University at Albany wide receivers Ryan Kirchner and Kevin Chillis talk about the 55-24 Northeast Conference victory over Monmouth on Saturday.

Here is a link to today's story about the UAlbany football team kicking off the 2012 season.

There was also unofficial news that the team will move up to the Colonial Athletic Association. An official announcement should be coming this week. 

Below is video of senior wide receiver Ryan Kirchner.

STONY BROOK - What an incredibly good game, but a tough play that ended it for the University at Albany.

The Seawolves scored the last 21 points of the game, to advance to the second round of the FCS playoffs.

Stony Brook (9-3) will face Sam Houston State (11-0) next weekend.

UAlbany (8-4) had a 28-10 lead, but let the game slip away, something they'll probably never forget.

Dan Di Lella who set program-records for passing touchdowns (25) and yards (2,548), threw an interception with less than a minutes to play, in the end zone.

“That last play was not the right decision and it cost us the game,” he said.

 
The Great Danes should feel good about the season, but it's certainly a tough way to bow out.  

UAlbany coach Bob Ford coached the second half with a torn MCL, after being involved in a collision with receiver Ryan Kirchner, on the sideline.

“I think I can put it into perspective,” Ford said. “We had a great, great season.”

ALBANY - The University at Albany football team knew that had to win to get into the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs.

On Saturday, they went out and did just that, defeating Sacred Heart 31-21, to capture the Northeast Conference title.

The Great Danes (7-1, 8-3) will find out on Sunday, who they will play when the 20-team postseason begins.

Dan Di Lella threw four touchdown passes for UAlbany, three of them to Ryan Kirchner. Drew Smith ran for 135 yards on 23 carries.

Di Lella's 24 touchdown passes for the season, set a single-season program mark.

The Great Danes were picked fourth in the preseason, but they proved throughout the season that they were the best team in the league.

Eddie Delaney leads a group of eight UAlbany Great Danes selected to the All-NEC football preseason team by Phil Steele's publication.

A 6-foot-6, senior defensive end, Delaney (right) earned second-team all-conference honors for the second time last season. Delaney totaled 41 tackles and helped the Great Danes rank second in the conference against the run.

Also honored on the preseason first team were wide receiver Ryan Kirchner, safety Jake Ciccarello and punter Paul Layton, a graduate of Burnt Hills.

Kicker Herb Glass, running back Dillon Romain and insider linebackers Dave Plungas and Jon Morgan were picked to the second team.

The Great Danes were chosen to win the 2011 Northeast Conference by Athlon Sports and selected to finish third in The Sporting News and Lindy's Sport Annuals.

UAlbany. which has posted a school record five consecutive winning seasons, begins preseason camp on Monday, Aug. 8 and the Great Danes open the season Saturday, Sept. 3, at Colgate.

Sophomore wide receiver Ryan Kirchner talks about the team's big conference matchup against Robert Morris.