Inside Lacrosse is kicking off the season by previewing the top 40 teams. Here's Five Things to Know About Albany, ranked No. 39 in the Face-Off Yearbook.
Though they were knocked out of the 2012 NCAA Tournament hunt in the America East title game by Stony Brook, the University at Albany Great Danes had one of the hottest offenses in the land heading into that matchup. Fifteen goals per game in the team's final eight games is a good sign for this coming season; returning 23 players from that team gives the Danes even more to be excited about.
One of college lacrosse's most intriguing rosters, with a trio of the top Iroquois players in the game, Albany's staff has hopes this Danes squad could be the most balanced the program has seen since the memorable 2007 run to the NCAA Tournament.
1. Lyle Thompson Moves to Attack
In what could turn out to be one of the most notable player moves of the season, Lyle Thompson will move to attack after putting up 38 points as a freshman midfielder last season.
When discussing the switch, Albany head coach Scott Marr referred to Peter Baum, who played midfield in his freshman and sophomore campaigns at Colgate, putting up 30 and 49 points in those two seasons before making the move to attack and dropping 97 in 2012.
"You look at Lyle, and he put up 38 points for us as a freshman midfielder being on the field, what, maybe 40% of the time?" Marr said. "So for us, it's a matter of let's get him on the field and leave him on the field so he has as many touches as possible."
Marr said the star from LaFayette in Central New York has a year of college experience under his belt, along with his tremendous run at the U-19 World Championships (where he impressed and was named the top middie of the tourney). That confidence should help the youngest of all the Thompson brothers in shouldering more of the load offensively for the Danes.
"A lot is going to run through him, but Miles still as well," Marr said. "I've always prided myself on the fact we like to push the tempo, and the new rules play into how we want to play. We want Lyle involved in every transition situation in the game. We're hoping that him being on the field will produce more opportunities for us to score. Just looking at the continuity between him, Miles and Ty, in transition especially, they can be pretty deadly."
2. The Blaze Riorden Era
In freshman netmider Blaze Riorden, Marr and his staff could very well have found the piece of the puzzle they've missed since current pro star Brett Queener played his last game for Albany in 2007.
Riorden, Inside Lacrosse's 74th-ranked incoming freshman, was a high school All-American at Fairport and multi-year standout who has already shown the Danes coaching staff he's got what it takes to lead the way from the backend. This team had one of the worst defenses statistically speaking in 2012 (allowing 12.94 goals per game) but yet suffered a pair of one-goal losses (along with a two-goal and a three-goal loss). A significant boost in goalie play could prove to be the difference in similarly close games in 2012.
"Blaze certainly proved himself to be a starter in the fall," Marr said. "Blaze is going to play a lot like Brett in the sense that he comes out of the goal, maybe not as quick, but when he has the opportunity to carry the ball up the field, he's very elusive for a big guy. He can get the ball out and carry up the field, and I think his IQ is off the chart."
If his play in goal doesn't mirror Queener's, his dexterity on offense will. Blaze will very likely slide down to play man-up for the Danes when they are on extra-man offense.
"Blaze certainly brings a lot to the table," Marr says, adding that sophomore Max Huber, last year's eventual starter, also has the experience and grit to step into the cage when needed.
3. Important Senior Leaders
While the Danes senior class doesn't have any bonafide stars that other teams will put at the center of their game plans, Marr says he does have a solid group of seniors who will help the team do what has to be done to bring Albany back into the upper echelon of the Division I ranks.
"A lot of these guys are good solid players, good team chemistry type guys," Marr said. "None of our seniors are afraid to step up, and they've been like that since their freshman season."
Players like Dwayne Stewart, Mike Woods, Matt Mackenzie and Kevin Glueckert ??all midfielders ? are guys Marr says could help push the team a long way toward its goal of returning to the NCAA tournament. The leadership of those players will be essential, especially as the bulk of midfield on offense resides in experienced but younger players.
4. Players More Accountable
Players are being held more in check at Albany, something Marr feels will help boost the team's performance in 2013.
"As a staff, we're always looking for ways to hold guys more accountable," Marr said. "So we're doing more things at practice, like posting depth charts, grading individual practices and each individual player and being more in tune with each kid. And we're trying to grow each player as individuals, getting them to compete against their own practice performance from the day before. That spurs the kids to get better at competing against each other and to get better on the field."
By taking these steps, Marr says, the coaching staff actually is holding itself more accountable, too, as the coaches are spending time focusing on each player and developing a deeper understanding of what they expect out of their players.
"It opens the door to us as a staff to really investigate what we're looking for in our players, and that's exciting."
5. More Cohesive Unit
While Albany has had talent on its roster in recent seasons, the coaching staff feels cohesion hasn't been the Danes' strongest point.
But this season, he sees a team that is more of a brotherhood and a family than ever before with this particular collection of players. A part of that stems from players holding themselves to a higher standard on and off the field.
Marr pointed to Miles Thompson, who he said is 30-some pounds lighter than he was during the 2012 season, praising his dedication and seemingly renewed work ethic, which has seen him in the weight room more than ever.
By holding themselves more accountable, Marr said, the team's key players are sending a positive message to the rest of the team, which has in turn produced a tighter unit at practice and away from the field.
"When our top players are going above and beyond, that spreads throughout the team. Guys are going to dinner at each other's houses more. Guys are spending more time together, bonding. It feels like the whole team is starting to come together."?
Best Bet: Blaze Riorden, freshman, goalie
It might sound crazy to call a freshman a "best bet" in any situation, let alone a goalie. But Blaze has already cemented himself as the starter for the Danes. And he's in a position to do big things as a netminder in the same mold as his fellow Upstater Brett Queener. Riorden is a safe bet to have as meaningful of an impact on his team as any freshman out there. He's inherited a lot of responsibility already, but he's also already earned the respect of his coaches and teammates.?
Sleeper Pick: Ty Thompson, junior, attack
It's tough when you're a Thompson to try to slide under the radar. But with so much attention likely to be placed on his cousins Miles and Lyle, it's likely that Ty could find himself on the receiving end of a lot of opportunities. Though he's already an established player (with ), if he can increase his 33 goals and 11 assists from last season, he's going to be a huge key to Albany's offense. Though he won't have come out of nowhere, it might feel that way to some.?
2012 Record: 5-11
2012 Conference: 3-2
GPG (Rank): 10.69 (19)
GAA (Rank): 12.94 (58)
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Source: http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2013/01/15/ncaa-preview-2013-albany
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