Syracuse, NY — The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) announced the field hockey coaches preseason poll Wednesday with SUNY New Paltz taking the top spot as the No. 1 ranked team heading into the regular season.
After winning their second SUNYAC title in the last three years, the Hawks are coming into the 2022 season at the top of the rankings with eyes set on a back-to-back title run.
SUNY New Paltz had a historic 2021 season where it set a program record in wins, while going undefeated in SUNYAC play for the first time in program history. In the regular season, the Hawks flexed its prowess, winning 14 of 16 before hitting the postseason. They had strong wins against Geneseo and Cortland with the former tying SUNY New Paltz atop the preseason poll entering last season. In the SUNYAC Tournament last fall, the top seeded Hawks were matched up against SUNY Oneonta in the SUNYAC semifinals and went on to win 2-0 before setting up a re-match against the rival Cortland Red Dragons in the conference championship. They defeated the Red Dragons, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal by tournament MVP Hannah Ackerman. The team then made a second round trip to the NCAA Tournament before falling to Tufts University.
SUNY New Paltz ran through the SUNYAC in 2021, going 6-0 in conference play while on its way to an exceptional 17-3 record, making its top ranking no surprise. Placing behind the Hawks in the 2022 coaches poll was Cortland, who finished the 2021 season with a record of 16-3.
SUNY New Paltz has finished in the top three in the conference in each of the last six years, with last season being the first since 2018 where the Hawks won the SUNYAC Championship. SUNY New Paltz opens up its SUNYAC schedule Sept. 24 at Oswego State.
To read the full SUNYAC field hockey coaches preseason poll release, click here.
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