After making the postseason for just the second time in program history, expectations for improvement are high in coach Randy Vite's second year at the helm of the State University of New York at New Paltz women's lacrosse program.
 
Vite returned a strong core group of 11 veterans, led by the program's first, First-Team All-SUNYAC selection in junior midfielder Kaitlyn Shaw and two-time All-SUNYAC selection, senior midfielder Maddie Gillis. Adding to the mix are two junior transfers and 11 talented, but untested first-year players.
 
"For our team, we really set the bar high for ourselves after our playoff run last year," Shaw said. "We want to go far in SUNYAC's, and we want to show other teams that we're here, we're competitive and we can make it far and play with them."
 
Last season, the Hawks finished with a 6-10 overall record and a 4-5 SUNYAC mark. Seven of the Hawks losses came against teams that qualified for either their conference postseason tournament and/or the NCAA DIII tournament.
 
Statistically in 2022 SUNY New Paltz scored an average of 10.4 goals per game, while allowing 11.3 goals against and averaged 25.4 shots per game, allowing 25.7 shots against. The Hawks totaled seven caused turnovers per game against 8.3 by their opponents. However, SUNY New Paltz looks to better those numbers with their new additions on the defensive end, running a different system under Vite in year two.
 
 
"We've been running a new defense, and along with our new additions to our team, we're a lot more athletic on that side of the ball and it's really paying off. We're getting a lot more knocked downs and caused turnovers, and just being more consistent playing our attackers," said senior defender and captain Alex Coyle. "Our new additions have really helped us on the field. On both sides of the ball, they come into work every single day and they bring a new set of eyes and mind to the field."
 
The graduation of Second-Team All-SUNYAC attacker Katie Zito (40 goals in 2022) and fellow attacker Maddy Carullo (31 goals scored in 2022) leaves a hole up front for the Hawks.  Sophomore attacker Alyssa Indelicato (Selden, NY) started all 16 games last season and finished her first season with 18 goals and 18 assists, and a year of valuable collegiate experience. Vying for playing minutes will be two transfer students, Emily Monroe (Syracuse, NY) and Lu Clark (Salt Point, NY). Four first year players will also look to contribute, including Ava Cronin (New Paltz, NY), a Section 9 selection and a two-time Poughkeepsie Journal All Star and All-Conference selection Julia Longo (Yaphank, NY), along with fellow freshmen Lauren Rigo (East Islip, NY) and Nicole Matthews (Setauket, NY).  
Midfield was where the bulk of SUNY New Paltz scoring came from in 2022 and the return of Shaw (Rye Brook, NY), who set a single-season program record of 50 goals in 2022, along with senior captains Gillis (Levittown, NY) (17 goals/20 assists) and Shannon Brosnan (Valhalla, NY) (18 goals/18 assists) is encouraging. Senior Camryn Ryder saw quality time in all 16 games last season, scoring eight goals.
 
Along with returning their starting midfield line, the Hawks added depth with the addition of junior Morgan Woolley (Blue Point, NY) and freshmen Mia Baldinger (Massapequa, NY), a member of Chiefs' 2021 Long Island Class A champions, and sisters Lexi and Morgan Atwater (Rochester, NY). The Brighton High School products were both All-Greater Rochester selections in their senior year.