NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Although basketball season has ended at the State University of New York at New Paltz, the Athletic & Wellness Center resembled March Madness on Sunday, April 3, when the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted a Special Olympics Unified Basketball Tournament.
 
The event, which was the first of its kind in New York State Special Olympics history, marked its fourth year at New Paltz and is now considered a tradition by SAAC adviser and head cross country coach Mike Trunkes.
 
"Personally, I am very proud of this event," Trunkes says. "It's something we started from scratch and to see it become a relevant and important part of the student-athlete experience at New Paltz and the Department of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation is just great. It's an amazing outreach activity, and it affects a lot of people in a positive way."
 
Special Olympics Unified Sports match up teams that consist of both Special Olympians and non-Special Olympians or partners; these Special Olympics events are continuing to grow in popularity, and New Paltz has added to that community awareness, according to Ellen Pikula, Director of Program for Special Olympics Hudson Valley Region.
  
"When we first started this particular event three years ago, it was my first time hosting a unified event, and I had parents that were very skeptical; they were looking at me like this was never going to work," Pikula says. "But, midway through that first event, parents were approaching me and saying they couldn't distinguish who the Special Olympians were from the partners; I've been involved with Special Olympics for 25 years and I can't even tell the difference. In essence, it's fantastic that SUNY New Paltz gives us the opportunity to have an event that creates such impact, where your student-athletes get to play with our athletes, and the community can see our athletes shine, in such a way where there is no boundaries."
 
This year, 10 teams competed in the unified tournament within three divisions, allowing up to four teams to match up at the same time. At the conclusion of the event, each team was awarded with either a gold, silver or bronze medal.
 
But, the endless high fives, smiles and cheers often serve as their own rewards, especially for the student-athletes, who help make the event a huge success.
 
Courtney Irby, a junior forward on the women's basketball team, acted as timekeeper and has been involved with the tournament every year since she joined New Paltz.
 
"It's such a great experience, and it's also been a learning experience; the Special Olympians and the SAAC athletes have taught me a lot about what it means to work together," Irby says. "There is such a positive, loving atmosphere, which is not something you see every day."
 
Other student-athletes seem to agree with Irby's sentiments about the tournament, even those volunteering for the very first time.
 
Men's basketball freshmen Cory Garcia, Joseph Ivin and Nick Paquette served as referees this year; the three teammates just simply love the game of basketball and enjoy the opportunity to give back to the community.
 
And it is this "total buy-in" from the campus teams as well as from all participants that makes the unified tournament such a unique and interesting experience in Trunkes' eyes.
 
"It is the one event, aside from one we do later in the spring, where everyone is engaged and involved," he says. "And the interaction we can have with the Special Olympians, not only on the unified teams, but when our student-athletes come over and interact with them, really makes the event unlike any other. So, I think it's the want to really support this event, as opposed to saying 'it's just another volunteer activity we have to do,' that makes it special."
 
What began as a desire to host an event with Special Olympics has clearly turned into a passion project for all of those involved with this tournament.
 
For SAAC president and senior field hockey student-athlete Dani Ackerman, that passion was present from the moment she played on a unified team in the tournament during her freshman year at New Paltz. Now, Ackerman coordinates the event alongside SAAC athletes, Trunkes and Pikula.
 
"It's cool to now run the event because the players appreciate it so much and they love coming here," she says. "So, I have no problem spending a lot of time putting this event together and making it the best it can be; it's become one of those things that I hold close to my heart."
 
Although both Pikula and Trunkes credit the tournament's popularity and success to SAAC, Ackerman remains modest.
 
"The most rewarding part of this tournament is that these athletes have so much fun coming here, and they are just so thankful," Ackerman says. "Everyone keeps thanking me, but I'm not the one who makes this happen; Ellen puts so much work into it. And I'm just happy to see the joy of these athletes competing at our facility."
 
Hopefully, the Special Olympics Unified Basketball Tournament will always find a home at New Paltz for years to come.