The Binghamton University men’s soccer team plans to put the “Great” in the Great Danes to the test as the Bearcats look to kick off their conference season tomorrow as they host Albany at the Bearcats Sports Complex. Head coach Paul Marco said that the America East Conference games this season are going to be unlike anything anyone has seen.

“I’ve said it all along,” he said. “Our conference is fantastic. The conference will be different from the nonconference schedule. The teams are more prepared for each other. The teams are a little bit tighter, more compact, less space [and] more physical.”

The conference play has already revealed a few surprises. On Saturday a winless Vermont beat the undefeated UMBC in both teams’ first AE match of the season. UMBC is ranked No. 18 in the NSCAA/Adidas Division I rankings.

“It’s going to be an exciting season,” Marco said. “There is so much to look forward to.”

Albany is currently winless this season with eight losses and two tie games, ranking last in the America East at No. 8. The Danes fell to Hartford in their conference opener Saturday, 1-0. The Danes average 12 shots and 1.22 points per game. Despite the rough record, Albany has an impressive defense. The Danes’ goalkeeper sophomore Adrian Foncette ranks first in the conference in saves, stopping 6.89 shots per game, while Binghamton goalie senior Jason Stenta, who ranks No. 3, stops 4.67 shots a game.

The Bearcats return to the BSC after tying with the University of Rhode Island at Saturday night’s homecoming game, 1-1. Last season the Bearcats defeated Albany in the regular season, 3-0, and then beat the team again at the conference semifinals in double overtime, 1-0.

Binghamton has had quite the record of success in the AE Conference games. The Bearcats became the first team in the 20-year history of the America East last season to advance to six consecutive conference championship games. The team clinched the conference championship title in 2003 and 2006. The team also won the AE regular season titles in 2006 and 2007.

The rest of October for the Bearcats features a slate of seven conference games.

Kickoff against Albany is set for 7 p.m.