NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team went 20-18 overall (10-8 SUNYAC) last year and earned the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament, marking the second winning season in the decade. While the 2011 squad will look markedly different from last season, the Hawks remain hungry for ascension in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) standings.

Second-year head coach

(Buchanan, N.Y.) is the team's top returner, as she garnered numerous accolades in 2010. After batting a team-best .470 with 10 doubles, three triples and a home run off a team-high 63 hits, Gallagher was named an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) First-Team All-Star, First-Team All-National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Northeast Region and All-SUNYAC. Expect this co-captain to continue her outstanding career in 2011, as she will be depended upon to play at first base and pitch.

"I'm looking for her to give us leadership offensively, defensively and on the mound," Marchese said. "Seventy to 80 percent of the time she got on base, she scored. We're looking to have her continue do what she's doing in that leadoff spot. She is a tremendous on-the-field leader."

The Hawks turn to junior

(Brentwood, N.Y.) hit .290 last year, and Marchese said that she is capable of hitting above .300. Originally slated to play at shortstop, she will start at second base. Another key returner is senior Courtney Costello (Bayport, N.Y.), who has been a four-year starter in the circle for the Hawks. Costello, also a co-captain, will use her experience and maturity to help out younger members of the rotation.

After sitting behind Dale Cornelius at the catcher position, junior Jenna Curcio (Conklin, N.Y.) will have her time to shine, as the team looks for her to contribute immediately. Marchese expects her to take control of the infield behind the plate and continuously improve her offensive prowess.

Two returning players are poised for a breakout year in 2011, according to Marchese: sophomore Gillian Davidoff (Oceanside, N.Y.) and junior Cassie Barcavage (Cold Spring, N.Y.). Both will transition from being role players to being leaned on for significant contributions. Davidoff is a member of the starting pitching rotation, while Barcavage, who hit .417 last season, will chip in offensively and will split time between first base and the outfield.

In addition, Marchese marvels at junior Victoria Holm's (Floral Park, N.Y.) arm strength and said that she will fortify the right field corner defensively. Holm counts on improving upon her offensive numbers from last year and possesses the ability to do so, given her uncanny ability to read incoming pitches.

Headlining the class of newcomers are two junior transfers. Marchese said that each will be paramount to the team's success this season. Junior Kristen Schork (Warwick, N.Y.) expects to be a staple in center field, as she has the ability to put the ball in play and plays scrappy defensively. Junior Shelby Martin (New Paltz, N.Y.), a transfer from Farmingdale State College, swings "a huge bat," according to Marchese, and will be neck-and-neck with Barra in terms of power numbers.

The Hawks' freshman class is diverse, and Marchese has plenty of viable options to fill out her lineup card among the group.

Freshman Chelsea Kull (Manorville, N.Y.) offers a superb arm as a natural shortstop and will hit behind the clean-up hitter because of her powerful bat. Freshman Melissa Kump (Glendale, N.Y.) enters the mix as a pitcher but also can be relied upon as a catcher and an outfielder. Freshman Emily Collazo (East Meadow, N.Y.) adds depth to the pitching rotation, but her tremendous speed allows her to be a threat on the base paths as a pinch runner. A true utility player, freshman Emily Frawley (White Plains, N.Y.) can play all nine positions, but Marchese will likely use her most behind the plate and in the infield. Finally, freshman Alyssa Quartuccio (New Windsor, N.Y.) adds depth to the infield and has improved greatly throughout the course of the year.

The Hawks open their season in Florida at the NTC Spring Games from March 20-26, contesting Tufts University, Macalester College, Carroll University, Hope College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Buena Vista University, Kalamazoo College, the University of St. Thomas, Elmhurst College, Trinity (Conn.) College, Manchester College and Williams College.

Upon returning to New York, New Paltz takes on Mount Saint Mary in a twinbill on March 30 before traveling to Oswego, N.Y., two days later to open SUNYAC play with SUNY Oswego. The Hawks round out their central New York trip the following day with a league doubleheader with SUNY Cortland.

A non-conference twinbill on the road against Manhattanville College on April 6 ushers in the Hawks' first home series of the year, as they host the two North Country SUNYAC teams—SUNY Plattsburgh and SUNY Potsdam—on April 8 and April 9, respectively. On April 16, the blue and orange visits SUNY Oneonta, and the team entertains the Sage Colleges on April 20. From April 22-23, New Paltz goes to western New York to take on SUNY Fredonia and Buffalo State before closing its regular-season slate with a four-game home stand.

The Hawks find themselves opposite Union (N.Y.) College and Western Connecticut State University on back-to-back days from April 26-27, and they finish up conference action with a home series against the Rochester area teams—The College at Brockport and SUNY Geneseo—from April 29-30. Should all go according to plan, New Paltz will return to the SUNYAC Tournament from May 5-7 at the site of the highest seed. The top six teams qualify for the conference tournament.

"The reason why I wanted my non-conference schedule to be tough all year was that I didn't want there to be deviation from our conference," Marchese said. "I'm a big believer in the tendency to play to the level of competition you're up against. We want the level of our teams that we're going to face to be high across the board."

Marchese believes that the element of the unknown will play to the team's advantage in 2011.

"If they can play with confidence and remain competitive, there are no limits to what we can achieve," Marchese said. "We are unknown at this point. I like that, and we can use that as a weapon. No one knows what they're going to do. It will be great in conference play because they won't know what half our team is capable of. We'll be a surprise."