New Paltz, NY — It was fall 1998 when a young Englishman was handed the reins of a mediocre State University of New York New Paltz women's tennis team. Six seasons later, coach Rob Bruley and his team reached the pinnacle of SUNYAC tennis, capturing their first SUNYAC women's tennis championship. In the ensuring 21 seasons, Bruley and the Hawks have never looked back, winning eight more SUNYAC championships, including five over the past six seasons, and never scoring less than the runner-up spot in the remaining 13 seasons.

The 2024 fall season sees Bruley and the Hawks face a reduced SUNYAC schedule, with longtime rivals Geneseo and Brockport opting to participate in the Empire 8 League. The two newest members of SUNYAC, Morrisville and Canton, do not field women's tennis teams, so the conference now boils down to New Paltz, Oneonta, Cortland, Oswego, Plattsburgh and Fredonia. Plattsburgh and Oneonta will be played Sept. 14 and Sept. 18, respectively, while the remaining three conference foes will meet over the weekend of Oct. 3-5 at the Binghamton Tennis Center. Since 2018, SUNY New Paltz has earned a 40-0 dual match record against all SUNYAC teams.

"Going into this year I'm really excited," said Hawks senior captain Isabel van der Veen. "Our depth is pretty insane. I think everyone, one through 11, can really hit with each other and we're a really competitive team, so I'm really excited to see what we can do with our depth this year."

The goals for the upcoming season remain the same: win all SUNYAC matches; play a challenging non-conference schedule; win the SUNYAC championship and advance in the NCAA DIII national tournament. The 2024 charge to attain these goals will be a bit more challenging as the Hawks have graduated four players who were a staple in the lineup throughout their careers, but in turn, the team returns four experienced players, which includes two-time reigning SUNYAC MVP Justine Stanejko.
 

Stanejko (Lakeland, NY/Solvay HS) enters her junior year campaign while already establishing herself as one of the best to go through a storied program. In her first two seasons, Stanejko has been a two-time SUNYAC Peter J. Cahill MVP, earned ALL SUNYAC First-Team honors twice in singles and doubles competition; has been half of two SUNYAC Doubles Team of the Year; and was named the 2023 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year. In the SUNYAC championship tournament, Stanejko has been tournament MVP twice and All-Tournament twice in both singles and doubles play. She is undefeated over two seasons against all SUNYAC opponents.
Another seasoned veteran of the courts is van der Veen (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna HS). Van der Veen is a two time All-SUNYAC First-Team Doubles pick and has earned All-SUNYAC First Team honors once for her singles play. She is a three-time SUNYAC All Tournament pick in doubles and twice named All Tournament in singles play. In SUNYAC dual match play, she is 12-0 in singles and 18-1 in doubles.
Senior Amirah Alston (New York, NY/Promise Academy) is a two time All SUNYAC Second Team selection in singles play and also an All SUNYAC Second Team in doubles. She was the SUNYAC champion in 2023-24 at fifth singles and earned a spot on the All-Tournament team. Her three-year SUNYAC dual match career includes an 11-3 singles mark and a 5-1 record in doubles play.

Rounding out the veteran players is junior Nina Genzone (Bellmore,NY/Sanford H.Calhoun HS). Genzone earned SUNYAC All-Tournament honors in doubles play with two victories in doubles play a season ago. She has a dual match 3-0 singles record and a 9-1 mark in doubles play against SUNYAC competition.

"I think we're all pretty ready to play that first match," van der Veen added. "We're all eager to start. I'm really excited to see what we can do… I think the goal is to get better every day and secure the No. 1 seed again. That's our biggest goal, because when you secure the No. 1 seed it kind of takes the pressure off the beginning of the spring season and just allows us to work and peak at SUNYACs in April."

Four sophomores complete the roster of returnees for the Hawks, all of whom saw some competitive action in their first year. Olivia Kunz (New York, NY/Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS of Music, Art, & Performing Arts) saw action in 10 matches, including three SUNYAC matches, going 3-0 in SUNYAC with a win in the No. 6 singles spot in the semifinals of the SUNYAC championship. Overall against challenging national DIII competition, she was 2-5 in singles play and 0-1 in doubles. Alyssa Trokie (Rye Brook, NY/Blind Brook HS) played in two matches, one singles, and one doubles. Laina Martinez (New City, NY/Clarkstown North HS) and Olivia Eisert (Islip, NY/Islip HS) each saw action in a single match. Their scholastic and club experience show that they have the abilities to fill in the gaps left by the Hawks four 2024 graduates.

Joining SUNY New Paltz this fall are three first year players. Olivia Grabowski (Woodhaven, NY/Archbishop Molloy HS) is a two-time NYS CHSAA All League selection. She was second singles champion in the Brooklyn/Queens CHSAA tournament and was selected to play in the 2024 USTA NYJTL Mayor Dinkins Cup. Sydney Sladicka (Marlboro, NY/Marlboro HS) has been a top scorer for the MHAL champion Dukes and was the 2023 MHAL first singles champion and earned spot in the 2022 and 2023 Section IX tournament. The final first year is Angelica Gabriel (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool HS).
 
"I think our three freshmen coming in have really integrated well coming into the team," van der Veen said. "They are three really strong players, so I am really excited to see what they can bring to the team and how we can integrate them into the lineup."
 
Due to weather, SUNY New Paltz original exhibition opener tournament at home Saturday was moved to SUNY Oneonta, with the Hawks facing Hartwick College, SUNY Cortland and SUNY Oneonta at 2:30 p.m.

Season Preview Featuring Isabel van der Veen


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