Albany Great Danes
| Albany Great Danes | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| University | University at Albany |
| Conference | America East (16 sports); Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Women's Golf); Colonial Athletic Association (Football) |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletic director | Mark Benson |
| Location | Albany, New York |
| Varsity teams | 18 (8 Men & 10 Women) |
| Football stadium | Bob Ford Field |
| Basketball arena | SEFCU Arena |
| Baseball stadium | Varsity Field |
| Soccer stadium | Bob Ford Field |
| Lacrosse stadium | John Fallon Field |
| Other arenas | University Field; University Gymnasium; Alumni Turf Field |
| Mascot | Great Danes (Damien) |
| Nickname | Great Danes |
| Fight song | Purple and Gold |
| Colors | Purple and Gold |
| Website | www |
The Albany Great Danes are the intercollegiate athletic programs of the University at Albany, SUNY. A member of the Division I America East Conference for most of its sports, the school currently fields 18 varsity teams, 8 men's and 10 women's. Women's Tennis was discontinued after the 2015-16 season.
The University's intercollegiate athletics date back to the late 1890s, but its development was hampered for several decades by inadequate facilities, uncertain financial support, and the relatively small number of male students in an institution designed to develop elementary school teachers. Tennis remained a constant from 1898 onward along with men's basketball from 1909, but attempts to field teams in football (1922), baseball (1896–1901), swimming, and hockey were aborted.
Expansion into men's and women's sports increased after World War II and then expanded greatly in the 1960s (men's sports of lacrosse, track & field, cross-country and swimming moved from club to varsity status, and women's tennis, softball, field hockey, basketball and swimming were introduced), as a direct result of the introduction of the new Uptown Campus and its expanded athletic facilities. A nickname change also occurred in 1965 when the Pedagogues became the Great Danes – making Albany the only American college or university with that mascot. The name Great Danes was selected by university student, Kathy Earle, who won a $25 savings bond for her selection. Mrs. Earle, UAlbany class of '67, selected the Great Danes because of their "Size, weight, strength, character, courage, speed, and stamina".
All athletics are run by the University at Albany Department of Athletics and Recreation. After the 1972 NCAA restructuring, the university competed in Division III until the 1995–96 school year, when it moved to Division II. The university would remain in Division II until 1999. In addition to varsity sports, Albany's intercollegiate club sports include Men's Ice Hockey, Men's & Women's Rugby, Wrestling and Men's Volleyball. However, these teams are not affiliated with the Department of Athletics and Recreation and are instead funded by the Student Association.
The University at Albany, SUNY sponsors teams in eight men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
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