ALBANY — The University at Albany men’s lacrosse team drew a surprising NCAA Tournament opponent, while the Great Dane women got a familiar foe.
The UAlbany men learned they’ll face third-seeded North Carolina at noon Saturday in a first-round game in Chapel Hill, N.C. when the 18-team field was announced on ESPNU Sunday night. The Great Dane women will play No. 4 Johns Hopkins in a first-round match in Baltimore at 3 p.m. Friday as part of a 29-team field.
Both UAlbany teams beat Vermont this weekend to win the America East Conference titles and automatic bids.
UAlbany men’s coach Scott Marr had thought the NCAA committee would keep the Great Danes in New York and send them to Cornell or Syracuse.
“Definitely surprised to go to North Carolina,” Marr said. “I didn’t think we’d be involved with a flight with so many team close enough — you know, Princeton, Cornell, Syracuse. Typically, it would be, you know, an easy pick to go to one of those places for travel purpose and money purposes. It’s definitely a little surprise, but we’ll take it. Good spot for us.”
The UAlbany-UNC winner will meet the winner of Syracuse-Yale in a May 16 quarterfinal at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead.
The America East champion Great Danes (11-5) have played the Tar Heels (12-4) of the Atlantic Coast Conference just once before. UAlbany beat UNC 15-12 in 2017 in a NCAA first-round match played in a rainstorm at Casey Stadium.
The UAlbany women (12-5) played Johns Hopkins (14-4) of the Big Ten in 2023 and 2024. UAlbany’s current senior class began their careers with a season-opening 17-10 loss at Johns Hopkins in 2023. Now they’ll head back to Homewood Field in Baltimore to try to extend their careers.
“We’re really excited about this matchup,” UAlbany coach Katie Thomson said. “We saw them a couple of years ago. so great to be able to play them again.”
The UAlbany-Johns Hopkins winner will face the winner of Army-Fairfield in a second-round match next Sunday in Baltimore.