New Paltz, NY — It's a new season for the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team, but the goals head coach Shanna Szablinski has for her team remains the same — be fit, be prepared, be focused, be your best. A mantra that worked for Szablinski as a collegiate All-America and a trait she carried on through her 13 seasons at the helm of the Hawks.
 
The 2021 season provided a vivid example of those qualities. After a year's absence because of COVID-19, SUNY New Paltz returned to the turf ready to run and so they did. The Hawks fielded an experience roster a year ago with the then senior class searching for another title after earning a coveted SUNYAC Championship in 2018. They proceeded to rattle off a mark of 17-3 overall — the best in program history. Their undefeated 6-0 record in conference was also a first, while their 10 shutouts set another mark. Capturing their sixth SUNYAC title and sixth trip into the NCAA Tournament landed the team a No. 1 NFHCA regional ranking, along with a final No. 14 ranking in the national poll.
 
 
However, the Hawks are anew entering 2022 after graduating eight players including All-American Jessica Ascencao. Despite the turnover, SUNY New Paltz reloaded, and the team is still among the best in Division III, just needing to prove it once again on the field.
 
"After losing a lot of starters from last season, we've got a big freshmen class coming in and we have a bunch of sophomores, so we are a very young team, but they're stepping in and area really intense in practice," said senior back Julia Cummings. "They're learning a lot, asking a lot of questions and they bring high intensity. They're matching the intensity that was left from us from the seniors so we're really excited to see what they bring."  
The 2022 Hawks return a core of seasoned players, now experienced by playing at a championship level. The graduation of Ascencao is a loss that cannot be overlooked, yet as past seasons have shown, allows for other players to step up and provide the leadership necessary to maintain their high caliber of play. Last season's recruitment class of six newcomers now have a year of collegiate experience under their belt and will be looked upon to provide depth needed for another run at a conference title.
 
"I think our sophomore class has done a magnificent job of stepping up into bigger leadership roles season," said graduate student midfielder Shannon Bernhardt. "You can tell they're a bit more confident because they have some more knowledge and experience under their belts and they're doing a fantastic job directing the freshmen, making sure that this younger class has a good group of role models to look up to."
 
The Hawks offense returns the top three scorers from a year ago: junior Hannah Ackerman (Nesconset, NY), whose 12 goals — five of which were game-winners — and five assists earned her First-Team All-SUNYAC honors; junior Morgan Woolley (Blue Point, NY) who followed with 11 goals and three assists; senior Natasia Plunkett, a Second-Team All-SUNYAC selection, who finished with 10 goals and three assists and sophomore Amanda Quenneville (Centerport, NY) who netted four goals and one assist in her first season. Bernhardt (Massapequa, NY) returns to start in the midfield for the fourth consecutive season ended 2021 with three goals and four assists, while Cummings (Mohegan Lake, NY) returns as an incumbent in the back where she played effectively on both sides of the turn, leading a defensive unit that allowed just 1.75 goals-per-game, while chipping in with seven goals and eight assists.
 
"As a senior and now leader, I've taken my four years and used a lot of the confidence that I've built up throughout the years to project it onto the team," Cummings said. "I've tried to direct them and be very urgent and intense and they've been applying that same urgency right back to me, so I think it's just really important that we keep up the intensity and as leaders we direct them and teach them as best as we can."
 
Supplementing the returners is another top recruiting class for Szablinski. Looking to fill the slots left by graduated goalies Ryan Dowling and Mackenzie Mortimer are Davin Testo (Watervliet, NY) and Gail Comiskey (Patchogue, NY). Other newcomers include backs Madeline Meyer (Halfmoon, NY) and Madelyn Graves (Penfield, NY). Rachel Tama (Hopewell Junction, NY), Angelina Regels (Scotia, NY), Miranda Britton (Sayville, NY), Ayden Fleming (St. James, NY) and Meghan Gunnings (Port Jefferson Station, NY) bring scholastic championship experience to provide promise for the future.
"So far this preseason has gone really great. There's just a type of energy in the air that is the same type of energy we had when we have won championships in the past," said Bernhardt who won titles with the Hawks in 2018 and 2021. "We obviously have a really big incoming class of freshmen and have a lot of young people on the team, but they're all so willing to ask questions and willing to learn that they are absorbing so much new knowledge and field hockey information like sponges and they're doing so great. At this point in preseason, we're getting toward the end, and it feels like we've been playing together for a month rather than the six days that we've actually spent together. I think this preseason is just foreshadowing the successful season that we're going to have moving forward."
 
Similar to when Bernhardt came in as a freshman in 2018, the Hawks will see a bevy of first-year players along the starting lineup and will immediately compete for heavy minutes. Along with ample talent, SUNY New Paltz that season also had key veteran leadership to help navigate a long and daunting schedule and ultimately, they brought home a SUNYAC Championship. The 2022 team is looking to replicate the same formula and help the program to their second-straight conference championship and seventh ever.
 
"As a fifth year, I have really high expectations for this season," Bernhardt said. "I feel like I have a lot of experience under my belt and I'm trying to direct the younger people as best as I possibly can. I have seen a lot of similarities between this freshmen class and the freshmen class that I came in with. My freshmen year we did win SUNYACs and I can tell this group has similar chemistry, similar enthusiasm, motivation, determination and that's going to carry us a long way this season."
 
SUNY New Paltz opens its season in usual fashion with six consecutive games against top competitors from the Empire 8, Liberty League and NJAC beginning Sept. 8 at home against Ramapo College. The Hawks then start their march through the SUNYAC at home against Oswego State Sept. 24.
 
SUNY New Paltz is set to face the Roadrunners Thursday at 4 p.m. on North Turf Field.  

Season Preview Featuring Julia Cummings and Shannon Bernhardt


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