After years of hard work, the State University of New York at New Paltz's men's lacrosse team experienced a truncated inaugural season. Now, head coach Dwayne Stewart's squad is more determined than ever to make an impact on the turf this spring.
 
The Hawks only competed in four contests before the COVID-19 pandemic cut the 2020 lacrosse season short. The team went 2-2 in those games and concluded the year with a thrilling, 9-8 double overtime win against SUNY Purchase.
 
Stewart's team will primarily compete against schools in the newly formed East Division of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). To limit travel, the SUNYAC is opting to use Interstate 81 as a separating line to divide member schools into two separate divisions. In addition to SUNY New Paltz, members of the East Division include SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Plattsburgh and SUNY Potsdam. 
The men's lacrosse team will open its season at home against the Cardinals March 26 at 4 p.m. The contest will mark the first SUNYAC game in program history. Plattsburgh, now four seasons removed from its first SUNYAC Championship, also finished 2-2 in 2020 after previously totaling seven victories in its last full season of competition. The Hawks will then travel north on April 23 to take on the Cardinals on their home turf.
 
The Hawks will face a challenge in their second contest of the 2021 season when visiting the Bears the following Friday on April 2. Potsdam was off to a blazing 4-1 start to the 2020 campaign before it was terminated. Its only loss came against nationally ranked, No. 17 Saint Lawrence University. SUNY New Paltz will then have a rematch against the Bears on the South Turf field April 16.
 
SUNY Oneonta will welcome SUNY New Paltz April 9 in addition to traveling to its Catskill Cup rival April 30. The matchup will see a meeting of two of the conference's up and coming coaches. Red Dragons are led by coach Pete Owens who took over the program in 2019 and will look to improve upon a rocky, shortened 2020 campaign.
 
The SUNYAC Tournament will occur May 4 through May 7 and feature the top two teams from each division based on regular season record. The format of the tournament will be a semifinal, championship bracket.
 
To view the full 2021 men's lacrosse schedule, click here.

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