New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz released its women's volleyball 2022 schedule Tuesday.
 
After a year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hawks had a young group step into the starting rotation in 2021 and showed promise as the season wore on, making a run into the SUNYAC Tournament semifinal round. The team is poised to build off last season, where more than half of the roster earned their first year of collegiate competition.
 
SUNY New Paltz begins 2022 against Kean University Sept. 2. Again, taking the trip down to Union, NJ to face the Cougars who defeated the Hawks in four sets last season. They will play on Kean's home court the following day to face Johnson and Wales and Dickinson. SUNY New Paltz last faced the Wildcats, who won the GNAC last season, in 2018 as they had eliminated the Hawks in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 
 
The team will then return home to play five straight matches in the Hawk Center. SUNY New Paltz hosts Western Connecticut State for its home opener Sept. 7, before playing Russell Sage, Mount Saint Mary College and Alfred University in their annual Hawks Invitational. The Hawks open up SUNYAC competition in the Hawk Center, facing SUNY Oneonta Sept. 14 for a 5 p.m. match. They defeated the Red Dragons in straight sets last season.
 
After taking on Wheaton College and hosting Smith College in a tri-match Sept. 17, SUNY New Paltz resumes conference action against The College at Brockport which they beat in four sets in the Hawk Center last season. The Hawks will travel to western New York this time around and will face Geneseo the following afternoon after their match against Brockport. In 2021, SUNY New Paltz lost just three times in regular season conference play, one of which came against the Knights who earned a four-set victory in the Hawk Center.
 
The Hawks will have another SUNYAC road weekend Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 against SUNY Potsdam and Plattsburgh, respectively, before coming home for their second home invitational of the season. In their mid-year invite, they will host Misericordia, Drew, Suffolk and Manhattanville Oct. 7 and Oct. 8.
 
The team will then follow up with two straight home SUNYAC weekends, facing Fredonia and Buffalo State Oct. 14 and 15, and then Oswego and Cortland, Oct. 21 and 22, respectively. SUNY New Paltz lost to both Fredonia and Cortland during the regular season in 2021 but avenged its loss against the Blue Devils on the road in the SUNYAC Quarterfinals later in the postseason. The Hawks never could figure out a talented Cortland Red Dragons team, which swept them in the semifinal round and would eventually hoist the SUNYAC Championship before making a run into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
SUNY New Paltz will then close out its regular season on the road against Vassar College at 11 a.m. The SUNYAC Tournament is set to begin Nov. 1 for the quarterfinal round with the semifinals and championship matches being played Nov. 4 and 5, respectively. 
 
To view the Hawks' full women's volleyball schedule, click here.
 
***************
To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.