The State University of New York at New Paltz swimming team is set to take on Hamilton College after coming off of its toughest meet of the season.

Both the Hawks' men's and women's sides lost when they took on Vassar College and Franklin and Marshall College in a tri-meet last friday. The women swam their fastest 200-yard medley relay of the season going 2 minutes 32.22 seconds, while the relay's breaststroke leg, junior Lindsay Krantiz, was the only Hawk to win any individual events. Kranitz started off by taking first place in the women's 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:11.04 and then she claimed first in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:32.22. 

SUNY New Paltz had several solid swims on the men's side including freshman Owen Rowlands. Rowlands posted a top-10 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) time for the 1,000-yard freestyle in his very first time swimming the event at the collegiate level. Sophomore Ethan Bonney also posted a season best time in the men's 1,000-yard freestyle going a 10:07.

Hamilton has faced two opponents so far this season, Utica College and Trinity College, defeating both on the men's and women's sides. In the Continentals' most recent meet against the Bantams, they relied on their relays for success. 

The last time the Hawks took on the Continentals was in 2018 when the SUNY New Paltz men's team defeated Hamilton, 137-118, while the women came up short, 181-98.

The Hawks' matchup with the Continentals is set to be a tight one. Both teams have posted very similar times across the board. Hamilton's men's team looks to have a slight edge in the sprint events, while the SUNY New Paltz men's team holds an advantage in distance events. On the women's side, the Continentals' distance swimmers prove hard to beat as they have posted some very fast times thus far.

"Going into this meet our mental attitude is a lot more positive than it was when we versed Hartwick,'' said Kranitz.

SUNY New Paltz is doing a series of home games for each team sport called the "Green Out Game." It is in regards to mental health awareness, a very prevalent issue especially involving today's societal student-athletes. According to researchers at Drexel and Kean Universities, to report nearly 25 percent of collegiate athletes have shown clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms.

"I think it's important to have games and meets to bring awareness about mental health" said Hawks freshman Zach Brown," As student athletes we have a lot on our plates and we are more likely to succumb to mental health issues."

SUNY New Paltz will compete against Hamilton College Friday at Elting Pool at 6 p.m.

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