The State University of New York at New Paltz mourns the loss of former Hawks head basketball coach Joe Kremer (1968-2022).
 
Kremer was appointed the leader of the SUNY New Paltz men's basketball program ahead of the 1996-97 season and led the Hawks to a SUNYAC quarterfinal appearance in 1998 and the following season led the program to their best season ever, as they finished 18-11 overall and 11-9 in the SUNYAC during the 1998-99 campaign. The 18 wins was the most ever with the 11 conference victories is tied for the most with this season's Hawks team who posted the same mark to finish 2022.
 
During the 1998-99 season, Kremer led SUNY New Paltz to a SUNYAC semifinals appearance after beating SUNY Potsdam in the quarterfinal round, 78-62. The Hawks then earned a spot in the ECAC DIII Upstate Championship where they hosted in Elting Gym and made a run to defeat Union, 99-93, St. Lawrence, 92-80 and Alfred, 96-81 to earn the ECAC Championship — the first ever postseason title program history.
 
Current Hawks head coach Keith Kenney scored 42 points in the championship game and became a two-time All-SUNYAC selection (1998, 1999) under Kremer who also coached another multiple All-SUNYAC honoree in Rob Jones (1999, 2000, 2001).
 
 
"Coach Kremer recruited me to New Paltz from a two-year school SUNY Cobleskill and initially, I turned it down and decided to attend the University of Central Florida," Kenney said. "He said, 'do me a favor and apply to New Paltz before you go, because when you realize you made the wrong decision, come back and play for New Paltz and it will be easier to transfer,' and he was right."
 
"Coach let me blossom into a great player and gave me freedom to play the game and always supported me," he continued. "I have been in New Paltz for 24 years now and now hold his former position and owe it to him recruiting me. He helped me through personal issues during my time as a student and I appreciated his patience with me, and I will be forever grateful. As a man, he was whip smart with a quick sense of humor who loved his kids and always made me laugh. I wish to send our deepest condolences from the New Paltz Athletics and Basketball family to his family. Coach Kremer coached the winningest single season in basketball history and is an important part of the Hawks Basketball history."
 
In 2018, Kremer was diagnosed with gioblastoma, which was an aggressive form of brain cancer that only 25 percent of people live past the diagnosis. Kremer lived with his diagnosis for three years.
 
Kremer was married to his wife Julie and had two children, Nate and Olivia.