Tournament Site

MANLIUS, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's tennis team won the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) title for the fourth time in program history Sunday afternoon at the Eastside Racquet Club, competing at the 2010 SUNYAC Tennis Championships. The Hawks scored 42 points throughout the course of the three-day event, while second-place SUNY Geneseo compiled 36 points.

SUNY Cortland and SUNY Oneonta tied for third with 18 points apiece, while The College at Brockport, SUNY Fredonia and SUNY Plattsburgh all earned a share of fifth with four points. SUNY Oswego rounded out the eight-team field with an eighth-place finish (0 points).

The Hawks last won the conference's top team honor in 2007. They also brought home the conference crown in 2002 and 2006.

In recognition of the team's highly successful championship run, head coach Rob Bruley gained SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors. The 13th-year mentor also earned the honor in 2002, 2004 and 2006.

Seniors Stephanie Schara (Hicksville, N.Y.) and Lindsey Garyn (Melville, N.Y.) took the SUNYAC title at No. 1 doubles, while Garyn, sophomore Kayla DiPaulo (Liverpool, N.Y.) and freshman Paige Munroe (Ann Arbor, Mich.) won the championship at flights three, four and six of singles, respectively.

Schara and Garyn won the title at No. 1 doubles, defeating their counterparts from Oneonta, 6-4, 6-4. This marked the first doubles championship for this Hawk tandem.

DiPaulo and sophomore Montana Wilson (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) forfeited in the No. 2 doubles championship due to injury, which gave the second doubles title to the Geneseo duo of Melissa Baker and Lucy Mehrabyan.

In the No. 3 doubles final, sophomore Alli Esposito (Bellmore, N.Y.) and Munroe succumbed to Geneseo's contingent of Katie Gayvert and Sarah Shields, 6-4, 6-1.

Mehrabyan took home the No. 2 singles crown, winning, 3-0, after an injury retirement by Wilson.

Garyn picked up her first-ever singles championship at No. 3, handling Carly Smith of Oneonta, 6-1, 6-1. She was the lone New Paltz player to prevail at both doubles and singles.

A battle ensued in the No. 4 singles final, as DiPaulo edged Gayvert, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (3). This marked DiPaulo's inaugural conference title.

Shields bested Esposito in the No. 5 singles championship, prevailing, 6-1, 6-1.

Munroe capped off an impressive fall with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win against Katie Talbot of Geneseo in the No. 6 singles final. This is her inaugural conference crown.

In the No. 1 singles final, Loraine Jelinek from Cortland downed Geneseo's Monica Vieth, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2.

By virtue of winning the conference title, the Hawks have earned an automatic bid into the 2011 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships, which will be held in the spring of 2011.

New Paltz, which finished its dual-match fall season at 7-2 overall and 3-0 SUNYAC East play, is in the process of finalizing its spring schedule.

Team Points

1. New Paltz- 42
2. Geneseo- 36
3. Cortland- 18
3. Oneonta- 18
5. Brockport- 4
5. Fredonia- 4
5. Plattsburgh- 4
8. Oswego- 0