New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz men's basketball program has, for the first time in program history, clinched the No. 1 seed.

The Hawks enter the SUNYAC Tournament earning a bye to the semifinals of the tournament and will host the conference championships in the Hawk Center Feb. 28 - March 1. On the other side, women's basketball clinched the No. 2 seed entering the SUNYAC Tournament where they will play at top seed SUNY Cortland Feb. 28 - March 1.

The men ended the regular season 18-7 overall and 14-4 in the SUNYAC. SUNY New Paltz secured the first seed spot after defeating Cortland on the road with a 54-39 win and beating Oneonta at home for a 78-68 win. The 14 conference victories became the most wins ever in program history, surpassing last year's 12 and coach Keith Kenney's 2021-21 team and his 1998-99 team while a player for the Hawks. SUNY New Paltz will determine who it will play after results from Tuesday's first round matchups between No. 4 Plattsburgh and No. 5 Morrisville, while No. 2 Oswego will face the winner of No. 5 Cortland and No. 6 Oneonta.

The only conference losses the Hawks faced during the regular season came on the road against the Lakers Jan. 7, at home against SUNY Canton Jan. 21 and the Cardinals with the latter the only team to sweep the Hawks in both matchups this season.

SUNY New Paltz will travel to Cortland for the 2025 SUNYAC Women's Basketball Tournament this weekend. The last time the Hawks played in the postseason at Cortland, they cut down the nets in Whitney T. Corey Gymnasium during the 2022 title game.

SUNY New Paltz heads back to a familiar opposing court boasting a 16-9 overall and 15-3 SUNYAC record. With the second-place finish in the regular season, they secured a first-round bye where they await the winner of No. 6 Oneonta and No. 3 Oswego, while the top seeded Red Dragons will face the winner of No. 4 Canton and No. 5 Plattsburgh.

The only three SUNYAC regular season losses for SUNY New Paltz came at home against Oswego Jan. 28 and on the road against Buffalo State Jan. 31 and Cortland Feb. 15 with the Hawks sweeping every other regular season conference series.

For the full SUNYAC men's and women's brackets, click here.


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