UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL ANNOUNCES 2006 SCHEDULE

     Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Wednesday, May 24 the school's women's volleyball schedule for the 2006 season. Head coach Kelly Sheffield will take his team to six tournaments, including a trip to California on Thanksgiving weekend. The Great Danes, who captured last year's America East Conference regular-season title, will host the UAlbany Tournament on Sept. 15-16 and play a 12-game conference schedule.

     UAlbany will compete in Purdue University's Mortar Board Premier on Aug. 25-26 in West Lafayette, Ind. to open the season. The Boilermakers, who were ranked 17th in the final AVCA Division I Coaches Poll, are among seven teams on the schedule who were NCAA Tournament participants last year.

     The Great Danes will travel to the west coast for the first time on Nov. 24-25 to play in the Baden Thanksgiving Tournament in Long Beach, Calif. UAlbany will face a pair of 2005 NCAA tournament squads in UC-Santa Barbara and Long Beach State.

     UAlbany will host its own tournament, a two-day event, in September. The field includes Syracuse, Middle Tennesse and Temple. The Great Danes are also entered in the Hofstra/Asics Tournament on Sept. 1-2 and the Yale Classic on Sept. 22-23. America East play begins on Sept. 29 against Binghamton.

     In 2005, the Great Danes finished with a 28-4 record, the program's most wins at the Division I level. A trio of all-conference players return. America East Conference Player and Setter of the Year Blair Buchanan was named to the AVCA All-America squad for the second straight season. Ashley DeNeal led the league in digs (5.19 pg) as the conference defensive player of the year. Shelby Goldman, a first-team all-conference outside hitter, was second in America East in kills at 3.95 per game.

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2006 University at Albany Women's Volleyball Schedule

Aug. 25, (Fri.), Northern Iowa+, 12:00

Aug. 26, (Sat.), at Purdue+, 10:00 AM
Aug. 26, (Sat.), Bradley+, 5:00

Sept. 1, (Fri.), Fairfield^, 5:00

Sept. 2, (Sat.), Seton Hall^, 9:30 AM

Sept. 2, (Sat.), at Hofstra^, 5:30

Sept. 8, (Fri.), Maryland#, 3:30

Sept. 15, (Fri.), UAlbany Tournament

     (Middle Tennessee vs. Temple, 5:00)

     (UAlbany vs. Syracuse, 7:00)

Sept. 16, (Sat.), UAlbany Tournament

     (Middle Tennessee vs. Syracuse, 10:00 AM)

     (UAlbany vs. Temple, 12:00)

     (Syracuse vs. Temple, 5:00)

     (UAlbany vs. Middle Tennessee, 7:00)

Sept. 22, (Fri.), Central Connecticut State<, 5:00

Sept. 23, (Sat.), Rhode Island<, 11:00 AM

Sept. 23, (Sat.), at Yale<, 7:00

Sept. 26, (Tue.), Siena, 7:00

Sept. 29, (Fri.), at Binghamton*, 7:00

Oct. 1, (Sun.), UMBC*, 2:00

Oct. 6, (Fri.), Stony Brook*, 7:00

Oct. 7, (Sat.), Hartford*, 7:00

Oct. 13, (Fri.), at Maine*, 7:00

Oct. 15, (Sun.), at New Hampshire*, 2:00

Oct. 22, (Sun.), at UMBC*, 3:00

Oct. 28, (Sat.), New Hampshire*, 7:00

Oct. 30, (Mon.), Binghamton*, 7:00

Nov. 3, (Fri.), Maine*, 7:00

Nov. 4, (Sat.), at Hartford*, 7:00

Nov. 8, (Wed.), at Stony Brook*, 5:00

Nov. 9, (Thu.), at Long Island, 5:00

Nov. 24, (Fri.), UC-Santa Barbara++, 3:00

Nov. 25, (Sat.), at Long Beach State++, 6:00

     +Mortar Board Premier (West Lafayette, Ind.)

     #Holiday Inn Express Tournament (Stony Brook, N.Y.)

     ^Hofstra/Asics Invitational (Hempstead, N.Y.)

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     *America East Conference Opponent