Athletics Program
Athletics and Recreation at Siena College are an integral part of the educational experience. Since Siena’s founding in 1937, athletics have played an important role in the development of its students and community.
In 1976, 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) in 1989, where it has made its mark, winning a total of 46 MAAC Championships through the conclusion of the 2021-22 school year. Siena sponsors 21 NCAA Division I sports: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor track, men’s and women’s outdoor track, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s volleyball, and women’s water polo.
The athletic department has been recognized annually for the academic accomplishments of its student athletes. Siena College has ranked among the country’s elite colleges, boasting a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 90% or higher in all 17 NCAA reports.
Athletically, the men’s basketball team has been a source of great pride to the College and Capital Region community. The Saints have competed in six NCAA Tournaments (1989, 1999, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010) and have won six MAAC Tournament Championships. The Saints captured back-to-back MAAC Regular Season Championships during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, and were awarded the MAAC Tournament Championship and the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2020. Siena’s three-peat from 2008-10 made the Saints the only Division I team in the country to win both their conference regular season and tournament championships in each of those three seasons. Not only have the Saints advanced to the NCAA Tournament on multiple occasions, but the program has also achieved a strong level of success in winning four contests including three in the First Round. In 2009, the Saints topped Big Ten power Ohio State 74-72 in a double overtime thriller in the First Round of the NCAA Championships in Dayton, Ohio before losing at the wire to top overall seed Louisville. In 2008, the Saints also advanced to the Second Round, defeating SEC member and #4 seed Vanderbilt 83-62 in Tampa, Fla. In 1989, Siena defeated #3 seed Stanford in Greensboro, N.C. Recently, the Saints continued to build upon their postseason success in the College Basketball Invitational. Siena competed in the CBI twice, and defeated Fresno State in the Championship Series in 2014 to capture the school’s first Division I national postseason tournament title. The Siena men have also enjoyed great success in the postseason NIT, appearing in five Tournaments highlighted by a magical run to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden in 1994.
The men’s lacrosse team has also emerged as a national player. Over an eight-season span from 2007-14, the Saints won 87 games which was tied with perennial national power North Carolina for the eighth most victories in the Division I ranks. Siena captured its first three MAAC Championships during this time, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history in 2009 before returning again in both 2011 and 2014. The Saints won the MAAC Regular Season Title six times from 2007-14, and advanced to six consecutive MAAC Championship Games from 2009-14.
The women’s basketball team has had success as well. Siena has won or shared the MAAC regular-season title seven times since joining the conference in 1990. In 2015, the Saints advanced all the way to the finals of the Women’s Basketball Invitational and posted the second greatest turnaround in all of Division I. The Saints won the 2001 MAAC Championship to earn their first NCAA appearance and have appeared in the WNIT three times (1999, 2002 and 2003). The Saints beat Big East members Georgetown and Seton Hall in the first rounds of the WNIT in 1999 and 2003 respectively.
Additionally, the volleyball, women’s soccer, men’s golf, women’s golf, and baseball teams have all won multiple MAAC Championships. Volleyball captured its ninth and most recent MAAC Championship in 2014, earning the program’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance where they lost to eventual National Champion Penn State. Women’s soccer has secured each of the program’s first three MAAC Championships over the past decade (2010, 2015, 2020-21), and made history by becoming the first women’s soccer team in conference history to win the title as the No. 6 seed in 2015. Men’s golf has hoisted the MAAC Championship trophy four times (1991, 2006, 2007, 2016), while winning their most recent crown in a playoff after rallying from six strokes back entering the final round. The women’s golf program has won a Siena-record 13 MAAC Championships dating back to 2001, and made a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament (2012, 2014). The baseball team won its fifth MAAC Championship in 2014 and also captured the program’s first victory in the NCAA Tournament, defeating nationally-ranked Dallas Baptist. The Saints also won the title in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999 under legendary head coach Tony Rossi who has led the program since 1970 and holds the distinction of being the longest tenured active head coach in all of Division I athletics.
The men’s basketball team has ranked in the top 100 nationally in Division I attendance for 23 consecutive seasons, while playing its home games at MVP Arena, located just minutes away from campus in downtown Albany. The Saints have recorded an average attendance of nearly 6,500 the past two decades, and finished the 2019-20 season ranked first amongst all Northeast mid-major teams.
Along with the Times Union Center, other athletic facilities include: an artificial turf field on-campus, Hickey Field, which serves as home for the men’s soccer, and men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, along with various intramural activities. The newly re-branded 2,148-seat UHY Center (formerly known as the Alumni Recreation Center) is the home facility for the women’s basketball and volleyball teams.
Siena’s intramural program offers full experiences in a variety of athletic areas. Typical offerings include: basketball, flag football, volleyball, softball, futsal, team handball, dodge ball, Zumba and others. Competition is between students and nearly 40 percent of the student body participates.
The Marcelle Athletic Complex is home to all recreational activities that take place on campus. A $13.5 million multi-phase enhancement for both the MAC and the ARC was completed in 2019, featuring a refurbishment of the now-named UHY Center, a new men’s and women’s basketball practice facility, new indoor baseball and softball hitting cages, new sports medicine and strength and conditioning suites, and a new two-story student, faculty, and staff fitness center. The MAC features a field house with four full-size basketball courts, an elevated running track, three racquet sports courts, aerobic room, fitness area featuring Atlantis weight lifting equipment, Cybex aerobic equipment and a swimming pool for both competitive and recreational swim.
Office of the College Chaplain
The Office of the College Chaplain ministers to the spiritual needs of Siena’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni. It plays a crucial role in nurturing and communicating the Catholic and Franciscan identity of the College. As a Catholic educational institution, Siena strives to make conscious connections between faith and reason, between the quest for knowledge and the thirst for God, and between the examination of new ideas and an ever-deepening appreciation for the ancient wisdom of our Judeo-Christian tradition. As a Franciscan college, Siena grounds its approach to education in the conviction that the pursuit of truth in every academic discipline leads the seeker to the God of truth. St. Francis of Assisi believed, and his followers concur, that the exploration of the world in all its wondrous beauty and infinite variety is a prelude to divine praise, and everything that is genuinely human is a possible encounter with the God-made-human, Jesus Christ. The Chaplain’s Office seeks to promote these Catholic and Franciscan values in higher education.
The Office of the College Chaplain is located behind St. Mary of the Angels Chapel and adjacent to Hines Hall. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. St. Mary of the Angels Chapel is open 24 hours a day for personal prayer and meditation. In addition, the Chapel of the Holy Name of Jesus, located in the Sarazen Student Union, provides a more intimate setting for quiet reflection, and is open during the regular operating hours of the Student Union.
The celebration of the Eucharist is the heart of the spiritual and religious life of Siena College. The Eucharistic Liturgy is regularly celebrated on the Sundays of the academic year at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. in St. Mary of the Angels Chapel, and at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m. in various residence halls. Weekday Masses are celebrated at 12:30 p.m. in St. Mary of the Angels Chapel. All are welcome to these celebrations.
Catholic students are encouraged to take an active role in the liturgical ministries of the Chaplain’s Office, and to serve the worshipping community as Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Greeters, and Acolytes. Students with musical ability are welcome to join the music ministry of St. Mary of the Angels Chapel. Students of other religious traditions who wish to worship with their own faith communities or to seek the spiritual counsel of their respective spiritual leaders should contact the Chaplain’s Office for appropriate referral and, if needed, assistance with transportation.
Building a Christ-centered community of faith is central to the mission and ministry of the Chaplain’s Office. Working closely with the community of friars at Siena College as well as the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy, the Chaplain’s Office offers a wide variety of programs and events that serve to make the vital connection between Christian faith and everyday life on a college campus. Through liturgical celebrations, prayer services, small faith-sharing groups, bible study, retreat experiences, community service opportunities, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (where students sponsor other students who wish to enter more deeply into the life of the Catholic Church), the Chaplain’s Office hopes to create an environment where one can grow in deep personal relationship with God, in intelligent reflection on one’s faith, in active witness to the good news of Jesus Christ, and in selfless service to one’s sisters and brothers in the world.
Counseling Center
Overview of the Center
The Counseling Center strives to help students cope more effectively with personal, emotional, and situational concerns by providing psychological support and guidance. We provide counseling and psychiatric services to enrolled students and offer educational programming on mental health to the Siena College community. We also provide consultations regarding student mental health to faculty, staff, and administrators at the college. All appointments are free and confidential.
Why might a Student meet with a Counselor?
Most of us, at some time in our lives, feel overwhelmed and could benefit from talking with someone objective who won’t judge us and who will help us to see new alternatives. Students make appointments with providers at the Counseling Center for a wide variety of clinical and non-clinical reasons. The most common five goals for making an appointment are: 1. Symptom reduction (e.g., “I want to be less depressed.”); 2. Learning coping strategies / developing healthy habits(e.g., “I need to take better care of myself”); 3. Changing a problematic behavior (“I’d like to be less irritable with other people.”); 4. Receiving support (“A family member passed away, and I need someone to talk to.”); 5. Assessment (e.g., “I want to know if I have a problem with alcohol.”).
How to Make an Appointment
Appointments may be made in-person or by calling 518-783-2342. We are located in Foy Hall, Room 110. Students may also complete an appointment request form on our website.
Office hours are:
8:30-4:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri. (closed 12-1)
8:30-4:00 p.m., in the Summer (closed 12-12:30)
Appointments are scheduled as soon as possible. Be sure to let our receptionist know if your situation is urgent, and you need to speak with a provider immediately. We have same-day urgent appointment spots reserved every weekday.
Short-term Counseling
The Siena College Counseling Center offers 10 sessions of counseling per academic year. These limits are in place due to the high volume of appointments and the need to access services readily for new clients. If a student is looking for more help than we can provide, we will help the student connect with community providers.
Statement of Confidentiality
Information shared in a counseling relationship is confidential with the following exceptions: 1) imminent risk of harming yourself; 2) imminent risk of harming another person, or 3) a child is being abused. We must also comply with court orders to release information.
For more information please visit our website at: https://www.siena.edu/offices/counseling-center/.
Damietta Cross-Cultural Center
Damietta Cross-Cultural Center’s mission is to foster campus-wide, cross-cultural competency in the service of a just world. At the heart of the Center’s mission is the acknowledgement that we are all members of the human family regardless of our race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, ability and socio-economic status. The Damietta Cross-Cultural Center commits to promote an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of the Siena community. Our professional and student staff offer cultural, educational and social programs to the campus community which aims to enhance students’ cross-cultural competency, address inequality in our world, and lead students to become agents of social justice. The Damietta Cross-Cultural Center also works closely with the cultural clubs on campus including Asian Students Association, Black & Latino Student Union, Muslim Students Association, Latinos Unificando Nuestra América, Pride - Gay Straight Alliance and S.O.L.I.D. Step Team.
About Damietta: Damietta was a city in Egypt where St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik al-Kamil met in September of 1219. For several days in the midst of war between competing cultures and religions, these two men sat down together and searched for common ground. Their meeting changed their attitudes, altered their perspectives and influenced their subsequent behavior. It left them mutually enriched. It also left us with a legacy of respectful and meaningful dialogue. It is this 800 year-old tradition, bestowed on us by a Catholic Christian saint and a Sunni Muslim sultan, which the programs and services of the Damietta Cross-Cultural Center seek to honor and advance at Siena College.
Within the Christian tradition, there are duties and responsibilities associated with being a member of the human family. The Gospel challenges its adherents not only to love their neighbors but to love their enemies as well. St. Francis called all whom he met his brother and sister, thereby expressing two convictions. First, we are all related; we are part of one human family. Second, because we are brothers and sisters, we are called to love one another. It is this profoundly relational dynamic that animates the work of the Damietta Cross- Cultural Part of the Division of Student Life, the Damietta Cross-Cultural Center is located in Sarazen Student Union, Room 207.
The Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy
The Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy promotes and upholds the Franciscan mission of the college by engaging students and the Siena community in various service and advocacy programs, particularly among the poor and marginalized.
FCSA offers extensive volunteer and advocacy opportunities with various agencies and organizations in the Capital Region which allow the Siena community to discover, experience, and respond to the needs in our local community and to be agents of change and advocates of justice.
Our SIENAserves Immersion Program offers students, faculty, and staff transformative experiences in communities, both close to home and abroad, struggling with poverty, injustice, and inequality. Philadelphia, West Virginia, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Jamaica, are just some of the places in which SIENAserves.
A minor in Franciscan Service and Advocacy, which includes a seminar and internship, is offered as part of the College’s academic programming. This minor is suited for any course of study and will integrate Franciscan values with hands-on direct service with intellectual and spiritual reflection.
For more information about the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy (FCSA), please contact the Director at (518) 783-2333 or visit https://www.siena.edu/fcsa.
International Student Services
International students receive individualized support through the Center for International Programs. The Center issues immigration documentation necessary for a student to obtain F-1 student status and comply with all applicable regulations. In addition, the Center helps students build networks throughout the campus to access services from such offices as Community Living, Career Education and Professional Development, Health and Counseling and Academic Success. The Center provides English language support, coordinates a mentor program through the Writing Center and monitors the academic progress of each international student. Workshops are offered on obtaining work authorization for internships and post-graduate employment, and assistance is provided in securing on-campus jobs and obtaining a social security number. A comprehensive orientation is held for new international students at the beginning of each semester. The International Student Association provides numerous social events and opportunities. International students are expected to inform the Center for International Programs of all changes in residency, academic status or employment.
The Office of Accessibility
Siena College values the uniqueness of all students and is committed to supporting students with documented disabilities in order to provide them with reasonable accommodation that meets their individual needs. Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with the Office of Accessibility in Foy Hall upon acceptance to the college. Although students may choose to register at any time, accommodations are not retroactive. It is recommended that students register prior to July 15th for fall enrollment or December 15th for spring enrollment. To register with this office, a student must complete a registration form, a release form, and provide current, comprehensive documentation of the student’s disability. The office will determine the appropriateness of all documentation. Documentation must adequately represent the student’s current level of functioning as well as demonstrate the existence of a disability as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The student must complete and intake meeting with the Director of Accessibility where they will develop an individualized accommodation plan and allocate an accommodation letter for the student.
All information disclosed during the registration process is considered private and will not be released without the student’s written permission. The college provides reasonable accommodations to all students with disabilities.
For more information about the Office of Accessibility, please contact accessibility@siena.edu or call (518)-783-4239.
Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women
The Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women, located in new Hines Hall, provides innovative, value-based programs and initiatives that educate, engage and empower students. In collaboration with the Siena community, we foster advocacy efforts for social justice, gender equality, and women’s development.
We strive to address issues of social justice, wellness, service, and advocacy. Some of our annual and ongoing events include:
- Building Healthy Relationships Program Series
- Fair Trade Awareness and Advocacy
- Women’s Empowerment and Leadership
- Women, Health and Social Change trip to Cuernavaca, Mexico
- Anti-Human Trafficking Awareness
- Mental Health Awareness #Stop the Stigma
- Mindfulness & Yoga for Stress and Anxiety Reduction
- Mentoring Program
For more information, please call (782-6109) or visit the web site at https://www.siena.edu/centers-institutes/sr-thea-bowman-center-for-women/
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