roughnecks, but a trade ended up sending him to join Hogg with the Knighthawks. Hogg and Piseno join a Knighthawks roster that features UAlbany alumnus Connor Fields. Finally,
Elijah Gash was selected just after Piseno in the third round, 46th overall, to Panther City LC in Fort Worth, Texas.
Fall Classic
Continuing his efforts with the Canadian national team,
Graydon Hogg suited up once again for Team Canada in the 2023 USA Lacrosse Fall Classic in Sparks, Maryland. One of his Canadian teammates during the tournament was former America East rival Thomas McConvey, who played most of his collegiate career for Vermont before utilizing his graduate transfer season to join Virginia. Hogg and Team Canada defeated Team USA 12-11 in the tournament final, with Hogg contributing one goal.
Hall of Fame
The University at Albany Department of Athletics restarted its Hall of Fame program in 2023 after four years off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The men's lacrosse program had one player inducted into the newest class, Frank Resetarits. Resetarits was the first-ever Tewaaraton finalist in program history, and was instrumental in leading the Great Danes onto the national stage by securing the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory in 2007.
World Championships
A total of 15 past and present Great Danes earned the opportunity to represent their home nations at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship in San Diego over the summer. The rosters of Team USA, Canada, Haudenosaunee, Puerto Rico, and Latvia each featured Great Dane players on the field or coaches on the sidelines:
Canada: Connor Fields,
Merrick Thomson (assistant coach)
Haudenosaunee: Ron John,
Scott Marr (assistant coach) Tehoka Nanticoke, Jakob Patterson,
Jake Piseno, Lyle Thompson,
Jack VanValkenburgh
Latvia: Eli Lasda, Riley Lasta
Puerto Rico: Steve Ramirez,
Will Ramos
United States: TD Ierlan, Blaze Riorden
Canada, Haudenosaunee, and USA, playing in Pool A, earned automatic bids into the knockout round, and Puerto Rico played their way in out of Pool C. By the end of the tournament, Team USA won gold, defeating Canada 10-7 in the championship game, while Haudenosaunee claimed bronze, defeating Australia in the consolation match. Riorden and Piseno were named to the All-World Team, and Best Goalkeeper and Best Defender of the tournament, respectively.
PLL Draft
Defender
Elijah Gash was selected 30th overall by the Whipsnakes in the 2023 Premier Lacrosse League College Draft, joining a class that included Georgetown's Tucker Dordevic, Virginia's Pete LaSalla, and Duke's Garrett Leadmon. The Whipsnakes won each of the first two PLL titles, and Gash joined a roster featuring Michael Ehrhardt, the only player in PLL history to win the Brodie Merrill Long Stick Midfielder of the Year award, a position Gash assumed for his senior year at UAlbany to better utilize his athleticism.
Youth Movement
Eight of UAlbany's 10 goals in the 2023 America East semifinal against top-seed Vermont came from three freshmen.
Silas Richmond led all scorers with five goals, outscoring Vermont on his own. Richmond scored his five goals without another Great Dane breaking his streak, scoring five of UAlbany's first six goals after their first from
Declan Palandjian.
Ben Wimmer added two goals, and
Alex Pfeiffer scored once.
Streak Enders
With their victory over Vermont in the 2023 America East semifinal, UAlbany ended an eight-game losing streak to the Catamounts dating back to the 2018 conference title game. Additionally, Vermont had not lost a game to an America East opponent, during the regular season or in the America East Tournament, in each of its last 19 opportunities.
Mountain Climbed
The UAlbany men's lacrosse program defeated top-seed Vermont in the 2023 America East semifinal round. It was UAlbany's first victory over the Catamounts since the 2018 championship game, since which Vermont had won eight-straight meetings. Vermont had also eliminated UAlbany in each of the last three America East Tournaments.
2023 Defensive Player of the Year
Jake Piseno was named America East Defensive Player of the Year, becoming just the third Great Dane to earn the award after Blaze Riorden in 2016 and TD Ierlan in 2018. Piseno finished the 2023 regular season leading the conference and ranked second nationally, averaging 3.00 caused turnovers per game. Piseno set Division I-era program single-season and career records in caused turnovers this year, with 42 on the season so far and 86 in his career.
200
Three games into the 2023 season, his 23rd at the helm, UAlbany men's lacrosse head coach
Scott Marr claimed his 200th career victory, 11-7 over visiting Drexel, one of the longest-tenured rivals of the Great Danes under Marr. Marr becomes the 40th head coach in NCAA Division I history to record 200 wins and, at the time of his 200th win, ranked eighth among active Division I coaches. Marr has averaged more than nine wins per season in his career and has led UAlbany to nine America East championship titles.
Lyle Thompson
One of the most prolific players in the history of the sport, Lyle Thompson was named to the Upstate Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame with the Class of 2022. He won the Tewaaraton Award in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015. The Great Danes' all-time leading scorer, Thompson holds the NCAA single-season points record, and ranks second in NCAA history with 400 career points and 225 career assists. During his career at UAlbany, Thompson led the Great Danes to three America East titles and 46 total victories, while making two NCAA quarterfinal appearances.
U21 World Championship
Associate Head Coach
Merrick Thomson led six active members of the UAlbany men's lacrosse program at the 2022 World Lacrosse Men's U21 World Championship in Ireland over the summer. Thomson was a member of Canada's staff, overseeing
Graydon Hogg. The Haudenosaunee team saw four Great Danes,
Jake Piseno,
Keelan Seneca,
Jack VanValkenburgh, and
Amos Whitcomb, among members of its roster. Canada won the Silver medal and Haudenosaunee the Bronze.
2022 World Games
Former Great Danes Lyle Thompson, Ron John, and Tehoka Nanticoke competed for the Haudenosaunee Men's National Team at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. Lacrosse at the World Games was played with the sixes forma, and featured a field of eight teams. Additionally, former UAlbany women's player Ivy Santana competed on the Haudenosaunee Women's National Team.
PLL Year Six
Tom & Mary Casey Stadium on the campus of UAlbany will once again host opening weekend and training camp for the 2024 season of the Premier Lacrosse League. Games will take place May 31 through June 2, and feature the inaugural home games for the newly designated New York Atlas. As part of the shift to home venues, the Atlas will play twice during opening weekend.
PLL Year Five
The Premier Lacrosse League hosted its opening weekend at UAlbany for the second straight season, where five former Great Danes took to Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in front of their former home crowd. TD Ierlan and the Redwoods opened against Trevor Baptiste and the Atlas in a marquee faceoff specialist matchup, with the Redwoods coming away with a 13-12 victory. Connor Fields scored four goals to lead the Archers over the Cannons. Finally, the Chaos, boasting three former Great Danes in Blaze Riorden, Troy Reh, and Jakob Patterson, fell in overtime to the Waterdogs in a rematch of the 2022 PLL title game. By the end of the season, Fields became the third former Great Dane to win a PLL championship when the Archers defeated the Waterdogs 15-14. Riorden earned his fourth-career Oren Lyons Goalie of the Year award, while Fields, Reh, and Ierlan were each finalists for player of the year honors for their respective positions.
Next: UAlbany travels to take on UMBC next Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
