Nov. 12, 2006

Stony Brook, N.Y. - With New Hampshire falling to UMBC on Sunday afternoon the Stony Brook volleyball team earned the fourth and final spot in the America East Tournament. Stony Brook secured a 6-6 conference record with a sweep of Hartford to keep its playoff hopes alive on Thursday evening.

Albany (17-10, 10-2 America East), Binghamton (15-16, 9-3) and UMBC (15-14, 7-5) round out the teams that earned spots in the 2006 America East Volleyball Championship on November 18-19 at Albany's University Gymnasium. The winner of the four-team tournament will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

For the third-consecutive season, the Great Danes are the top seed for the championship and will take on No. 4 Stony Brook in the first semifinal on Saturday, November 18 at 3 p.m. The winner of that contest will move on to the title match to take on the winner of the No. 3 UMBC versus No. 2 Binghamton semifinal that is expected to start at 5:30 p.m. The title match takes place on Sunday, November 19 at 2 p.m.

Stony Brook and New Hampshire (11-16, 6-6) finish the regular-season tied for the fourth spot in the conference standings with identical 6-6 league records. The Seawolves earn the fourth and final spot in the four-team conference tournament by sweeping the two regular-season meetings over the Wildcats.

In the first semifinal of the league tournament, Albany will look to avenge last season's semifinal loss to the Seawolves. The Great Danes won the conference crown in 2004, while Stony Brook is in search of its first-ever league title.