After dispatching both Oswego and Cortland a week ago, the State University of New York at New Paltz will conclude its 2022-23 home season by facing two more challenging SUNYAC foes in the Knights of Geneseo and the Golden Eagles of Brockport. The Hawks last met these two teams on their home courts on January 13-14, downing Brockport 69-54 and Geneseo, 64-46.
 
The final home regular season home weekend weighs heavier for SUNY New Paltz, currently top in the conference standings as the lone undefeated in the league, with wins virtually guaranteeing the program the top seed in the SUNYAC Tournament for the third time in four seasons. On top of playoff implications, the Hawks will honor their deep 2023 senior class, which helped guide the program through a lost season in 2020, along with leading the team to two conference championships over the course of their four years.
 
"It's kind of surreal that it's senior night and it will be nice to stay undefeated in the SUNYAC and we've come so far as a class, so it's a great experience," said Hawks senior Gabby Palladino. "I feel like we've had a different set of challenges than other teams in the past has gone through, especially with COVID. We've risen as leaders throughout our four years, speaking for myself I've grown as a person and a player in the last three, four years so it's really special for it finally coming to a head on senior night."
 
Friday night's game can also bring history for long-time head coach Jamie Seward, who is on win 299 for his career. A victory over the Knights Friday night in the Hawk Center would put him in elite company, becoming just the second coach in SUNYAC Women's Basketball history to reach the mark, joining former Cortland head coach Jeannette Mosher (1998-99, 2008-17). Throughout the past 16 seasons, Seward already is the winningest coach among active coaches in the SUNYAC with six conference titles (also most among active coaches) and 108 away from Mosher's all-time record.
 
"It's really special to be a part of coach's 300th win," Palladino said. "It's exciting to be able to celebrate with him and with this class, especially because we've gone through so much as a class. It's nice to be in the history books from here on out."
 
 
Perennial rival Geneseo enters the Hawk Center in third place in the SUNYAC standings, with a 16-5 overall record and an 11-3 SUNYAC mark. Last weekend, the Knights defeated Plattsburgh 72-48 and Potsdam 67-43 to extend their win streak to seven games. For the season, Geneseo is averaging 62.3 points per game while limiting opponents to a miserly 49 points against and are out rebounding foes 42.1-31.7 per game and are averaging 8.4 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while scoring an average of 14.3 points per game off of opponents' turnovers.
 
Leading the way for the Knights is three-time SUNYAC Player of the Week Lauren Romito (6'3, Hauppaugue, NY). The senior forward had a combined 31 points and 26 rebounds last weekend and is averaging 13.8 points per game on .572 shooting. Pulling down an average of 10.5 rebounds a contest, she also has 36 blocks to her credit. In the January matchup with the Hawks, SUNY New Paltz kept the big in check as she scored a season-low in both points (6) and rebounds (4).  
"The scout going into this weekend is mostly to work on our post-defense," Palladino said. "We've been doing a lot of step-back, step-arounds, getting into the post and defending it well. Because of Lauren Romito, they're a big team so we have to do really well guarding it and getting it out of the post."
 
Kerry Dennin (5'11, Northport, NY) follows Romito offensively on the season. Against the Cardinals and Bears she combined to score 34 points with 19 rebounds. On the year, Dennin is averaging a near double-double with 10 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Against SUNY New Paltz earlier in the year, she netted six points and grabbed six boards. Hannah Stockman (5'10, Northport, NY), an All-SUNYAC Second-Team selection last season, is averaging 9.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game with 26 steals on the year, while junior guard Kiley Snow (6'0, Whitesboro NY) follows with 8.8 points and four rebounds per game with 27 assists and 20 steals. Sophomore guard Mackenzie Reigle (5'7, Batavia, NY), a reigning third-team All-SUNYAC selection, is totaling six points and nearly three boards per contest with 53 assists and 23 steals. She registered 13 points over SUNY New Paltz in January. Last season's SUNYAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, senior guard Taylor Hansen (5'8, Norwich, NY) paces the Knights in assist with 65 and averages just four points per game this year but put up a season-high in both points (14) and rebounds (7) on 6-for-10 shooting against the Hawks in the first matchup.

Saturday afternoon the Golden Eagles of SUNY Brockport enter the Hawk Center sporting an overall record of 10-11 and stand fifth in SUNYAC with a 7-7 mark.
 
Brockport split last weekend's home stand, losing to Potsdam 54-66, while defeating Plattsburgh 67-54 Saturday afternoon.
 
On the season, the Golden Eagles are averaging 59.7 points peer game, while allowing 62.9 points against and are out rebounding opponents 43.0-42.1 on the year. They are averaging 7.8 steals and 4.9 blocks and average 13.2 points off opponents' turnovers.
 
Leading Brockport offensively has been senior guard Anna Felice (5'6, Owego, NY), averaging nearly 11 points and three rebounds a contest with 37 assists. Junior forward Zairea Hannah (6'1, Rochester, NY) follows with 10.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game with freshman guard Stephanie Jean-Baptise (5'8, Jersey City, NJ) rounding out the Golden Eagles top scorers, registering 10.5 points and nearly three rebounds per game. She led Brockport with a team-high 11 points against SUNY New Paltz in their first meeting.
 
SUNY New Paltz, meanwhile, are coming off two statement wins over Oswego (71-43) and Cortland (64-46) last weekend, extending its winning streak to 15 games. With an overall record of 18-3 and a SUNYAC mark of 14-0, they currently stand atop the SUNYAC standings.
 
Balanced scoring and hardnosed defense have been the Hawks mantra this season. Averaging 66 points per game, SUNY New Paltz has limited opponents to 47.5 points against, and have rebounded foes 40.4-33.0 a contest, while averaging 10.8 steals and 2.5 blocks per game and totaled nearly 22 points off turnovers.
 
Junior guard/forward Brianna Fitzgerald (5'11, Dix Hills, NY) had a career weekend against Oswego and Cortland, hitting for 20 points against the Lakers in just 15 minutes of action and a career high 31 points against the Red Dragons, joining just six others in program history who have eclipsed the 30-point mark. Named for the second time this season as the SUNYAC Athlete of the Week, the 2022 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year and First-Team All-SUNYAC selection, is averaging 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.2 steals per game. In the first meeting with Geneseo, she scored 24 points with eight rebounds.