*updated as of July 14, 2025

Leaving as arguably (or in some cases undisputed) best players to have suited up for their respective programs, seniors and grad students Tommy Kreider (baseball), Brianna Fitzgerald (women's basketball), Rachel Eisert (women's soccer), Kaitlyn Shaw (women's lacrosse) and Jackie Rometo (softball), in many ways, mark an end of an era for the State University of New York New Paltz.

Since 2021, the five were the faces of a golden era of athletics for the Hawks. They've combined for nine All-American honors, 12 All-Region selections, 15 All-SUNYAC picks and seven Player of the Year accolades to go along with five SUNYAC Championships, 26 postseason wins and six NCAA berths with 36 individual program records to their credit.

All leave with winning records since their time on campus, playing a major role in some of the best seasons to-date for their respective programs. Kreider and Rometo helped bring program first SUNYAC titles to SUNY New Paltz, while Fitzgerald elevated her team as a top-25 program while aiding in two conference championships and three NCAA berths with Eisert leading the Hawks to their first SUNYAC trophy in more than a decade, and second ever in what was the best season to date as the top seed in the conference tournament. Shaw, meanwhile, was the catalyst in facilitating what was previously a bottom-tier program in the SUNYAC to a perennial playoff contender, leading her team to their only postseason berths — four-straight during her tenure — along with their first two playoff wins and appearances in the semifinal round in back-to-back years. 

The quintet has compiled 359 wins, all a part of either the most wins in a single season and or, the most wins their respective programs have ever seen. They've helped push the Hawks into the top-tier of SUNYAC status, perennial playoff contenders vying for a conference championship each year. As a result, SUNY New Paltz has landed in the top 3 of the SUNYAC Commissioner's Cup standings in each of the last four years including its best standing to-date in 2025, landing second overall only behind SUNY Cortland.

The common thread between all five is their careers have transcended not just their respective programs, but the trajectory of New Paltz Athletics as a whole. To have not one, but five of those players competing at the same time through their careers is a rare occurrence, but fittingly, comes on the heels of a new era of SUNY New Paltz Athletics as the department embarks on a new journey in a new conference. However, the five of their paths might cross once again, as when another half decade passes, they will be eligible to be enshrined among the best athletes ever to play for the Hawks.

Over the course of the last half decade, they've endured unprecedented success throughout their tenures in blue and orange. All legends in their own right.

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 Tommy Kreider (Baseball, 2022-2025) 

• Bob Wallace SUNYAC Player of the Year (2025)
• 2x ABCA/Rawlings All-American
• 2x D3Baseball.com All-American
• 3x ABCA All-Region First Team
• 3x All-SUNYAC
• SUNYAC Tournament MVP (2024)
• SUNYAC Champion
• D3Baseball.com Preseason All-American (2025)
• 2x Division III Baseball SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year (2024 & 2025)
• 2x SUNYAC Baseball Scholar Athlete of the Year (2024 & 2025)
• Dr. Sam Molnar SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year (2025)
• SUNY Division III Male Scholar Athlete of the Year (2025)
• Holds 16 program records including:
  • Single Season Games Played (46 – 2024)
  • Single Season Games Started (46 – 2024)
  • Single Season Runs (63 – 2025)
  • Single Season Hits (82 – 2024)
  • Single Season Doubles (19 – 2025)
  • Single Season Total Bases (116 – 2024)
  • Single Season On-Base-Percentage (.561 – 2024)
  • Single Season Stolen Bases (37 – 2025)
  • Single Season Stolen Base Attempts (39 – 2025)
  • Career Batting Average (.409)
  • Career Runs (164)
  • Career Hits (214)
  • Career Total Bases (292)
  • Career On-Base-Percentage (.505)
  • Career Stolen Bases (81)
  • Career Stolen Base Attempts (88)

Tommy Kreider (senior, second base/New City, NY/Clarkstown South HS) became the first player in program history to be named to three consecutive first team all-region selections, earning a spot on both the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region III First Team and D3Baseball.com First Team list this past spring, which was followed by his second-straight ABCA/Rawlings and D3Baseball All-America honor.
 
Kreider's legacy continued even after his last swing for the orange and blue, cementing his place further as the best player to ever compete for the program. The New City, NY native proved himself once again as one of the best players in the league, as the Preseason All-American led his team back to the SUNYAC Tournament for consecutive season for just the third time ever.
 
Fresh off of being named as the team's first Bob Wallace SUNYAC Player of the Year, Kreider put himself in position to be named to the All-American list for the second time in his career with the first team all-region nod. He was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings and D3baseball.com All-America team for consecutive years, becoming the team's first two-time All-American.

During his tenure, Kreider set single season program records in runs (63), which beat his own record set in 2024 with 62 in four less games played, doubles (19), tying the total he set last season, and stolen bases (37), destroying the formally held record of 26.

"I always tell myself that I'm better than the pitcher. The pitcher is terrible. The approach doesn't really change. It's always to win the game, but I just have confidence in myself. I don't really get nervous. I get excited because I want to be in those moments. I want to beat you, basically, against the pitcher." 

Additionally, he finished his senior season hitting .439 with an OPS of 1.206, slugging percentage of .665 and on-base-percentage of .541 with 72 hits, 35 RBI, 109 total bases and 26 extra-base hits. His batting average landed third on the single season program record board, just behind his 2024 total (.463), while his slugging percentage and on-base-percentage finished sixth and second, respectively, with the former category notching a career-high for the Clarkstown South HS alum. Defensively, Kreider also etched his name on the single-season honors list as he totaled a career-high 108 assists to finish second-most in the category, which also registered as a career-high for the two-time All-America select.

Kreider eclipsed 100-career hits early in his junior season before becoming the all-time record holder with 214 (the only Hawk to surpass 200 career hits). He entered his senior year already with 100-plus runs and officially held the all-time program record in the category with 164 — 62 more than any other player. He will also leave as the team's all-time record holder for batting average (.409), total bases (292), on-base-percentage (.505) and stolen bases (81), going a remarkable 81-for-88 over the course of his career.


 Brianna Fitzgerald (Women's Basketball, 2020-2026) 

• 2x D3Hoops All-American
• 2x WBCA All-American Honorable Mention
• 2x D3Hoops.com Preseason All-American
• 2x SUNYAC Player of the Year
• 3x All-Region III
• 3x All-SUNYAC First Team
• D3hoops All-Region III Most Outstanding Player (2023-24)
• Jostens Trophy Finalist (2023-24)
• USBWA National Player of the Week (2023-24)
• 2x D3Hoops.com National Player of the Week (2023-24)
• D3hoops.com All-Region III Rookie of the Year (2021-22)
• SUNYAC Rookie of the Year (2021-22)
• 2x SUNYAC Champion
• SUNYAC Tournament MVP (2022 & 2024)
• Holds two program records including:
  • Single Season points (545 – 2023-24)
  • Career Points (1,380)

Despite playing just three seasons (with her freshman year wiped due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last season shortened due to a season-ending injury), Fitzgerald is already unquestionably the best player to suit up for a storied SUNY New Paltz women's basketball program under the guidance of seasoned head coach Jamie Seward.

Fitzgerald is the only player in program history to earn two All-America honorees, along with being the only two-time Preseason All-American, two-time SUNYAC Player of the Year, Region III Player of the Year, Jostens Trophy Finalist and Region III Rookie of the Year.

After a prolific 2023-34 season, where she set career highs in points (545), points per game (18.8), rebounds (234), rebounds per game (8.1), steals (90), assists (101) and blocks (41), while leading her team in nearly all those categories for the second straight year, the Dix Hills, NY native became the first player in program history to be named as a two-time All-American.

"I know at some point I am going to have to end up with the ball in my hands, trying to make a play but on the other side of that you want to get the ball moving and get everybody touching it, and make everybody have to be guarded. But essentially, we were running our plays. Everybody was cutting hard, and everybody did their part so that I could have the opportunity to make some plays."
            - Brianna Fitzgerald following a career-high 35 points in the Hawks' SUNYAC Semifinal win over Oswego on Feb 23, 2024.

Fitzgerald earned her second WBCA All-America honorable mention nod, while being placed on the D3hoops.com Third-Team All-American list for the second year in a row. She ended her third season with the Hawks breaking the single season point total with 545, surpassing Rachel Simon's 521 during the 2018-19 season. She also landed fourth in single season steals, 10th in single-season assists and ninth in single-season blocks. She passed Kit Small as the team's all-time leading scorer, racking up 1,380 career points in just three seasons, while sitting seventh in rebounds (595), fourth in assists (244), eighth in steals (209) and sixth in blocks (69).
 
Fitzgerald also was the first to tally multiple 30-point games within a season, while becoming just the second Hawk to register a triple double. She led SUNY New Paltz to its seventh SUNYAC title and eighth NCAA Tournament appearance, including back-to-back trips to the second round following the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Fitzgerald in three playing seasons has led SUNY New Paltz to two SUNYAC Championships and three NCAA playoff appearances, while being heralded as the SUNYAC Tournament MVP twice. She holds program records in single season points and career points and is the top 10 all-time in rebounds (eighth), assists (fifth), steals (eighth) and blocks (sixth).


 Rachel Eisert (Women's Soccer, 2021-2024) 

•  US Soccer Coaches All-American (2024)
• D3Soccer.com All-American (2024)
• 2x United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American
• 2x SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Year (2023 & 2024)
• 4x All-SUNYAC
• 3x United Soccer Coaches All-Region III
• SUNYAC Tournament MVP (2024)
• SUNYAC Champion (2024)
• 2x SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year
• College Sports Communicator's Academic All-District (2023)
• Dr. Dorlores Bogard Female SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year (2025)
• SUNY Division III Female Scholar Athlete of the Year (2025)
• Holds five program records including:
  • Single Season Goals (15 – 2024)
  • Single Season Points (34 – 2024)
  • Career Goals (42)
  • Career Assists (17)
  • Career Points (101)

All-SUNYAC, All-Region, SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Year.
 
And now, All-American.
 
To round out her legendary career, women's soccer senior captain Rachel Eisert was named to the NCAA Division III All-American second team following a 2024 championship season.
Eisert engraved her name in the record books, as she leads the program in all-time points (101), all-time goals (42) and all-time assists (17). She also holds the single-season points (34) and goals record (15), surpassing last year's total she set of 12. From her freshman to senior season, Eisert constantly improved her game, and set a new career-high each year in both goals and points. 
 
In her 2024 All-American season, Eisert totaled 1,364 total minutes played, while having scored 15 goals and dishing out four assists for 34 points total. She also netted five game-winners across 20 games played. Leading the team as captain, Eisert was a catalyst for the team's success, on and off the field. 

"Coming in as a freshman, you never think your career is going to amount to something like that. When coach called me, it felt surreal. Being recognized and being able to share this accolade with my team is something I am extremely grateful for and it's truly humbling." 

Along with her dedication on the field, Eisert works hard in the classroom as well. In all her years of eligibility, she landed on the SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. Notably, she earned a perfect GPA at the close of the Fall 2023 semester, which secured her the honor of SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year. In the same season, she was named to the Academic All-District Team and was, the program's first, United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American. But in 2024, Eisert was recognized on the national level for her talents on the pitch as well. 
 
The Bellmore, NY native will graduate at the end of the academic year with a degree in Communication Disorders — and will bring home a lot of hardware from her decorated career as a Hawk.

(written by Amy Whitman/SUNY New Paltz Senior Rachel Eisert Solidifies Storied Legacy as Program's Second Ever All-American 12/12/24)


 Jackie Rometo (Softball, 2022-2025) 

• SUNYAC Player of the Year (2023)
• NFCA All-Northeast Region
• 2x All-SUNYAC First Team
• SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year (2023)
• Division III Softball SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year (2023)
• 3x NFCA Scholar Athlete
• NFCA/Easton Scholar All-American (2024)
• SUNYAC Champion (2024)
• Holds seven program records including:
  • Single Season hits (64 – 2023)
  • Single Season runs (45 – 2023)
  • Career At-Bats (579)
  • Career Hits (201)
  • Career Runs (135)
  • Career Walks (47)
  • Career Steals (64)

Jackie Rometo leaves as one of the most decorated players in program history and a key piece to bring SUNY New Paltz Softball its first ever SUNYAC title in 2024.

Her best season came in 2023 where she helped the Hawks to the first No. 1 seed in program history, which included SUNYAC Tournament hosting duties for the first time. She was named an NFCA All-Northeast Region Second Team selection and SUNYAC Player of the Year to go along with first team all-conference honors. That year she set single season program records in both hits (64) and runs (45) with a breakout sophomore campaign.

"I wasn't too focused on my individual statistics as long as we continued to win each game. The drive that the entire team shared to win our first championship drove me to work even harder in and out of practice. Having a team full of energy and positivity allowed me to thrive individually. I felt capable of anything this season because I was so eager to be part of something great."
        - Jackie Rometo in 2023 after earning SUNY Female Scholar Athlete of the Year

In 2024, Rometo once again garnered First-Team All-SUNYAC honors along with landing a NFCA/Easton Scholar All-America selection with her prowess on the field and in the classroom. More importantly, she aided in another 30-plus win season and helped hoist a SUNYAC trophy for the first time in program history along with the team's first appearance in the national tournament where SUNY New Paltz earned a win over in their regional at Rowan University.

Although she didn't have the same type of season in her final stint with the Hawks in 2025, she still established herself in the program record books as she surpassed career records for all-time at-bats (579), hits (201), walks (47) and steals (64), ending her collegiate career by holding seven program records while being a major contributor of the two best teams SUNY New Paltz Softball has ever seen.

The Montgomery, NY native graduates as a former SUNYAC Player of the Year, NFCA All-Northeast Region pick, two-time All-SUNYAC first team selection, SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year, Division III Female SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year, NFCA/Easton Scholar All-American and SUNYAC Champ.


 Kaitlyn Shaw (women's lacrosse, 2021-2025) 

• 2x IWLCA All-Empire Region
• 3x All-SUNYAC
• SUNYAC Midfielder of the Year (2024)
• 2x IWLCA All-Academic
• Holds six program records including:
  • Single game goals (9)
  • Single game points (12)
  • Single season goals (70 – 2024)
  • Single season points (96 – 2024)
  • Career goals (242)
  • Career points (311)

Kaitlyn Shaw (grad, midfielder/Rye Brook, NY/Blind Brook HS), meanwhile, concludes her career as the most decorated women's lacrosse player in school history. She took home her third All-Empire Region honor after being selected to the second team, just three years removed from being the team's first ever All-Region pick as a sophomore in 2022.
 
Since then, she has captained the program to new heights as they won more games during her tenure than any other time in program history (47), played in more postseason contests (7) and won more playoff games (2) than any time since the inception of the program in 1998. During that time, Shaw has become the record holder for six different categories, including single game goals (9), single game points (12), single season goals (70), single season points (96), career goals (242) and career points (311), while landing fourth in assists (69), second in ground balls (152) and draw controls (186) and fourth in caused turnovers (80). Her 311 goals leaves her 10th all-time in SUNYAC history — eighth most without counting Morrisville and Canton who recently joined ahead of this past year.

"It being my last year, I really want to leave a mark on this program. It's been an incredible journey to see how far this team has come. Last year was such an amazing year and I think it really showed what this team is really capable of."
        - Kaitlyn Shaw ahead of the 2025 season.

In her final stint in the orange and blue, she led SUNY New Paltz to its second straight (and only) back-to-back semifinal appearance after tying for the team lead in points (73) while registering 57 goals — second on the team — and 16 assists — fourth on the team. Her team-leading 75 draw controls ranked second most in program history. She scooped 42 ground balls, second most for the Hawks in 2025, and finished with 32 caused turnovers — third most this past season and first among midfielders.

 
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