Hanover, NH — Competing in its first ECAC North Conference Championship, the State University of New York at New Paltz NCEA equestrian team made history Sunday by earning the program's first ever postseason title, defeating Dartmouth and Sacred Heart University to become the 2022 ECAC Single Discipline North Champions.

"I couldn't be more proud of this group of girls," said Hawks coach Helaina Ricciardi who was named as the 2022 ECAC Single Discipline North Coach of the Year after guiding the program to its first ever ECAC North title. "They really stepped up to the occasion when it meant the most. We put in a lot of extra time and hard work this semester and it showed in the ring."
 
SUNY New Paltz finished day one of fences Saturday by defeating the Pioneers, 3-1, as Devyn Looney, Alanna Ryan and Seraphina Morreale all won their respective matchups. Later in the afternoon they faced the Big Green in fences and split, 2-2 with Brynley Smith and Morreale earning victories, as Smith scored an event-best 87 points.  
 
The championships continued Sunday morning, as the Hawks swept Sacred Heart in flat before once again splitting with Dartmouth. SUNY New Paltz handily defeated the Pioneers, 312.5-274 in flat and won the head-to-head, 7-1 while out-scoring them, 611.5-538.5. The Hawks out-scored the Big Green as well, 553.5-509 thanks to scores of 80-plus by Ryan and Smith in flat with Smith earning the highest marks in both flat and fences against Dartmouth.

Smith led the way for her team, being named the overall Most Outstanding Player for fences after scoring an 87. She was selected to the Fences All-Tournament team, was named as the individual meet Most Outstanding Player for fences against the Big Green following another 87 score and was the individual meet Most Outstanding Player for flat as well with an 82.
 
Looney was named as the Overall Most Outstanding Player for flat with an 84 and earned a spot on the Flat All-Tournament team, along with Ryan. Morreale was named to the Fences All-Tournament team and was awarded the Individual Meet Most Outstanding Player for fences against the Pioneers after her score of 82.

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