After 60 years, the Hawks have one final run in the SUNYAC.
 
Coming off the best two seasons in program history, the State University of New York New Paltz boast a skilled roster that have eight new players mixed with five returners that has the talent to compete for another title run against a tough SUNYAC conference as the team closes out its 60th season in the SUNYAC before entering the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) next year.
 
Although the Hawks lost a coveted group last year that were staples in the program for virtually half a decade, the impact the seven graduated seniors made on the returners will prove vital as the team eyes one last SUNYAC Title in the program's final season in the conference.
 
"Practicing with those guys that we lost made all the returners so much better," said SUNY New Paltz senior captain Thomas Keane. "Those guys were the best in the SUNYAC, so practicing with that every day makes what we think is the best in the SUNYAC. The new guys all can contribute. All are figuring out their own ways, especially with the prolonged preseason. We think we can compete with the best of them and we have a tough non-conference schedule so that should only get us ready for conference play and by playoff time we should be ready."
 
The 2024-25 Hawks closed with a 19-8 record and a SUNYAC mark of 14-4, landing them in the top spot in the conference — a program first. A second straight trip to the SUNYAC championship final didn't result in a second ever NCAA DIII invitation, yet nevertheless, the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons for the Hawks were the best in SUNY New Paltz basketball history.
 
Statistically, last season the Hawks averaged 73.0 points per game, allowing 68.3 points a contest for a plus 4.7 scoring margin. The team averaged 34.0 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 8.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game with a points-off-turnover average of 16.4 to
14.6 for their opponents.
 
 
SUNY New Paltz lost 1,417 playing minutes to graduation, which contributed to 1,486 of the team's 1,970 of the team's total points. However, the team returns breakout freshmen in Isaiah Rivera and Trevor Almfatino along with junior wing Oumar Sy and seniors Keane and LaMar Matthews who combined for 88 games played for the Hawks last season with 24 starts.
 
Leading the returnees and coming off a great first year is sophomore wing Isaiah Rivera (6'4"/Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Hammer Freedom HS). He started 15 of the Hawks 27 games, totaling 660 minutes on the court. His 9.3 points per game average landed him third in scoring on a team that spread the points fairly evenly among the top eight players. Rivera hit for double figures in 11 games with a season high 20 points against Hardin-Simmins University.  
"Going into year two, a lot of what [the seniors] taught me rubbed off on me," Rivera said. "I learned how to be a good person from them. They were all good people. They had good ideas, their voices were all heard. We lost them, but we also have people from last year from that team that have the same kind of attitude coming into this year, so I'm excited."
 
Rivera will step into a leadership role, as he, along with Keane and fellow sophomore guard Amalfitano were named captains ahead of the season.
 
"What I want to improve on leadership wise is picking guys up when they're down," Rivera said. "If they miss a shot, just tell them know it's okay, next one and just a next play attitude, and just want to remind them that the team is here for you. As a player, I just want to do the things that make my team win. I just want to be that player that will do anything it takes to win."
 
Keane (6'0"/Staten Island, NY/St. Peters Boys HS) and Matthews (6'4"/Buffalo, NY/Tapestry Charter HS) are the two lone seniors on the team, both bringing three years of veteran collegiate experience. Keane saw action in 17 games a year ago, while Matthews started nine games for SUNY New Paltz in his first year with the Hawks after transferring from Onondaga Community College. Matthews made 17 appearances, scoring in double-figures in three games while averaging 4.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
 
"A definite change. It's a big step up, just being vocal, leading, knowing the plays, talking to the guys if they have questions — just seeing how Dakoda, Sean, Lucas, Ethan, AK, all those guys just how they led, just showed me what I should do," said Keane of his new leadership role. "They were the perfect outline for me, so it just made it that much easier now and I'm excited to just be there for the younger guys."
 
Sy (6'4"/New York, NY/John Bowne HS) saw limited action but has the tools to contribute significantly, while Amalfitano (6'3"/Port Washington, NY/Paul D. Schreiber HS) started his collegiate career playing behind two outstanding senior guards, waiting patiently for his turn.  The former two-time All-NYS player saw action in 23 games and hit for 4.9 points per game and looks to make a big impact this season. Another player with unlimited potential is guard Amir Hughes (6'2"/Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Hammer Freedom HS). Healthy after sitting out last season, Hughes has the credentials to be a formidable force for SUNY New Paltz.
 
Three transfers look to see plenty of playing time for the Hawks. Junior wing Justin Hannibal (6'3"/Goshen, NH/Goshen HS/Orange Community College) was an important contributor to the Colts during his two years, aiding them to a two-year mark of 55-9. Junior guard Mo Sylla (6'2"/Bronx, NY/Darrow School/SUNY Oneonta/SUNY Potsdam) led the Potsdam Bears in both scoring — at 17.1 points per game, and rebounding (147) — a year ago. Sophomore wing Justin Noelizaire (6'3"/Newburgh, NY/Wallkill HS/Pace University) never got to show his skills at DII Pace, despite his outstanding high school credentials.
 
SUNY New Paltz added four freshmen to the roster who all have the potential to earn time on the floor.
 
In alphabetical order: guard Myles Benton (6'0"/ Bronx, NY/Adams Street Academy). Benton comes from one of the top PSAL Division 2A - Brooklyn programs, having seen action in three PSAL Division 2A playoffs, reaching the semifinals last season. In his senior year, he averaged 15.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Max Hall (6'8"/Elmsford, NY/The Frederick Gunn School), played power forward for the Highlanders in the tough New England Preparatory School Athletic Council and ranked as one of the top defensive players in the NEPSAC. Guard Andrew Leonard (6'2"/Flushing, NY/Townsend Harris HS) is a three-time All-NYS Class A pick and led Brooklyn-Queens in scoring in both his junior and senior years. He closed out his Warriors career with 1,038 points over 69 regular season games and eight PSAL playoff games. Guard/small forward Peter Nydam (6'6"/Dryden, NY/Dryden HS) led his team to both the IAC and the NYS Section IV Class B championships in 2024-25, and earned ALL NYS Class B honors, averaging 19.4 points per game. At forward is John Osorno (6'7"/Hicksville, NY/Hicksville HS). A four-year varsity player and three-year starter, he averaged 15.7 points as a senior and was a two-time All-Conference selection, two-time team MVP and was named a Section IX Scholar-Athlete.
 
"We have a lot of new guys that want to work hard that want to win and I think that's what we need on this team," Rivera said. "We need dogs. We need people that want to win another SUNYAC, so I think that's huge for us."
 
SUNY New Paltz opens its 25-game 2025-26 schedule at home Saturday hosting Eastern Connecticut State University at 5 p.m. in the Hawk Center. Following a five-game non-conference slate through November, the Hawks begin their final 18-game SUNYAC campaign Dec. 5 at home against the Red Dragons of SUNY Oneonta. SUNY New Paltz concludes the regular and SUNYAC seasons on the road, Feb. 20 and 21, against SUNY Plattsburgh and SUNY Potsdam. The SUNYAC tournament opens on Tuesday, Feb. 24 with the semifinal and championship games scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 27-28 at the highest seed.
 
"One through 13 we all want to win," Rivera added. "We have the same attitude. We all practice the same way. We all do things the same way and we all just want to win. Every guy is hungry. Every guy is a dog, so we're ready for anyone."
 
Season Preview Featuring Isaiah Rivera & Thomas Keane



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