It was a new beginning entering 2023 for the State University of New York at New Paltz men's lacrosse team. With a new coach, new playing philosophy and with just their second full season ahead of them the Hawks took teams by surprise as they came out with an 8-7 record while etching their spot in the SUNYAC Tournament for the first time ever.

SUNY New Paltz won't catch any team by surprise in 2024. As it's fully aware of the mark it left on the conference with the way it played last season.  

"I think that was a big thing for us last year is that we caught a lot of teams by surprise," said Hawks senior captain Zach Schmidt. "We were a young team, new team with a new coach so a lot of teams didn't take us too seriously. It's not going to happen again this year unfortunately, so we have to take steps in the right direction every day to get better and be more prepared for each team."

After three years of languishing at the bottom of SUNYAC men's lacrosse, coach Dylan Neisler's inaugural season was a record setting one, modest to be sure, but nonetheless one which gained SUNY New Paltz, in only its fourth year of existence, respectability. The Hawks finished 2023 with their first ever winning season, their first ever winning SUNYAC season at 4-3 — after their previous campaigns stood at 1-12 — the first ever SUNYAC tournament appearance, and the first ever All-SUNYAC selections in Matt Brignati and Ryan Steinhart to go along with game, season and individual records too numerous to mention.

"Last year we were ranked eighth and this year we were ranked fourth. We beat a lot of teams and I know they were upset that we beat them," said SUNY New Paltz junior captain Anthony Senecal of his team being voted finishing fourth in the conference in the SUNYAC Coaches Preseason Poll. "We know we have a target on our back. We just have to work that much harder to make sure we have that target, and we stay on top. Teams aren't going to take us as a joke this year. They're going to take us seriously and we're looking forward in working hard and beating them again."
 

In the program's fifth year, the Hawks enter their second season under Neisler who took over late last fall. Along with having a full fall preseason, the team also returns 20 of 28 players from last year, including all 10 of its top scorers.

However, the message is not to rest on last year's laurels, but instead continue progressing the program forward and clinch their first home postseason contest.
"Last season we finally made it to our first SUNYAC playoff, but we're not content of just making it. We want to host it," Senecal said. "We just don't want to make it to the first round and lose. We want to host and hopefully go to the championship."

It is an experienced group of attackmen that return for the Hawks. Senior John Reese (Sr./Nesconset, NY/Smithtown East HS) led the team in points last season after registering 34 goals and 14 assists. Ryan Scully (Gr./Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore HS) returns for his fifth year after totaling 27 goals and eight assists last season, while captain and fellow fifth-year senior Thomas Armetta (Gr./West Islip, NY/West Islip HS) regains his spot at attack after finishing last season with 26 goals and 18 assists.
 
Aiden Jones (Gr./Averill Park, NY/Averill Park HS) will see some time on the middie line, as he recorded 24 goals and 11 assists last year, while James Flanagan (Jr./New City, NY/Clarkstown North HS) looks primed to have a breakout season in his third year after totaling six goals and 15 assists in 2023. Deacon Hill (Gr./Elbridge, NY/Jordan Elbridge HS) will be featured on SUNY New Paltz offensive-midfield line, as he hopes to build upon last year as he finished with eight goals and one assist — but no goal bigger than a last-second buzzer beater on the road at Oneonta to keep his team's playoff hopes alive. Entering their first collegiate season will be Nate Urban (Massapequa Park, NY/Massapequa HS) who transferred midyear from SUNY Cortland. He will see time at either attack or on the team's midfield rotation.
 
The midfield has an experienced group. On the offensive side, the Hawks return Senecal (Jr./Patchogue, NY/Patchogue Medford HS) and Ethan Scully Scully (Jr./Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore HS) who had their best seasons last year in their second stint with the program Senecal scored 21 goals and added eight assists, while Scully totaled 11 goals and 17 assists, and was named a SUNYAC All-Tournament team selection last season. Colin Cleary (So./Centereach, NY/Centereach HS) returns for his second season after registering six goals and one assist last season.
 
"This is our first really full year we have with Neisler," Senecal said. "He came in late last year, so it was a nice transition from going from last year, ending in the spring to having a fall season and then being able to pick up right where we left off coming into the spring season and to have that continuation throughout the whole thing and not having aa completely different coach, completely different offense, completely different defense, it was nice having a complete transition."

On the defensive midfield side, arguably their biggest incumbent is Schmidt who played his best lacrosse last season and provided needed leadership both on and off the field. The team added senior Elias Elcock (Sr./Macungie, PA/Emmaus HS) to the mix after he spent last year abroad. He had six goals in 2022. Also returning in 2024 will be Ryan Kaelin (Sr./Shoreham, NY/Longwood HS) and Brandon Ortiz (So./Massapequa, NY/Massapequa HS) with freshman Luke Walters (Fr./Staten Island, NY/Susan E. Wagner HS) also going to be in the mix.  
Playing at long stick midfield/defense Owen Cracker (So./Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst HS) returns and he will be joined by first year players Aidan Harrington (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls HS) and Christian O'Connor (Medford, NY/Patchogue Medford HS), along with second-year player Kevin Rivera (Jr./Putnam Valley, NY/Putnam Valley HS).
 
The Hawks defense will be anchored by two seasoned players, captain Zachary Leung (Sr./Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale HS), who started all 15 games a year ago and Rafael Fillyaw (Sr./Norwalk, CT/Norwalk HS), who started all 12 of the games he played in in 2023. New to the SUNY New Paltz defense but not to collegiate lacrosse is Danny McLoughlin Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale HS), a junior transfer from Mercy College.

However, the Hawks' backbone defensive is their starting goalie in Steinhart (Sr./Hauppague, NY/Hauppauge High School), who proved to be as one of the best in the conference last season. The 2023 All-SUNYAC selection started all 15 games for the Hawks, making 215 saves with a .596 save percentage. Backing up Steinhart will be first year Dan Clark (West Hempstead, NY/West Hempstead HS). Among the top five goalies in Nassau County in 2023, Clark's three-year career totals include 474 saves with a .570 save percentage.

"Steiny has been our backbone for years now," Schmidt said. "He's an absolute stud and we love to have him in there. He makes us feel really comfortable on defense. This year is all about getting these new guys integrated. We have a lot of new faces and a lot of freshmen coming in and I'm really excited to see what they can do. They're excited coming in, ready to work every day, ready to learn, which is something really cool to see. So, I'm excited to see the steps we take in the right direction hopefully."

Brignati (East Northport, NY/John H.Glenn HS), an All SUNYAC pick last season, returns at FOGO. Also at FOGO is Quinn Tucker (So./Massapequa, NY/Massapequa HS) who also saw action in 2023. Tucker played well in the team's fall ball scrimmage and showed promise in their scrimmage against Sage earlier in the preseason.

"I've seen flashes of really great stuff out here," Schmidt said. "Guys who want to be out here, guys who want to compete and do the best that they can, so hopefully we can stay healthy and keep moving forward."

The Hawks open their 15-game season on the road at SUNY Maritime on February 21, then return for their home opener against Farmingdale State on February 28. After facing six non-conferences foes, the Hawks open their seven game SUNYAC account on March 23, away at SUNY Plattsburgh. May 1 is the start of the SUNYAC Tournament, and the Hawks hope to make their second ever appearance then.

Preview Featuring Anthony Senecal & Zach Schmidt


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