By Max Kornstein ’14, Athletic Communications Intern
When Rob Bruley became the head coach for the State University of New York at New Paltz women’s tennis program, the team was struggling to compete within the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). After a glance at the standings, you would find New Paltz women’s tennis sitting in the last or second-to-last spot. But this all changed in 2001, when Bruley convinced Rockville Center, N.Y. native Kerry Farrell ‘05, to commit to the College.
“There was something about Coach Bruley,” Farrell recalled. “He was warm and energetic about the program.” All it took was a few calls from the coach and an overnight stay with her soon-to-be teammate, Megan Crevioserat, to convince Farrell that New Paltz was the right school for her.
In her freshman season, No. 1 ranked Farrell and the Hawks were able to begin to turn things around for the women’s tennis program. In 2001, the Hawks made it to the SUNYAC Tournament where they finished in sixth-place.
“This was quite a big move for us,” said Farrell reflecting on her freshman season. “But it gave me a good feeling that we could win the SUNYACs at some point in my four years,” she continued.
In her next season [2002], that is exactly what the Hawks were able to accomplish. While winning a SUNYAC championship is already a huge accomplishment in itself, this win was extra special for the university. The 2002 SUNYAC title marked the school’s first-ever women’s championship in any sport.
“When we won, it was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,” stated Farrell. “It is something I still think of and hold high up.”
After the 2002 season, Farrell was named a team captain from 2003-2004. The Hawks finished in second place during those two seasons and Farrell was selected to the All-SUNYAC Second Team both years. In 2004, Farrell was also named the team MVP.
Over her four years as a Hawk, with both singles and doubles records, Farrell has a combined career record of 114-43. This record is currently the third-best record in the program’s history.
Despite all her wins and accomplishments as a student-athlete, Farrell stated that some of her fondest moments happened off the court. “I remember our long van rides from school to school, sometimes being on the road for three or four days at a time. Going to Coach Bruley’s for taco dinners and our spring break trip to Hilton Head were highlights,” said Farrell. “We all just had such a great time together and that’s really what I remember and miss the most.”
Since graduating, Farrell has moved to Long Beach where she has lived for the past six years. She is currently the District Sales Manager at ADP, where she has worked for the past five years.
Farrell continues to play in women’s leagues at the Long Beach Tennis Center and always looks forward to visiting New Paltz, especially for Alumni Weekend.
“I love the town. It’s filled with such great people - the students and the locals,” said Farrell. “I’ve always loved P&Gs, McGillicuddy’s and Mohonk’s rock scramble,” she continued.
Farrell is currently in the process of a buying a house in Oceanside with her fiancé who she met at New Paltz. She hopes she can attend this year’s Alumni Weekend to re-connect with her old teammates and Coach Bruley.
“The main thing I learned as a student athlete is to not be afraid to take risks and to always challenge yourself. As an athlete, you are constantly challenging yourself and it is important to carry that over into your every day life and personal life.”
