ALBANY, N.Y. – The 2024 season for the University at Albany women's soccer program is set to kick off on Saturday night with a home matchup with Long Island University (LIU). The game will be broadcast live from Casey Stadium on ESPN+ beginning at 5:00 p.m.
 
Game Info
Saturday, August 17 vs. LIU
Casey Stadium in Albany, N.Y.
5:00 p.m.
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Int'l Stream
 
New Faces
Two transfers joined the 2024 squad in March – midfielder Sina Anger and defender Madison Wisheart. Anger, a Holle, Germany, native, joins the Great Danes after spending time with UNC Asheville. Wisheart, from Whitesboro, N.Y., joins after playing for Sacred Heart.
 
Class of 2028
In early June, head coach Sade Ayinde announced the addition of 10 new freshmen ahead of the new season. The newcomers come from four different states (New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) and a Canadian Province (Ontario). 
 
The newcomers consist of midfielders Carsyn Boyer, Mariella Fulcher, Hailey Moriarty, and Sydney Waits, defenders Alexis Gordon, Caroline Tomas, and Meredith Blannett, forwards Jill Lindner and Ava Incorvaia, and goalkeeper Claudia Volino.
 
At the time of the announcement, Ayinde said "I am so excited to welcome in this group of wonderful and talented young women. In this recruiting class, Gabe [Kleinert] and I were focused on adding depth to all the lines as well as adding good people that we thought would fit with our returning group. With representation from different cities, all within six hours driving distance of campus, different clubs that compete in some of the top leagues in the US and Canada, and different personalities that will add to our locker room and on the field, this group will bring lots of new, fresh, and diverse energy. As a staff, we are eager to see the immediate and long-term impact of these ten student-athletes. Welcome to the Capital Region!"
 
2024 Schedule
Saturday's contest will mark the first of the year for the Great Danes, kicking off the 2024 campaign. The team stays at home for a matchup against Monmouth on Aug. 22 before hitting the road for five consecutive contests against Fordham, Quinnipiac, St. John's, Holy Cross, and Colgate. The team wraps up non-conference play on Sept. 16 with a home game against crosstown rival Siena.
 
"We believe that our non-conference opponents will help us prepare to compete right away in conference play and into November," said Ayinde. "It will be a tough, competitive fall, but we look forward to playing in front of family, friends, fans, alumni, and the rest of the Albany community."
 
America East action starts on Sept. 22 with a road trip to UMBC. Home conference games for the 2024 season include matchups with Bryant (Sept. 29), UMass Lowell (Oct. 6), NJIT (Oct. 13), and Binghamton (Oct. 31).
 
New Turf, Who Dis?
Saturday's game will mark the first official contest played on new turf for Bob Ford Field that was installed over the summer.
 
The new playing surface features updated branding at midfield and in both end zones, replacing the original turf that has been in use since the stadium's construction in 2013. The turf project began in late June and was finished in time for soccer preseason practices. The project was completed by Sprinturf, LLC.
 
Unlike the original turf, yardage markers and numbers were not included with the updated surface. The department will utilize a painting system to install necessary markers before home contests to keep a "clean" look when switching between sports.
 
"This is just another project that shows the continued growth and investment in this university," said Ayinde. "Our team is grateful to have a new and improved training and competition stage that will hopefully be home to many wins across all sports."
 
Stay Connected
For more information on the UAlbany women's soccer team, follow the squad's official social media accounts on X and Instagram and UAlbany Athletics on Facebook.