The State University of New York at New Paltz women's tennis team missed out on their opportunity to compete in the national tournament last season, as the spring was canceled due to COVID-19.
 
The Hawks (7-0 overall) are ready to get the chance in 2021, as they took home their third-straight SUNYAC Championship Saturday over Oneonta to claim an automatic bid into the NCAA DIII Tournament. Their first round matchup will send SUNY New Paltz to Rome, Georgia to face Babson College (3-0) in the first round.
 
"Honestly, it's really rewarding," said Hawks junior Laura Koob. "We've been working all year for this. COVID unfortunately happened, thankfully it's getting better and we're able to play. We're fortunate enough to be out there on the court. We're super excited to go to Georgia. It's supposed to be beautiful weather out, so it's going to be some great tennis." 
SUNY New Paltz heads into the tournament dropping just two matches all season, but all its contests have come in SUNYAC play. The Beavers will be the Hawks' first non-conference opponent, and the same goes for Babson as well, as its only three contests came against NEWMAC opposition.
 
"We love playing our SUNYAC conference teams, but yeah it'll be nice to be playing private schools because there are different types of tennis," Koob said. "We haven't seen their games yet. They come from different areas of the country as well. There is different recruiting, so it's nice to see a mix of players with different game strategies as well."

Koob earned her third trip to the All-SUNYAC First-Team, as well as being named SUNYAC Doubles Team of the Year with teammate Trinity Chow, who earned Peter J. Cahill MVP honors. Along with the two veterans atop their lineup, the Hawks have gotten some great play from its pair of freshmen this season in Loretta Donovan and Tatiana Barnett. Donovan played primarly at third doubles with senior Jenna Grandville, going 6-1 overall.
 
Barnett, meanwhile, went undefeated in singles play, playing mostly at fifth singles and also went 3-0 in doubles play when stepping in at first and third doubles, respectively. Because of her standout season she became the fourth-straight Hawk to earn Rookie of the Year honors and helped SUNY New Paltz clinch its third consecutive conference title.
 
"When I came here I knew this team was really good and I was super excited to come play, but three titles is crazy," Donovan said. "We've worked really hard and to be a part of that is something so special."
 
Donovan will team up with Barnett at third doubles and will step in to play sixth singles with Grandville out of the lineup this weekend.
 
"I'm super nervous, but I'm super excited," Donovan said. "I think I'm just going to practice really hard, and I've watched my teammates play so I know what it takes. I'm just going to play as hard as I can and hope for the best... My team has been really great with advice and coaching me through it, especially Trin and Alex [Chimenti]. They've really taken me in this year. They've just said play your best and play your heart out and that's all you can do, so that's what I'm going to do."
 
If the Hawks get past Babson Friday, they will play Sewanee College in the second round. The Tigers head into the tournament at 8-2 with their only two losses coming against No. 3 nationally ranked Emory. They have victories over No. 19 Washington (Mo.) and No. 17 Cumberland (Tenn.).
 
"I'm super excited to be playing different teams and see what else is out there in the country," Donovan added. "I'm a little nervous, because we've never seen them play and we've never played them, but it'll be a good challenge and we're up for it."



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