Will there be a four-peat in the cards for the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team in 2022-23? If there is, it will be because the Hawks can once again live up to the expectations that each new season brings.
 
SUNY New Paltz will have the proverbial "target on their backs" each time it takes the court, whether for a non-conference game or an all-important SUNYAC matchup.
 
"I definitely have high hopes for this team," said Hawks junior captain Brianna Fitzgerald. "Winning the SUNYAC Championship is just a standard at this point and I definitely think we will make history this year in the NCAA Tournament. This is one of the best team's coach said he's ever coached. This is one of the best team's I've ever played for. I think we're going to go really far this year, especially playing together last year. We just gel really well together and it's a whole step up from last year."
 
Entering his 16th year at the helm, coach Jamie Seward returns 14 players from the 2021-22 SUNYAC champions, including five who started at least 17 games. Seward's teams have come to be known for their unselfish offensive play and their stifling defense. And, once again, he has his charges tuning up for the long SUNYAC season by taking on an extremely challenging non-conference schedule, which features three teams that won their respective conference championships and earned NCAA postseason spots. The road begins Tuesday as SUNY New Paltz faces Hudson Valley neighbor and 2021-22 NCAA DIII participant Mount Saint Mary's College for its season opener.
 
 
"I think they're going to come at us really aggressive," said Hawks senior captain Graci Serravillo of the Knights. "Obviously, their coach played here. We're known to be really aggressive and so, I think she's going to have them ready to go. They're going to come at us, pressure us and make us uncomfortable, get us out of our game plan and we obviously have a size advantage, so they'll try to exploit us with their speed, their shooters so we have to be ready for that. We have to know our game plan and stay in that, trust in our scout and trust in each other."
 
Leading the team entering the year are three All-SUNYAC selections from 2021-22. At the top is Fitzgerald (Dix Hills, NY), who earned All-SUNYAC Rookie of the Year and All SUNYAC First-Team honors. The 5-foot, 10-inch guard/forward, also became the program's first ever D3hoops Region III Rookie of the Year, along with bringing in Second-Team All-Region honors. Fitzgerald started 26 of 27 games last season and averaged 13.9 points with 5.6 rebounds to lead her team.  
"Personally, I do have high expectations for myself this season," Fitzgerald said. "I definitely feel like I've grown as a player just from last season and I definitely feel like I have a high ceiling, not just for this season but for the future."
 
Also named to the All-SUNYAC squad, were third team picks Maddie Gillis (Levittown, NY) and Serravillo (Altamont, NY). Gillis, capable of playing at either the guard or forward position, saw action in all 27 games, starting eight. She averaged 9.5 points per game, tied with Fitzgerald with 5.6 rebounds per game, dished out a team high 76 assists and was second in steals with 34. Her play in the SUNYAC championship earned her All-Tournament honors. Serravillo started in 21 of 27 games and averaged 6.5 points per game and dished out 56 assists.
 
"Obviously, our over-arching goal is always SUNYAC Championship, National Championship. That's what we're striving for," Serravillo said. "I think that's what helps us in non-conference play and SUNYAC play soon. Having everybody back I think gave everybody that motivation. We started off where we ended last year, so we can only build from there and I think everybody came in really excited and ready to go this season. I think we're all really excited for our first game, our first showcase and I think we've improved a lot of things since last year. Our transition game is a lot better and we're hitting a lot more cutters now and scoring inside so that's really exciting to see."
 
Beyond their three returning All-SUNYAC selections is a deep and experienced team, with a group of well accomplished seniors and juniors to step up at any given moment. Abby Korzekwinski (Shoreham, NY) is primed for a breakout season as she ended her first year strong for the Hawks. She played important parts of 25 games, starting five and averaged 4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
 
Senior guard Lexi Van Vorst (East Greenbush, NY) was second in scoring behind Fitzgerald. She saw action in 26 games, starting 23. She averaged nearly 10 points per game to go along with 55 rebounds, 38 assists and 38 steals. Senior forward Victoria Venus (Mineola, NY) saw action in 25 games, starting 11. Shooting a combined 44 percent from the field, she averaged four points per game along with 188 rebounds and 28 steals last season. She is primed for a breakout season with heavy minutes in the Hawks front court.
 
Also contributing will be senior guard Cassidy Deaver (Manalapan, NJ). Deaver started in 17 of 27 games while averaging about four points and four rebounds per game. One of the best defenders for SUNY New Paltz last season, Deaver will again have a large role in the rotation after averaging nearly 22 minutes per game. Junior guard Jenny Walton has had an impressive preseason in her second collegiate season. She showed flashes of her explosive shooting touch last year and is also looking good for a big jump in year two. The Glenwood Landing, NY native averaged about six points per game off the bench in 2021-22 while appearing in all 27 games.
 
Senior Gabby Paladino (Newburgh, NY) provides depth at the forward position and has been a solid contributor for each of her two years as a Hawk, and returning after a year's absence is senior guard Olivia Badura (Bluemont, VA). Badura played a vital part in the 2019-20 run to the NCAA Tournament, averaging 8.5 points per game as a freshman.
 
Guard/forward Madison Mullman (East Northport, NY) contributed about three points and four rebounds per game, while dishing out 56 assists and adding 35 steals in 18 games played, while junior guard Julia Sabatino (Bayville, NY) saw action in 26 games, starting two, and averaged about two points and two boards a contest, while adding 26 assists and 22 steals. Rounding out the junior class is forward Erin Cooney (Montgomery, NY) who transferred in from Adelphi University last season. Underclassmen Morgan Hammell (Pleasant Valley, NY), Stasia Epler (Cambridge, NY) and Anna Kitch (New York, NY) will provide depth for the Hawks as well.
 
"I definitely feel like the energy is completely different just from last year and today," Fitzgerald said. "I think we're a completely different, but better team than we were at the end of the season last year and I feel that type of energy just knowing my teammates better, them knowing me better and I feel like we play really well together."
 
SUNY New Paltz's first six games will test its readiness in making an NCAA Tournament run. All six non-conference games are against teams who had winning records in 2021-22, amassing a total of 104 wins. Three of those teams were NCAA DIII participants and the other three narrowly missed out on an NCAA selection by finishing second in their respective conference tournaments.
 
Following a tough non-league schedule, the Hawks enter conference play opening up against Catskill Cup rival SUNY Oneonta Nov. 29. Of the 18 games remaining, 17 are against SUNYAC foes. As usual, in addition to SUNY New Paltz, Cortland and Geneseo look to provide the greatest challenge for the Hawks in the conference, while Oneonta, Buffalo State and Fredonia also have the ability to play spoiler in the race to the championship.
 
"I think our depth is really key to this team," Serravillo added. "We have so many more players that can fit into our rotation and that just gives us so many more weapons and people we can go to in certain situations when you play different teams… it's just really exciting and hopefully a lot of people can step up this year and we can just get everybody involved."
 
SUNY New Paltz is set to begin its 2022-23 slate Tuesday on the road against the Knights at 6 p.m.

Season Preview Featuring Brianna Fitzgerald and Graci Serravillo


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