Sept. 8, 2003
The defending MAAC regular season co-champion Siena women's basketball team released its 2003-2004 schedule today. The docket is highlighted by at least four games against teams that participated in postseason play in 2002, including a match-up against defending NCAA champion University of Connecticut in the beginning of December.
The schedule features 13 home games, 10 of which will be played in the Alumni Recreation Center on the Siena campus and three games which will be part of doubleheaders with the Siena men's team at the Pepsi Arena, site of this year's MAAC Tournament. The Saints open up their schedule with an exhibition at the Alumni Recreation Center against Team Concept on November 7.
"This year's schedule will be the toughest in Siena women's basketball history," said Head Coach Gina Castelli. "The non-league slate speaks for itself and the conference match-ups will be tough as the MAAC returns many players from a year ago. We are excited about the challenges we will face in the upcoming season and have worked hard, and will continue to work hard, so that we are ready to meet those challenges."
The Saints begin regular-season play with a local rivalry match-up against Albany on November 21. The game is the first half of a doubleheader that includes the Siena and Albany men's teams. Four days later the Green and Gold host Big East power Boston College before packing their bags for Malibu California to take part in the Pepperdine Tournament over the Thanksgiving Holiday. The Saints face Oklahoma in the opening round and will take on either Pepperdine or UC-Riverside in the final game of the tournament. The next day following their arrival back to Loudonville, N.Y., Siena will again hit the road to face 2003 National Champion University of Connecticut.
The Green and Gold open up their conference schedule with a weekend of home contests against Niagara and Canisius on December 5 and 7. Following the two MAAC games, the Saints will wrap up their non-conference schedule, facing Holy Cross and Duquesne on the road before returning home to host St. Bonaventure at the end of the month and Dartmouth in the beginning of the new year--both school's they defeated last season.
Siena opens its 16-game Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference run against Fairfield. The league schedule is well balanced this year as the Saints play more than two consecutive games away from home only once, and this year's games with Niagara and Canisius, Iona and Manhattan and Rider and Saint Peter's are just two days apart, allowing for just one trip.
"With an attractive schedule that features some great competition, we hope to see even more people get involved with our program and come out to support us this year, said Castelli. "Part of the reason we have been so successful in the past is because of the great support our team receives from the Capital Region."
Season tickets are available in two different packages this year, one that includes games played at the Pepsi Arena and one for Alumni Recreation games only. For ticket information call 518-782-6590.
