UAlbany women’s basketball excited to be back to work

ALBANY — It was only the team’s first on-court session together, and it’s easy to be eager and enthused right at the start of summer workouts.

But, still, UAlbany women’s basketball head coach Colleen Mullen was thoroughly impressed with the energy and spirit her players displayed during one of the program’s staple drills — called “UConn close-outs” — during Thursday’s practice. 

“That might be the best drill I’ve ever seen us [do] because everybody was competitive,” said Mullen, UAlbany’s fourth-year head coach.

“It was the first [practice], but we have a lot of energy,” forward Helene Haegerstrand said. “It was so much fun. We’re all excited to be back.”

Allowing her players extra time to recharge following a grueling 2020-21 campaign that saw the Great Danes experience several pandemic-related pauses of in-person team activities likely helped along what Mullen saw on the court Thursday. Mullen’s players started their summer session with…