BEAUMONT, TEXAS — Ballston Spa graduate Casey Wright was named the most valuable player of the Lamar Volleyball Tournament after leading the University at Albany to two wins on the final day of play at McDonald Gym on Saturday. The Great Danes defeated McNeese State, 3-1 (25-15, 25-22, 24-26, 25-16), before sweeping the host Cardinals, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 29-27).

Against McNeese State, Wright recorded a career-high 25 kills on a .449 hitting percentage to go along with nine digs and eight total blocks.

Teresa Coppiellie finished with a double-double of 10 kills and 10 digs, while Laurie Gonzalez totaled a match-high 26 digs. Traci Vandegrift, who was also named to the all-tournament team, started off the day with 12 digs to go along with seven kills, seven block assists and two service aces. Setter Kaley Jacobson handed out 40 assists and six digs, while Abbey Wexel added 11 digs defensively for UAlbany.
McNeese State finished with just three total team blocks, while UAlbany had 17 total blocks, and the Great Danes held the Cowgirls to a .082 hitting percentage.

In the tournament finale, Coppiellie led UAlbany with 17 kills, while Dunja Prgomet added 11 kills. Coppiellie completed a double-double with 12 digs, while all-tournament team selection Laurie Gonzalez paced the team defensively with 15 digs. Coppiellie and Gonzalez also combined for five of the team’s seven aces, as Coppiellie served up three, with Gonzalez adding two. Jacobson tallied 40 assists, nine digs and four block assists, while Wright wrapped up the tournament with a seven-kill, four-block performance, along with four digs.

UAlbany (8-4) will return to action on Friday, Sept. 24, visiting Yale in non-conference action, before hosting the Bulldogs in a return match to open the home season at University Gym on Saturday, Sept. 25.

South Glens Falls native and Clarkson University hockey standout Shawn Weller was traded from the Ottawa Senators to the Anaheim Ducks.

Weller played for the Binghamton Senators last season, Ottawa’s primary affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). He appeared in a career-high 70 contests, collecting 4-5=9 points with 57 penalty minutes (PIM). The 6-2, 199-pound winger recorded 1-1=2 points for his first multiple-point game of the season on Jan. 16 vs. Wilkes-Barre. Weller also appeared in four contests with Elmira of the ECHL last season, earning 1-1=2 points with two PIM.

Originally selected by Ottawa in the third round (77th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Weller has appeared in 134 career AHL contests, recording 12-13=25 points with 101 PIM. The Glens Falls, NY native played three seasons of college hockey at Clarkson University of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC), earning 36-42=78 points with 237 PIM in 109 career games.

He led the club in goals and points in 2006-07, collecting 19-21=40 points in 39 games. In 2005, Weller played for Team USA’s Under-20 team at the IIHF World Junior Championships, appearing in seven contests.

-- Courtesy Anaheim Ducks website

SUNY-Oneonta sophomore hurler Dave Filak was named Red Dragon co-Athlete of the Week after leading his squad to a 3-0 win over Gettysburg in the second game of a double-header Saturday.

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake graduate earned a complete game shutout, throwing seven full innings, scattering three hits and striking out 11.

This season, Filak is 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA. He has three starts under his belt for SUNY-Oneonta and has thrown 19 innings while allowing only two earned runs and 12 hits. He has struck out 31 batters and has kept opposing batters to an anemic .182 batting average.

Filak is looking to top his freshman season where he earned a host of awards including Oneonta State Male/Fred Puritz First-Year Athlete of the Year award, the SUNYAC Rookie of the Year award and the ECAC Division III Upstate New York Rookie of the Year honors.

He finished his 2008 campaign with a 4-3 record with four saves an a 4.05 ERA. He pitched 40 innings, allowing 36 hits leading to 22 runs, 18 of them earned. He struck out 58 batters and walked only 16.

-- Stan Hudy