University at Albany senior Ebone Henry talks about the America East co-Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

ALBANY - They should have just named to America East awards banquet, the University at Albany awards banquet.

On Thursday evening, the Great Danes cleaned up, winning all of the major awards.

Senior Ebone Henry was named co-Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, while coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson was named Coach of the Year. Freshman Shereesha Richards took home co-Rookie of the Year, while Julie Forster was named to first team, the all-defensive team and the all-academic team.

The top-seeded Great Danes play in the conference semifinals, on Sunday, at 1 p.m.

The Siena men's basketball team had a lost weekend, losing to Loyola (Md.) and Saint Peter's. Other bad news was Marist won two games and now the Saints sit in a tie for eighth place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings, with only four games to play.

It looks like the Saints will be in the play-in round for the second time in three years, when the MAAC tournament takes place in March.

Here is a link to Friday's game story from stringer Harvey Valentine and a writeup from Sunday's game.

Sunday's game was a milestone day for senior O.D. Anosike, as he became just the third player to join the program's 1,000-point/1,000-rebound club, joining former teammate Ryan Rossiter and Lee Matthews.

Also, I had a chance to write a story on UAlbany women's senior Ebone Henry, who became the program's all-time leading scorer a few weeks back. Here is a link. 

The UAlbany men's team lost on Saturday at Maine, dropping to 7-5 in America East play. 

One last thing. For UAlbany fans, I did an interview with the Colonial Athletic Association, the football team's new league last week and it's posted here.

University at Albany senior Ebone Henry talks about the team's hot start to conference play and her chance to become the program's all-time leading scorer.

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University at Albany will host the America East women's basketball championship game.

The Great Danes (22-9) defeated Binghamton 58-50, at the University of Hartford's Chase Arena, on Sunday, to punch a spot in the title game. It will be the first time UAlbany has ever played in the championship game, in program history.

UAlbany will host No. 5 seed University of Maryland-Baltimore County (18-14), which upset No. 1 Boston University, earlier on Sunday. The America East championship game will be played at SEFCU Arena, on Saturday, March 10, at 8 p.m.

Junior Ebone Henry led the way for the Great Danes, scoring a game-high 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Linsey Lowrie chipped in 11 points for UAlbany.

Coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson is now 38-23 in two seasons as the Great Danes head coach.

The University at Albany women's basketball team has turned things around under coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. 

In just two seasons, Coach Abe has led the Great Danes to the No. 2 seed in the America East Conference and a 20-win season, the program's first at the Division I level.

On Thursday, Coach Abrahamson-Henderson was named America East Coach of the Year.

Junior guard/forward Ebone Henry was named to the all-conference first team, in addition to repeating as the league's defensive player of the year.

Julie Forster was named to the second team. Forster also joined Henry on the all-defense team. Forster, who carries 3.97 GPA, was also named to the all-academic team.

Here is a link to the conference's release.

UAlbany will take on No. 7 Vermont, in Friday's third quarterfinal, at 6 p.m., at the University of Hartford.

The men's awards will be given out on Friday evening.

The University at Albany men's basketball team finished tied for third last season in the America East and there are hopes for an even higher finish around the Great Danes' camp this year.

That's not exactly what the rest of the coaches around the league are thinking, selecting UAlbany fourth in the 2011-12 America East preseason poll, on Thursday, at the conference's media day, in Hartford, Conn.

The Great Danes are selected to finish behind Boston University, Stony Brook and Vermont.

UAlbany finished last season with a 16-16 overall record, 9-7 in the America East.

Tim Ambrose, the team's leading scorer graduated, but the Great Danes return the core of the squad, a team looking for a strong season.

The UAlbany women's team is selected to finish fifth under second-year coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson.

Junior guard Ebone Henry was selected to the preseason all-conference team.

Here are the women's America East postseason awards that were announced Thursday afternoon.

The big winner's from UAlbany were sophomore Ebone Henry and Julie Forster, who were honored on all-conference teams, the all-defensive team and Forster on the all-academic team.

Henry was named America East Defensive Player of the Year.

The men's awards will be announced today at 4 p.m.

All-Conference First Team
Player School Class Position
Ebone Henry Albany So.
Chantell Alford Boston U. So.
Andrea Holmes Binghamton Jr.
Erin Brown UMBC Jr.
Michelle Kurowski UMBC

All-Conference Second Team
Viive Rebane Binghamton Jr.
Mo Moran Boston U. So.
Denise Beliveau New Hampshire Jr.
Kirsten Jeter Stony Brook Sr.
Tonya Young Vermont Sr.

All-Conference Third Team
Julie Forster Albany So.
Kerry Cashman Boston U. Sr.
Alex Young Boston U. Jr.
Ruthanne Doherty Hartford
Topé Obajolu UMBC Jr.

All-Defensive Team
Julie Forster Albany So.
Ebone Henry Albany So.
Chantell Alford Boston U. So.
Topé Obajolu UMBC Jr.
Kirsten Jeter Stony Brook Sr.

All-Rookie Team
Jasbriell Swain* Binghamton
Rashidat Agboola Boston U.
Taylor Clark Hartford
Ashleigh Roberts* Maine
Kelsey Hogan New Hampshire

All-Academic Team
Player School Class GPA Major
Denise Beliveau New Hampshire Jr. 3.56 Kinesiology
Julie Forster* Albany So. 3.96 Business administration
Michelle Kurowski UMBC Jr. 3.82 Psychology
Viive Rebane Binghamton Jr. 3.58 Psychology
Mary Silvia* Hartford Sr. 3.90 Entrepreneurial studies

Coach of the Year
Phil Stern, UMBC

Rookie of the Year
Jasbriell Swain, Binghamton

Defensive Player of the Year
Ebone Henry, Albany

Player of the Year
Chantell Alford, Boston U.