News & notes

 For once, some good news for UAlbany basketball.

Amar'e Marshall has withdrawn from the transfer portal, and will return to the school next season, which should help the Great Danes contend in the America East Conference. Marshall will have new teammates next season with all the transfers. I'd say come the first practice, ID badges may be needed.

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In about two weeks, Averill Park High will have a new team nickname & mascot.

The community will have one more vote, due around May 22, this time between "Golden Knights" & "Lakers", to replace "Warriors" as the school's nickname.

Personally, given the geography, "Lakers" makes sense. Whomever submitted "Golden Knights" must be a fan of the NHL team.

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The Albany Firebirds are 20% into the 2024 season, sitting at 2-0, and set to host Minnesota on Monday (game was originally to be tomorrow in Minnesota, but the NBA playoffs took care of that), but co-owner Mike Kwarta and coach/GM Damon Ware believe there might be more changes to the latest iteration of the Arena Football League that has already seen one team fold in those first two weeks. Several teams have called out the league's commissioner, Lee (Don't call me EF) Hutton over various alleged issues, including communications, or lack thereof, and, of course, money.

The drama never ends, does it?

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Albany already has an embarrassment of riches in minor league sports, but now comes word that they're planning to build a soccer stadium in downtown, hoping to attract a Major League Soccer franchise. Or, more specifically, MLS Next Pro. The plan is that the team would be independently operated & owned, not linked to a pre-existing MLS franchise. The plan, also, is that the stadium would be ready for use in 2026.

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Thursday's high school & college scoreboard:

Colleges:

Baseball:

Empire 8 tournament:

Houghton 5, Russell Sage 2.

Liberty League tournament:

Rochester 3, RPI 1.

Ithaca 8, Union 7.

NAC tournament:

Cobleskill 6, Lesley 4.

Softball:

NAC tournament:

Morrisville 12, Cobleskill 8.

America East tournament:

UAlbany 10, UMass-Lowell 1 (5 innings). Olivia DeCitise (Troy) pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief, and gave up 2 runs on 3 hits, hitting two batters, putting an end to a disappointing freshman season at Lowell.

MAAC Quarterfinal:

Siena 3, Niagara 2.

Empire 8 tournament:

St. John Fisher 7, Russell Sage 2.

High schools:

Baseball:

Columbia 7, Troy 1. Troy has lost 5 straight, 9 of 10, and will close with a non-league game vs. Schalmont tomorrow.

Glens Falls 2, Schuylerville 0. Justin Christensen twirled a no-hitter for the Black Bears, fanning 9.

Shenendehowa 3, Bethlehem 2.

Hoosick Falls 11, Tamarac 2.

Softball:

Tamarac 12, Emma Willard 0 (5 innings).