Thousands of fans gathered at Saratoga Race Course on a crisp Saturday afternoon, lining the grandstand and spilling onto the clubhouse lawn as the Siena Saints men’s and women’s basketball squads staged a lively meet‑and‑greet. Autograph tables stretched across the venue, and cameras clicked as supporters captured moments with players and coaches alike.
Coaches Nevada Smith of the men’s team and Terry Primm of the women’s side were on hand, greeting fans, posing for photos and helping distribute signed memorabilia. Their presence underscored the program’s commitment to community engagement.
The ceremony featured a formal presentation of the ‘Siena Saints March On!’ trophy at 3:30 p.m., a symbolic nod to the upcoming exhibition matchup against Syracuse that will be played on home soil in Albany for the first time in more than two decades.
Fans seized the opportunity to purchase tickets for the rare Albany appearance, a game that pits a program that has never hosted Syracuse in the regular season against a team that has won all eight prior meetings.
A Capital Region Celebration
The event also served as a prelude to a larger reunion scheduled for Oct. 18, when former Siena standouts Gerry McNamara, Gavin Doty, Francis Folefac and Tasman Goodrick will return to the Capital Region for a celebration that includes a banner unveiling and the distribution of championship rings.
Organizers hinted that the exhibition could evolve into a recurring series, potentially laying the groundwork for a future regular‑season showdown between the two programs.
Both squads are now deep into preseason workouts, with the first official games slated for early November as the Saints aim to defend their recent MAAC triumph and build momentum for the new campaign.
Outside the gym, Nevada Smith, a known horse‑racing aficionado, announced he will place a wager on Leading Change at 12‑1 odds in the upcoming Travers Stakes, adding a personal touch of sports betting to the weekend’s festivities.