New Paltz, NY — It was an unprecedented 2024 for the State University of New York New Paltz men's volleyball program.
 
The two-time national champions hadn't missed a postseason in 13 consecutive seasons and since the inception of the United Volleyball Conference had never missed the tournament. In a rebuilding year with a bevy of first- and second-year players in the rotation, the Hawks owned one of the youngest rosters of any top 25 ranked team and worked through tough matches. They lost their best player in a late playoff push and couldn't overcome some early losses and unfortunately missed out on the postseason after going 1-6 in the UVC last season.
 
With more experience along the roster, SUNY New Paltz enters 2025 with a chip on its shoulder, looking to surprise some of the best teams in Division III in a scheduled filled with 14 top 20 programs. The Hawks were tied for sixth in the UVC preseason poll and will need to keep at least a sixth place standing to get back into playoff contention. However, they are revived with a strong set of first year's coupled with needed experience on the floor that 2024 gave.
 
"We're pretty angry about what happened last year, and I think every time we get into the gym, we want to prove ourselves and I think this year we're going to surprise a lot of people," said SUNY New Paltz junior middle blocker Krish Jain. "I think everyone on our team right now is super fired up. I think we're going to surprise a lot of people in the country this year, just because we're hungry. We're hungry to win."
 
The Hawks finished last season 17-13 overall with their lone conference victory coming against Elmira in a four-set victory on the road. Two-time All-American Pat Wing led the team offensively until his season ending injury with three games left in the 2024 season. The year was highlighted, however, with the team's first road win over perennial power, Springfield, as the then ranked No. 4 team in the country lost in its home gym for just the second time to SUNY New Paltz. Wing was the catalyst, but in the victory saw the potential of the future with freshman setter Matt Marusza posting 42 assists, and Jain getting his hands on five blocks with three kills in the five-set victory.
 
 
"I think I've gained a lot of experience over the past couple years," said Jain who was named as co-captain ahead of the season. "My biggest thing is being a good role model for the younger guys and kind of showing them the way things are done here at New Paltz. I want to motivate everyone to be better. It's great to be in a leadership role."
 
Jain enters as one of the team's most seasoned players, with 48 starts through the last two years. Jain started all 27 matches last season after coming off a UVC Rookie of the Year campaign and finished third on the team in points (208.5) and kills (144), while leading the team in blocks (87) and blocks per set (.87). Fellow junior captain Daniel Shanley also returns after transferring to the program last winter from DI George Mason. Shanley split between setter and outside last season and through 70 sets played, he totaled 103.5 points, 74 kills, 261 assists, 21 aces, 85 digs — averaging 1.21 digs per set — and 16 blocks.  
Jain and Shanley enter as the cornerstones to lead the team back to prominence after a down 2024. However, they're ready to guide a young group and shock teams with a promising freshmen class while having key second-year's back who played prominent time on the court last season.
 
"I think we were a little more inexperienced than we were this year. I think we kind of have a chip on our shoulder, everyone is doubting us," Shanley said. "Last year was the first time in program history we didn't make the UVC Tournament. We have super high expectations so we're super excited to get the ball rolling and get our first game going. We're excited, high standards and I can't wait to get after it."
 
Marusza led SUNY New Paltz in assists last season with 707, while averaging 8.42 assists-per-set to facilitate the offense. He posted 40-plus in five different matches with a career-high 48 in a 3-1 win over 20th ranked Lasell. Sophomore opposite Michael Spiegel finished second on the team in points and kills per set, averaging 2.58 and 2.35, respectively, only behind Wing. He was inserted into the starting lineup early in the season and then stepped in for Wing following his injury and played well. The lefty from Rochester, NY totaled 108 kills with a .243 hitting percentage in 46 sets and 10 starts.
 
Junior middle Mike Handell and senior outside Christopher Larkin return as well after combining for 43 starts last season and totaling 93 and 131 points, respectively. Larkin finished behind Jain in points per set (1.68) after registering 103 kills, seven assists, 16 aces, 21 blocks and a team-leading 114 digs.
 
Offensively, the Hawks also have senior outside Carter Lotz, sophomore opposite Matt Teplansky, and sophomore outsides Geoff Ndoria and Matt Kudlinski. The four combined for 107 kills and 149.5 points with 29 service aces last season. Teplansky, Ndoria and Kudlinski earned three starts apiece, appearing in 19, 15 and 26 matches, respectively, while Lotz earned one start in six matches played.
 
"They've developed a lot for sure," Jain said of the team's underclassmen. "We've been getting a bunch of touches this year, especially last semester and this semester. I'm very proud of all of them and it's fun to see how they're growing and developing, and we'll see how they play this year."
 
Defensively, SUNY New Paltz brings back junior libero Luke Hofer who over his two years has recorded 175 digs in 55 matches played. He is joined by freshman libero Max DeBonis (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore HS).
 
Rounding out the freshmen class is middle blockers Peter Brutschin (Grenville, NY/Greenville HS), Artair Kayser (Orangeburg, NY/Tappan Zee HS), Tristan Rezza (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa HS) and outside hitter Nikko Tenedorio (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore HS).
 
"Two sessions a day and every time we're in the gym, everyone is working hard, everyone is giving their best so it's really easy to set ourselves at a high level and a high standard when everyone is giving 100 percent all day long, all practice long," Shanley said. "It really just makes us work harder and expect more from everyone."
 
The Hawks open up the season with a west coast trip to Northern California to play Menlo College, Carthage, Dominican (Ill.), California Lutheran and UC Santa Cruz from Jan. 15-18 before coming back to New York to face SUNY Poly and Houghton in Utica Jan. 25. They play their first game in the Hawk Center Jan. 29 against Kean University.
 
"We're going to be playing some of the top teams in the country," Jain added. "We're going to be taking on Cal Lu and they just won a national championship, so that's definitely a game we're looking out for to try and prove ourselves."
 
Despite the rankings and last year's result, the Hawks are confident in the 16 guys they have this year and are looking forward in showing the potential they have to surprise teams, especially in the UVC. They open up conference play against No. 10 Hobart College Feb. 28 in the Hawk Center.
 
"Definitely, how can you count out SUNY New Paltz?" said Shanley. "You can never count us out, so we're excited."

Preview featuring Krish Jain & Daniel Shanley

  
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