• Siena Hall of Fame

They started out as the Golden Warriors. That proved too long for headlines, so soon Siena became the Indians. In the late 1980s, they became the Saints.

There was a time, not long ago, when the majority of Siena's student-athletes hailed from homes in the Capital Region, and jumping in a van and traveling to Saratoga, Troy, Schenectady and Albany could meet athletic teams' scheduling requirements.

In 1976, however, Siena's athletics program was elevated to NCAA Division I status. With that move, the College committed itself to upgrading its program and making all teams competitive.

After stops in the ECAC Metro and North Atlantic Conference, Siena moved to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), where it has made its mark.

Since its move to full Division I status, Siena Athletics has continued to grow. Three years ago, the program added women's water polo, giving it seven men's programs and 11 on the women's side.

The Program
Siena sponsors 18 sports that compete at the NCAA Division I level. Seventeen Saints' sports teams compete in the MAAC, with field hockey playing in the Northeast Conference.

The Saints pride themselves on excellence on and off the field. Siena's student-athletes regularly graduate at rates higher than the general student population, and the athletic department has ranked in the top-15 nationally in two of the last five Division I National Graduation Rate Reports, according to the NCAA Office. This past year, the student-athletes at Siena averaged an astounding 3.10 grade point average--a mark higher than the average of the regular student-body. A total of 79 student-athletes were placed on the MAAC honor roll.

Athletic success has continued to improve as well, as the College has made a continued commitment to enhance athletic aid, full-time coaching and facilities.

Leading the way, the Siena women's basketball team has captured seven regular-season MAAC titles in the last 15 years. Under the direction of Gina Castelli, the program has grown into one of the top in the region. In 2000-2001, the team earned its first MAAC Tournament championship and initial NCAA berth. The Saints played in the postseason WNIT in 1999, 2002 and 2003.

The women's golf team has also enjoyed breakthrough success, capturing its fifth straight MAAC Championship at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in the spring of 2005. Not to be outdone, the Siena men's golf team has had back-to-back runner-up performances at the MAAC Tournament. Last year, sophomore Bryan Bigley won the MAAC Individual Championship, firing a tournament record 211 in the three-day event held at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

The men's basketball team has also carried the torch for Siena in the MAAC. In 2002-2003, the Saints won 21 games and advanced to the second round of the NIT-their fourth postseason appearance in five years. In 2002, Siena caught the nation's attention with an improbable leap into college basketball's biggest stage-the NCAA Tournament. The Green and Gold continued its improbable run with an ESPN televised opening round victory over Alcorn State before falling to eventual national champion Maryland before 20,000 fans at the MCI Center in Washington. It was the team's third trip to the 'Big Dance".

The Siena baseball team has won four MAAC Championships since 1995 and advanced to the 1999 NCAA Tournament. Head Coach Tony Rossi, entering his 37th year at the helm of the Saints, has continually developed student-athletes who have performed both on the field, and off. He was named MAAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in 2005 after guiding an overachieving Siena team back to the conference championships. This past year, pitcher John Lannan became the 20th player in program history to be drafted when he was selected in the 11th round by the Washington Nationals.

The men's and women's soccer programs have experienced recent success and growth as well. Women's Head Coach Steve Karbowski was recognized as the Northeast Region's Co-Coach of the Year after orchestrating the nation's eighth best turnaround in 2001. He has been named MAAC Coach of the Year twice in his seven seasons as head coach, and last year led the Saints to a program record 10 victories and a second place MAAC finish. Men's Head Coach Charlie Curto, in his 22nd season at the helm, guided the Saints back to the MAAC Tournament in 2004, narrowly missing out on a regular-season title.

The volleyball team has one of the richest histories for success, qualifying for 11 conference championships in the last 13 years. The team won four-straight MAAC titles from 1993-96 and reached the 1995 NCAA Tournament. In April of 2003, Garvey Pierre took over as the program's first full-time coach as the Saints look to make the leap to the next level.

In just its sixth season, the women's swimming and diving team was a strong second at the 2003 MAAC Championships, and in 2004, the team placed fourth with a limited roster. The future looks even brighter with several key components returning this year.

This promises to be an exciting season for the cross country program as well, as the Siena women and men have young, talented rosters and look to build on fifth place MAAC finishes.

Last season also marked a breakthrough year for the women's lacrosse and water polo programs at Siena. Both programs established new program benchmarks for victories in the spring, and the women's lacrosse team advanced to the MAAC Championship game for the first time in program history. 2004 MAAC co-Coach of the Year Jake McHerron welcomes back a talented group that includes Siena Female Student-Athlete of the Year Christina Pampalone. First year water polo head coach Rob Swingle was named MAAC Coach of the Year in 2005, and welcomes in his first recruiting class this fall.

In the fall of 2003, the field hockey team advanced to the NEC Tournament for the first time in program history.

The men's lacrosse program also appears on the verge of taking off. In July of 2004 Brian Brecht took over as the program's first full-time head coach, raising the expectations for the growing program. Brecht was named MAAC co-Coach of the Year in 2005 after raising the expectations for Siena lacrosse.

In all, 35 Siena student-athletes earned all-conference honors, while 85 (up from 15 in 1999) earned all-academic recognition.

Facilities
Most Siena teams make their homes on-campus, playing on the seven grass fields located behind the Marcelle Athletic Complex (MAC).

Inside the Marcelle Athletic Complex, Siena student-athletes have all the amenities to ensure their abilities to compete at the Division I level. Last season, many student-athletes enjoyed the benefits of a state-of-the-art expansion to the field house. The expansion, dedicated this in July of 2004, features four new "team rooms", and a theater to watch video. The men's and women's basketball locker rooms have also been restructured as part of the project.

The women's basketball and volleyball teams play their home contests at the 4,000-seat Alumni Recreation Center (ARC).

Siena's men's basketball team makes its home at the Pepsi Arena in downtown Albany. The Pepsi Arena is a regionally acclaimed 15,500-seat facility. Since its full-time move to the Pepsi Arena, both the men's and women's basketball team's attendances have soared into the top-100 in the country.

Academic Support
Siena prides itself in its student-athletes' success academically. A full-time academic advisor is on hand to provide assistance for student-athletes, helping in class scheduling and tutorial services. In 2002, an assistant advisor was hired to assist with the NCAA's Champs Life Skills initiative-known as S.A.IN.T.S. (Supporting Athletes in Their Success) at Siena.

The department's major undertaking in the summer of 2004 was the construction of a new study hall facility for the exclusive use of student athletes. The new study lounge is located on the second floor of the MAC and includes all the amenities and technological resources needed to assure the continued academic success for Siena's student-athletes.

In addition, the technologically advanced J. Spencer and Patricia Standish library, which opened in 2000, serves as a scenic backdrop to the baseball field and is a short walk from any point on campus.