It was only his first week at the State University of New York at New Paltz and Matt Whitworth found himself sitting in the coach's office with a tense aura looming. "Listen Matt, this is your third school in three years," said one former cross country coach. "You are running out of chances." Despite the bleak conversation, the Hudson Valley ultimately became a safe haven for Whitworth. Through discovering a kinship with the team's current regime, helmed by Hawks head coach Aislinn Ryan, and embracing the New Paltz community, he would come to think of his arrival in Ulster County as a watershed moment in his distinctive career.
 
Whitworth arrived in New Paltz in hopes of turning his collegiate cross country career around. The Pawling, New York native had garnered an offer to run at the Division I level during his final year of high school. After a stint at Niagara University, he made a hefty move across the world to compete at Division II Hawaii Pacific University.
 
"I think I did have the talent to be there and compete," Whitworth said. "I was always one of the top guys on the team, but I didn't get the most out of myself because mentally and emotionally, I was immature."
 
Subsequently, in the fall of 2019, he moved 33 miles away from his home to compete at SUNY New Paltz.  
 
For Whitworth, SUNY New Paltz was where he showcased his maximum talent. He undertook a new style of racing his senior year, and Ryan quickly noted his improvement.
 
"The way that Matt raced in even his first race with me showed me that he wasn't afraid to take risks," they said. "Matt is skilled about getting past the mental strain of competing to accomplish his goals. He was in several high-pressured situations this year, and he handled them with grace."
 
The two would form a unique bond, both having taken intricate journeys to upstate New York. Chiefly, they built chemistry over a common goal; reaching feats that had not been accomplished in the program's history.

Under Ryan's leadership, Whitworth accomplished something that had never been done in Hawks history; become the first male runner to qualify for the Division III National Championship. Going into the NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional meet, Whitworth aspired to finish in the top 35, at best. However, after posting an astounding, 25:42.9 time, he found himself en route to Louisville for the crème de la crème of cross country meets. Despite finishing in the bottom half of competitors at Nationals, the culture at New Paltz undoubtedly fostered a positive competitive atmosphere for him.
 
Whitworth and Ryan conducted what some call the most prolific season of Hawks Cross Country to date. SUNY New Paltz ultimately sent Whitworth, in addition to Emily Cavanagh and Cassandra Williams on the women's side, to Louisville to compete at nationals. As accolades for the program continued to pour in, Whitworth was faced with an intriguing decision; what to do with his final two years of eligibility.
 
"I encouraged Matt to chase his goal of using his eligibility for a track season in graduate school. You have one chance at college running, and Matt had that desire to continue," Ryan said.
 
After a broad search of graduate schools, he stumbled upon University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas. While the program's prestige was undeniable, the move to Kansas was daunting. The small catholic college was poles apart from New Paltz. However, Ryan was once again of voice of reason.
 
"I think if I didn't have Coach Ryan to go to, I may not have had the confidence to make such a drastic move but having them in my corner… it was really helpful," Whitworth reminisced.
 
Only two years removed from transferring out of his second school in as many years, Whitworth was well within range of obtaining a scholarship to run once again. For him, it quickly became apparent that a move to Leavenworth was the logical choice. Saint Mary challenged him academically at the graduate level and presented an opportunity to continue competing athletically at a top NAIA school.
 
"This is incredible," he said. "Now I get another chance to run at a scholarship program. I'm really lucky, really fortunate with how things turned out."
 
The Spires boasted some of the top runners in the area and a 2019 conference championship to boot. Despite the high standard of play, Whitworth felt confident knowing his coaches and teammates back in New York had instilled a ferocious work ethic in him. He cited Conor Van Riper and fellow 2019 senior, Jack Wilson as driving forces for his rapid improvement. A conversion to a smoother surface in track based competition will present an adjustment for Whitworth. Yet, he will be learning under a top-notch program which took home titles in the indoor and outdoor championships last season.
 
Although the fall 2020 cross country season is underway, with Saint Mary looking to defend their 2019 crown, the COVID-19 pandemic created a unique atmosphere for the coaches and student-athletes competing.
 
"It's been weird for sure," Whitworth said. "The athletic department here is really well run. They've really mitigated the potential differences during a pandemic while staying safe."
 
Graduate school also proffers Whitworth a chance to work toward his career aspirations. After graduating from SUNY New Paltz with a degree in marketing, Whitworth is set to leave with a MBA in Human Resources following his two years at the College.
 
"Marketing is such an interesting subject, but I think something I realized when I took my gen-eds and psychology courses was that I'd much rather work with people than ideas," Whitworth said.
After completing graduate school, he hopes to move back to New York find a job making a positive change in a company's culture.
 
Now living positively in Kansas, Whitworth credits everyone he was finally able to 'mesh well' with in New Paltz for setting him up for another chance at a scholarship. "It was really positive honestly," the former Hawk said of his time in upstate New York. "The people in New Paltz, they're great, man. They see the best in everyone and everything and that's especially true of the cross country team."


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