New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team announced its incoming class for the 2022 season Wednesday.
 
The Hawks are coming off their winningest season in program history, collecting 27 wins while earning their first ever semifinal appearance in the SUNYAC Tournament. The team is primed to build off their 2022 run and with the addition of their incoming class will bolster their depth and chances at the program's first ever conference title entering next season.
 
"We are very excited about our incoming class of 2026," said SUNY New Paltz coach Krysti Maronski. "This group brings a mix of talent, championship experience and the desire to compete at the collegiate level. They all are strong academically and come from great families. They will add a lot of depth to our program."
 
Read more about each incoming Hawks recruit below:

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Emmie Mae Cabrera '26
Marlboro High School
Marlboro, NY
Catcher/Third Base
 
Cabrera, hailing from Marlboro, NY, played for the Empire State Huskies, along with starring on Marlboro High School's varsity softball program where she helped the Dukes to two section championships. She was named as a Poughkeepsie Journal All-Star in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022 and started on Marlboro's Section IX, Class B Championship teams in 2021 and 2022.

Cabrera aided the Dukes to a Class B Regional Championship in 2022 and a spot in the NYSPHSAA Class B State semifinals this past spring. Additionally, she was named as a three-time All-MHAL selection and is in the NYSPSAA record books for highest batting average in a single season, which she set back as a junior in 2021.
 
"Emmie Mae is a catcher that can also play a solid third base," Maronski said. "She does a nice job behind the plate and has a great packaged swing that will be an impact in the lineup for years to come. Mae Mae comes to us from another strong high school program that just won the Class B Section IX and regional titles making it to the semifinal and state tournament."

 
Catie Driscoll '26
Arlington High School
Poughkeepsie, NY
Catcher
 
Starring locally at Arlington High School's varsity softball program, Driscoll also played travel ball for the Empire State Huskies, and like Cabrera, will provide depth for the Hawks behind the plate. The Poughkeepsie, NY native played four seasons for the Admirals varsity softball program.
 
"Catie is another local player that comes from a strong high school program that has had a lot of success," Maronski said. "She is a very sound defensive catcher with a great arm that will provide us with some depth behind the plate. I expect her to do a very good job of getting to know the pitchers and working well together."



Morgan Lanberg '26
East Islip High School
East Islip, NY
Outfield
 
Lanberg will join an already talented outfielder core for SUNY New Paltz. The East Islip, NY native played high school ball for East Islip for four season and starred for the Long Island Express travel program in addition to being a Scholar Athlete.

Lanberg was an Easton/NFCA Academic All-America selection, along with earning a spot on the Science Honor Society while serving as club president, was on the Foreign Language Honor Society and on her school's Honor Roll list. 
 
"Morgan comes to us from East Islip High School on Long Island and a strong tavel ball program in the LI Express," Maronski said. "She is an outfielder who hits from the left side and can provide us with another strong look from that side of the plate. She has a lot of speed and will be able to utilize it to beat out some balls for base hits, while also hitting for some power. Defensively, she is a sound outfielder who reads the ball well and has a strong arm."


Kelsey O'Brien '26
Monroe-Woodbury High School
Monroe, NY
Infield
 
O'Brien, from Monroe, NY, played travel ball for the Ulster Fillies and was a three-sport athlete in high school, starring for Monroe-Woodbury High School's varsity swimming, basketball and softball programs. She was a Class AA All-State softball selection, along with being named as the Monroe-Woodbury Most Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year after helping the Crusaders softball program to a Class AA title. Last season, Monroe-Woodbury went undefeated at 26-0 en route to that state title with O'Brien starting primarily at third base. The team was ranked first in the state and finished seventh best in the final postseason poll by USA Today/NFCA.
 
O'Brien also was named to the All-Section softball team twice and earned First-Team Varsity 845 honors this past spring. She was awarded the Offensive Slugger Award twice, made the "9 Who Shine" list for Section IX and was voted varsity 845 Player of the Week. She ranked eighth in New York for home runs and was fourth in the state in RBI. Her career stats at Monroe-Woodbury High School include a .532 batting average, .542 on base percentage with 84 hits, 65 runs, 79 RBI, 20 doubles, six triples and eight home runs. 
 
"Kelsey is a dynamic player with a very strong offensive presence," Maronski said. "She can hit for both average and power and brings in some more speed on the bases for us. She comes from a very strong high school program that just won the Class AA title this year that ranked No. 1 in New York State."
 
O'Brien was a National Honor Society member and ultimately participated in 12 varsity seasons. She excelled in the pool as well, being named Rookie of the Year in 2016 and garnering MVP honors three times. She was a two-time state qualifying swimmer (2018 and 2021) and was a state finalist in 2021. She was the Section IX 100-yard breaststroke champion and held her school's record for the same event. She also helped Monroe-Woodbury to two Section IX Championship titles in 2018 and 2020.
 
She comes from an athletic lineage, as her sister stars on the Division I Manhattan Jaspers varsity swimming team. Her father, James, played four years of college basketball at Dominican, while her mom, Christine, was a three-sport athlete at Dominican, playing four years on the Chargers basketball team, two years with the volleyball program and a season with the softball program.

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