The State University of New York at New Paltz men's soccer team was honored with four Hawks being named to the annual All-SUNYAC squad. The last time SUNY New Paltz had four players named was 2018; since soccer became a SUNYAC sport in 1959, the Hawks have had four players named all-conference eight times.

To view the full 2021 All-SUNYAC Men's Soccer team, click here. 

Continue reading to view all four of SUNY New Paltz's 2021 All-SUNYAC selections:

First-Team: Tim Kane (sophomore, defense)

(Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell HS)

There was a reason why the Hawks were in the thick of every one of their 16 regular season games — their stingy defense. Spearheading that defense was sophomore defender Tim Kane, named First-Team All-SUNYAC.

"Tim has been a huge boost to our team and our back line," said SUNY New Paltz coach Kyle Clancy. "He adjusted quite well to the team and conference and has had a great impact on and off the field. I definitely feel Tim has the quality, ability and mindset to be one of the top center backs in the SUNYAC."

Kane was a significant part of a Hawks defense that held opponents to just 11 goals and a 0.68 goals-against-average overall and a SUNYAC mark of eight goals in nine games for a 0.87 goals-against-average. When he was not holding opponents at bay, Kane scored two goals on the season, both goals important game winners in SUNYAC play, against Geneseo and Oswego, respectively, while playing one of his best defensively at home in a pivotal opening weekend against the Knights and Brockport. 

"I think Tim stood out for his consistency this year, but certainly his performance the weekend of Brockport/Geneseo was a memorable one," Clancy said. "In what has historically been one of our toughest weekends, Tim scored a game-winning goal and had a game-winning assist, along with a shutout, to help us to a 2-0 start in the SUNYAC."

Kane played and started all 17 games for SUNY New Paltz, logging the most minutes out of any field player with 1,540 and was arguably the most consistent players in a talented group of Hawks that brought the team to a 12-5 overall campaign. 

"Tim is a player that dominates in the air, reads the game very well, has a great ability to read when to step and win the ball and is excellent with his distribution out of the back," Clancy said. "He became a key piece to our possession style and helped contribute to many of our goal-scoring chances. One thing I didn't know about Tim was how good he was attacking the box on set pieces and that was a nice surprise and addition to the team. I was confident he had the ability to have an impact, but it always depends on how players adjust to the level and the confidence they have when they arrive. Tim showed from day 1 he was ready and he certainly earned this excellent achievement."

Second-Team: Marc DePasquale (graduate student, goalkeeper)

(Huntington Station, NY/Walt Whitman HS)

Gifted by the NCAA with another year of eligibility, graduate student Marc DePasqaule made the most of his opportunity, becoming just the fifth Hawks goalkeeper named All-SUNYAC since 1959.

"Getting Marc back for this season was a huge boost," Clancy said. "His experience was massive and the quality he brings when he is at the top of his game is a huge reason we had the season we did. We were very fortunate that he performed at his best in his last year and I'm happy to see him develop into the goalkeeper he has become."

The four-year player crowned his career in phenomenal fashion, setting new program goalkeeping records while leading his teammates to the SUNYAC playoffs. DePasquale played all 1,456.41 minutes of SUNY New Paltz's 16 game regular season schedule, giving up just 11 goals with a 0.68 goals-against-average. He led the SUNYAC in three categories: goals against with eight; goals against percentage of 0.87, and a save percentage of .822. His seven wins were second in the conference. His eight season shutouts in 2021 overall broke a 58-year-old record of seven; his 0.68 goals against average set a new Hawks standard.

"Marc is a great leader on and off the field," Clancy said. "He is someone that connects well with the players, leads by example and gives 100 percent in all he does. He always has a smile on his face at practice and just brings great energy and positivity each day. He is someone I can always count on to make sure the little things are being taken care of and he is as reliable as they come. He will be missed."

For his career, DePasquale's 17 shutouts shattered the old career mark of nine shutouts held by Tom Clarke (1962-63) and Conor Power (2010-11); his 1.06 goals against average moves him into third place on the all-time list and his 0.823 save percentage lands him second on the all-time list.

"I'm proud of all Marc has accomplished in his time here. He has been a great teammate, an extremely hard player and a great example to all who have worked with him," Clancy said. "Whether he was a starter or not, his attitude and commitment never changed and that is something I have always appreciated. He is as selfless as they come. He also has a tireless work ethic to improve and he earned his minutes and the success he accomplished this year and he is very deserving of this honor."



Second-Team/Rookie of the Year: Joseph DiPreta (freshman, midfield)

(Clifton Park, NY/Doane Stuart School)

A true freshman in 2021, DiPreta had impressive high school credentials, but they were garnered while playing in a small school in a small league. Just how ready was he for the rigors of SUNYAC soccer? Clancy saw the innate talent and work ethic within DiPreta. That trust resulted in DiPreta being named as SUNY New Paltz's first ever SUNYAC Men's Soccer Rookie of the Year and a spot on the All-SUNYAC Second Team.

"Joey is very deserving of being ROY with his consistent play throughout the year. He adjusted to the level quickly and showed that he was ready to handle the ups and downs of being a first-year starter," Clancy said. "He contributed both in terms of statistics and in his play on both sides of the ball and his addition was a big help to our success this year as a program."

Starting and playing in all 16 games of the Hawks 2021 schedule, he assisted on five goals and scored two — none bigger than his second goal of the year, which came on a bending direct kick at the 106th minute beating the then fifth ranked Oneonta Red Dragons on the road, 1-0. As his teammates attest, his direct kicks all season long have been on the mark, evidence of a player much more mature and skilled than a mere freshman.

"He has quite the mentality and that has shown at numerous times this year — most significantly at Oneonta. He is someone that wants the ball in the big moments, but he is also someone who trains tirelessly to be ready for those big moments and his work ethic and commitment are huge reasons why he is the player he is," Clancy said. "I think we have been fortunate to recruit some very technical players over the years, and Joey is one that is definitely added to that list. Again, that's down to the work he has put in, the hours of individual training, to improve each area of his game. His ability helped with our team's desire to build out of the back and his quality made us more dangerous as we progressed from back to front." 

DiPreta finished the season fifth in minutes played, logging 1,156 minutes of action and totaled a team-leading five assists, which ranked tied for ninth-most in the conference. The Clifton Park, NY native was also the only true-freshman selected to this year's All-SUNYAC team.  

"Joey's work ethic and training habits, along with his love of the game, will help him reach tremendous heights as a player," Clancy continued. "I know he has lofty goals for himself and I can envision him accomplishing those as he keeps working to improve each year." 



Third-Team: Ryan Hilliard (junior, midfield)

(Congers, NY/St. Joseph Regional HS)

Patrolling the midfield of the soccer pitch can be a daunting task, with lots of space to cover with the responsibility of initiating the offense and controlling the defense. For junior Ryan Hilliard it entailed starting and playing in all 16 regular season games. Hilliard's offensive statistics of one goal and two assists may not be overwhelming, but his defensive play in the center of the field was more than impressive for SUNYAC coaches to name him to the Third-Team All-SUNYAC team.

"Ryan has been a pivotal player for our team on and off the field," Clancy said. "He is a tremendous captain, a true leader by example that brings such a high level of competitiveness to every single day of practice. He is someone that wants to win everything and he holds himself to a high standard in all he does.  He is also someone who has the ability to inspire and be a catalyst when we need that momentum change, something I feel is very important for a captain of any team. He showed it numerous times this year and his play and leadership was a huge part of our team's success this season." 

Additionally, the junior captain logged 1,357 minutes of action this season and started every game including the Hawks SUNYAC Semifinal against Oswego State. Hilliard was also named to the SUNYAC All-Tournament team.

"I consider Ryan to be one of the best center midfielders in the conference," Clancy said. "Often, the work a "6" does can be overlooked— not as flashy, not as many stats — but without a good one, your team won't be successful. It's one of the more overlooked positions on the field in the modern game. Guys who play the position well help break down attacks, cover a ton of ground, collect balls to start counters or retain possession, and are big parts of a teams possession, and Ryan has excelled in each of these areas. He also brings such a high soccer IQ to the field and this is one of his best attributes and what helps him excel as a player."

Hilliard was key in big games all year for SUNY New Paltz, none bigger than a 1-0 road victory over then No. 5 nationally ranked SUNY Oneonta which ultimately helped the team snag the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament later on in the season. He then showed true leadership, stepping into a centerback position on the road against Fredonia State with the team struggling with injuries entering the match. Hilliard took it upon himself to unselfishly make the position change and aid his team in another 1-0 victory.

"There are many games where Ryan's play has stood out and he has helped our team to victory," Clancy said. "I think Oneonta was certainly one where he was challenged by some very good players in the middle and he showed his quality and ability in helping us shut down their attacks, creating chances and ultimately helping us to a big victory in overtime. But I think the game that embodies who Ryan is was Fredonia. He was asked to play centerback when we went down a couple of players due to injury and he stepped in seamlessly, in a position he has only played for a short time over the summer. He showed the type of intelligence he has as a player and how he can adjust quickly to help his team win games. In that game, we earned a shutout and a huge 3 points away, and his play was a huge reason for that. While I think Ryan has earned more with his play, it is nice to see him honored by the Conference."

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