The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team has unfinished business to attend to as it opens the 2024 season, the 51st for the Hawks.
 
While finishing with a school record of 31-13 overall and a 16-2 SUNYAC mark, resulting in the program's first ever top seed in the SUNYAC tournament along with a final No. 3 ranking in the NCAA DIII Region III poll, SUNY New Paltz enters 2024 with one last program first to accomplish, capturing a coveted SUNYAC Championship title and clinching its first trip to the national tournament.
 
Sixth year coach Krysti Maronski (SUNYAC Coaching Staff of the Year) returns 12 players from the record setting 2023 squad, including all three NFCA Region III picks, as well as five of six All-SUNYAC sections, headed by SUNYAC Player of the Year Jackie Rometo and SUNYAC Pitcher of the Year Lindsay Roman.
"I think this is definitely the best team that we've had," Roman said. "We have all the same girls coming back. We've only lost one or two girls and we have a bunch of new freshmen and transfers who add a lot of depth to the team, and just make us better."
 
"I think this year we bring a lot of depth to every position, and everybody brings energy and has a competitive mindset," Rometo added. "We did face a really hard loss here in our last game, but I think it really did motivate us for this season. I think everyone put in the work in the offseason, so we can hit the ground rolling once we came here this preseason and we're ready to go this season."
 
SUNY New Paltz, which was voted as the favorite in the SUNYAC preseason coach's poll, boasts the return of one of the top pitching staffs in SUNYAC, led by All-Region and SUNYAC Pitcher of the Year in Roman (Sr./Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun HS). Roman finished 18-2 a year ago with a 1.44 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, registering 110 strikeouts and four shutouts.
 
 
Roman is joined by fellow All-SUNYAC select Sydney Waldon (Jr./Maplewood, NJ/Columbia HS) who enjoyed her first trip to the second team all-conference last season in a breakout second season. Waldon was 10-2 in 2023 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.28 WHIP, while totaling 63 strikeouts and one shutout. New to the lineup is College of Staten Island transfer and former Section One All-Star Alyssa Zangrilli (So./Carmel, NY/Carmel HS). She made four appearances for the Dolphins last season in limited action, striking out four in 5.1 innings of work. She'll play a bigger role this season for the Hawks to round out a tough pitching rotation for Maronski's club.  
"I think our pitching staff is really strong," Roman said. "I think we have the strongest pitching staff in the conference. Everybody is different, everybody has different spins and movements and different best pitches, and I think it adds a lot to have Alyssa come in. It changes the eyes of the hitters on the other teams."
 
Behind the plate will be Emmie Mae Cabrera (So./Marlboro, NY/Marlboro HS) who had a breakout first year for the Hawks. She started 32 of 40 games, hit for .315, with 25 hits and 19 RBIs with 118 putouts. New to the collegiate game, but not to success is one of Long Island's top-rated catchers in first year Halle Sacharoff (Albertson, NY/Herricks HS). Senior Kelly Marmorowski (Floral Park, NY/Floral Park Memorial HS) will also see some action behind the plate, as well as first. Last season, Marmorowski was one of the team's top hitters as she started 37 of 41 games, batted .279 with 25 hits, 26 RBIs and 33 putouts.

The Hawks infield is experienced, featuring six players who saw significant time in the field last year. All-SUNYAC and All-Region and team co-captain Jillian Shelbourne (Sr./Patchogue, NY/Patchogue-Medford HS) leads the way. She started 43 of 44 games with a .396 batting average, with 53 hits, 25 RBIs and 235 putouts. Joining her are All-SUNYAC Second Team select Jaycee Filancia (So./East Fishkill, NY/John Jay-East Fishkill HS) who started 35 of 42 games as a freshman last season, hitting .298 with 31 hits, 16 RBIs and 34 assists.
 
Also back are seniors Rhionna Bianchini (Blue Point, NY/Bayport-Blue Point HS), Isabella Shepherd (East Meadow,NY/East Meadow HS). Bianchini started 41 of 44 games and had 31 hits, 14 RBIs and nine stolen bases. Shepherd saw action in 38 games, hitting .353 with 24 hits, 10 RBIs and 35 assists. Sophomores Kelsey O'Brien (Monroe, NY/Monroe-Woodbury HS) and Lauren Serrao (Rock Tavern, NY/Valley Central HS) saw quality time last year as freshman. O'Brien had 24 hits and 18 assists, while Serrao recorded 16 hits and 48 assists and was a staple at second base defensively. Joining the Hawks infield is College of St. Rose transfer Lauren Parete (Jr./Accord, NY/Roundout Valley HS) whose collegiate experience includes leading the Ganders to the Section 9, Class B title. Looking to make an impact are first year players, both former All-Suffolk County picks in Maddie Anderson (Sayville, NY/Sayville HS) and Ella Sharrock (Selden, NY/Newfield HS). Filling the utility position is first year Danielle Steinmann (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst HS) a former Newsday LI Top 100 Softball selection.
SUNYAC's 2023 Player of the Year and NFCA All Region pick Rometo (Jr./Montgomery, NY/Valley Central HS) will anchor a young outfield for SUNY New Paltz. Last season Rometo started all 44 games, and led the Hawks in batting (.461), hits (64), runs (45), RBIs (38), steals (20) as well as doubles and triples.

"I think I've definitely taken on more of a leadership role out there," Rometo said. "Since we've come back with most of the season girls, we've definitely been able to build off of that. We also have a lot of new girls who bring a lot of depth and skill to the team, and this preseason has been long, but we're ready to play."
 
Returning to the outfield is Nicole Greco (Jr./Southington, CT/Southington HS) with O'Brien also seeing time in the outfield as well. Three newcomers will vie for some time out in the field as well with the most experienced in Onondaga CC transfer Sophia D'Arcangelis (Jr./Liverpool, NY/Liverpool HS), a former high school All-NYS pick and junior college All-Region selection. Vying for playing time will be two quality first years in Michaela Bridgwood (Levittown, NY/Division Avenue HS) and Kate Hope (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley HS). Both earned numerous high school softball honors in their respective regions.

SUNY New Paltz open its 2024 season with a challenging 17 road games before they see the green of Mary Gray Deane Field.
 
Beginning the year in North Carolina at the Grand Slam Triangle Classic (March 8-10), the Hawks will compete against William Peace and Randolph College before playing a doubleheader against Salem College.  
The following weekend, March 16-17, they will compete in the Margie Knight Tournament in Salisbury, MD, meeting Manhattanville College, Muhlenberg College, NYU and host Salisbury University. Five away doubleheaders follow against Rutgers-Camden University, Widener University, Farmingdale State, Skidmore College and Mt. St. Mary College.
 
The Hawks home opener April 5 is also their SUNYAC opener, hosting SUNY
Cortland in a doubleheader. SUNY New Paltz concludes the 2024 regular season at home April 26 and April 27, hosting Buffalo State University and SUNY Fredonia respectively. The SUNYAC tournament begins May 9 at the home field of the No.1 tournament seed.

The Hawks earned a spot in the SUNYAC final last season, setting up a meeting with defending champion SUNY Geneseo. In a tough game, SUNY New Paltz couldn't get past the Knights and fell short of its ultimate goal. With last year's ending lingering, the majority of that roster returning, the 2024 Hawks' mentality of one game at a time has them set to play their best softball in May and hopefully achieve history once more.

"It would mean a lot," Roman added. "Me and the rest of the seniors have really grown with this program over the last four years. We've come so far since I was a freshman. We just have so much energy and we're all really competitive and I think coming off of last season we're all just hungry and ready to win and host SUNYAC's again."

Season Preview Featuring Lindsay Roman & Jackie Rometo



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