university at albany

Most of the time, when reporting these stories, we don't really know the person we are writing about. This time I do. Former 16-year NFL veteran and UAlbany assistant football coach, Jim Sweeney unexpectedly passed away on Saturday. The news rocked the New York Jets organization, as well as Sweeney's friends and family at the University at Albany.

Only a few years ago, universities and colleges were the only ones that could benefit from a student-athlete's name, likeness and image (NLI) but we all know that has changed. When you think about programs like Alabama and Texas, where the head coaches are racking in tens of millions of dollars in contracts and endorsements, student-athletes were given a small fraction of a percent of those profits through scholarships and sometimes stipends. That rule has changed and now a University at Albany football player is benefitting from the modification.

The U.S. News and World Report college rankings came out this week and it was not good news for one Capital Region institution. The University at Albany continued to fall behind the other New York "University Centers"; Stony Brook, Binghamton and Buffalo in gold standard of national university rankings. For more than a decade there have been rumblings of concern by faculty and alumni about the academic direction of the school. Once a proud research institution with a stout business school, UAlbany is now struggling to be recognized academically.

It was my third year working New York Giants training camp, as part of my responsibilities as the Associate Athletic Director at the University at Albany. Back then, from the beginning of July until mid-August, the Giants' front office personnel would occupy the athletic administration offices of the Great Danes and many of us had camp responsibilities. In those days, there were two-a-day practices and about three to five thousand fans would show up each day to see head coach Tom Coughlin and his team.

Baseball is a funny game and a Major League clubhouse can be an interesting place. Respect from veteran players doesn't come easy. Younger players and journeyman are merely taking another guy's job. So, when a 12 year-veteran All Star buys the entire team replica tee-shirt jerseys of your name and number, that's a pretty big honor.

Students from the Capital Region and beyond attend SUNY Albany each year, and here is how much money the school has awarded in scholarships to new students since 2009.

It was the University at Albany's first trip to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Head coach Will Brown would take the Great Danes four more times. However, the game on March 17, 2006 was more than special, on and off the court. I was at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia with the team and will never forget the experience of that game. Albany alumni across the country were digging out their old 'Albany State' sweatshirts after that program changing performance.

Yes. This a very big weekend in college basketball. In fact, the UAlbany Great Danes women's hoops team will be playing Louisville on Friday. However, that's not the only Great Danes team that will be competing in a tournament this weekend. Plenty of teams will be competing in downtown Albany Saturday and Sunday and you can too!

Dwayne Killings was hoping for better results, but DK did a good job in his first year as the new head coach of the University at Albany men’s basketball team.

Ahead of his return to the Capital Region at the MVP Arena tomorrow night, here is the inside story behind the rise, and fall, of Tehoka Nanticoke in Albany.