UAlbany Clinches America East Title on Senior Day

Great Danes defeat Vermont 12-9 to secure regular-season championship and home-field advantage in conference tournament

Apr. 12, 2026 at 12:50am

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A cubist, geometric illustration depicting the energy and movement of a college lacrosse game, with overlapping angular shapes and vibrant colors representing the players and action on the field.UAlbany's decisive victory over Vermont secures the Great Danes' third straight America East regular-season title and home-field advantage in the conference tournament.Albany Today

The University at Albany men's lacrosse team clinched the America East Conference regular-season title with a 12-9 victory over Vermont on Saturday at Casey Stadium. Senior attack Silas Richmond led the way for the Great Danes with four goals and two assists, while junior attack Ryan Doherty added a hat trick. UAlbany will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming America East tournament, which they will host at their home stadium.

Why it matters

This win secures UAlbany's third straight America East regular-season title and gives them home-field advantage throughout the conference tournament. As the two-time defending league champions, the Great Danes are poised to make another deep postseason run and potentially earn an NCAA Tournament berth.

The details

UAlbany fell behind 2-0 after the first quarter but responded with three unanswered goals to take the lead. They never trailed again, building a 7-5 halftime advantage and extending it to 9-5 in the third quarter. Vermont closed the gap to 9-7 but the Great Danes held them scoreless for over 16 minutes to seal the victory. UAlbany's defense forced 23 Vermont turnovers to overcome the Catamounts' dominance on faceoffs.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 12, 2026 at Casey Stadium in Albany, New York.
  • UAlbany clinched the America East regular-season title with the win.

The players

Silas Richmond

A senior attack for the University at Albany men's lacrosse team, Richmond led the Great Danes with four goals and two assists in the win over Vermont.

Ryan Doherty

A junior attack for UAlbany, Doherty scored a hat trick in the victory over the Catamounts.

Max Neeson

A senior defenseman for the Great Danes, Neeson matched his career-high with two goals, including a 70-yard shot into an empty net in the final minute.

Walter Zhao

The Vermont faceoff specialist, Zhao won 19 of 22 faceoffs but his team was unable to overcome UAlbany's defensive pressure.

Brady Smith

The UAlbany sophomore goalie made nine saves to help the Great Danes secure the win.

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What they’re saying

“It means a lot. The senior class has been through a lot together and we're all super close, so celebrating each other on this day is huge and having some family down here for some people who can't always have family down, so it's pretty big for all of us. And getting that win, securing homefield is awesome. We have some of the best fans in the country, one of the best stadiums in the country.”

— Silas Richmond, UAlbany Senior Attack

“Playing at home is always something we look forward to. I think we have the best fans in the country and it's also nice being in our locker room, singing our song, there's nothing better than that.”

— Max Neeson, UAlbany Senior Defenseman

“I'm just super proud of my team. I was just telling these guys (Richmond and Neeson), it's never easy on Senior Day. It's fun to celebrate your seniors, but it's just a different way when you approach the game. There's a lot of distractions. Family's here, we had a dinner last night, photos this morning. We're here for a long time during the day. And obviously that showed in the first quarter. We really struggled in the first quarter. But we battled back and stuck with the game plan.”

— Scott Marr, UAlbany Head Coach

What’s next

UAlbany will host the America East Tournament semifinals and final at Casey Stadium on April 30 and May 2. As the No. 1 seed, the Great Danes will have home-field advantage throughout the conference tournament as they aim to win their third straight America East championship.

The takeaway

This victory caps a successful regular season for the UAlbany men's lacrosse team, which has now won three straight America East titles. The Great Danes' combination of veteran leadership, balanced scoring, and stifling defense makes them a formidable opponent as they look to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.