New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz officially released its 2025 schedule Friday with the Hawks once again lined up for a tough slate in preparation for a SUNYAC and NCAA Tournament run.
 
Out of the 18 regular season matchups played in 2025, the Hawks will face six programs who made the national tournament a season ago, which includes non-conference games against Stevens, Christopher Newport, Ithaca and Marywood, along with conference opponents, Cortland and Salisbury.

Of the 13 non-conference opponents SUNY New Paltz will face, five were featured in the top 25 at one point last season, with SUNYAC counterparts SUNY Cortland and newly added Salisbury University also finishing within the top 10. The Gulls, a perennial field hockey power who boasts five national titles, the most recent in 2009, ended last year as the No. 1 nationally ranked team. They were added to the conference schedule as an affiliate member starting in 2025. They finished the 2024 season in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, losing a close 2-1 game to eventual champion, Middlebury. The Red Dragons' campaign, meanwhile, ended in the second round a season ago.
 
Before SUNYAC play begins, SUNY New Paltz opens the season with eight non-conference games after competing in two preseason scrimmages against Division II's Pace and Adelphi University. It will stay on the road for its regular season opening weekend, going to Scranton, PA to face Marywood University and the University of Scranton Aug. 29-30, respectively. The Hawks have won 14-straight season opening games and hope to keep the streak alive against the Pacers.  
SUNY New Paltz then hosts Endicott College for its home opener on North Turf Field Sept. 6. In the two teams last three meetings since 2009 all were decided by a goal with the Hawks' first victory over the Gulls coming last year in Beverly, MA, 5-4. Since taking over the program in 2009, SUNY New Paltz coach Shanna Szablinski has guided her team to a healthy 12-3 mark in home openers on North Turf, including winning four consecutive and the Hawks look to pile onto that streak against a talented Endicott team.
 
The Hawks will face Skidmore and Ramapo College on the road before their next home game Sept. 17 against Stevens. They then next travel to face Ithaca College and Kean University. SUNY New Paltz found success against all four programs last year, winning in tight games, 3-2 and 4-3 both in overtime against the Bombers and Cougars, respectively, after losing to both teams in 2023. It defeated the Thoroughbreds and Roadrunners handily a season ago, 3-0 and 5-1, respectively.
 
Following a tough opening eight-game non-conference schedule, SUNY New Paltz kicks off SUNYAC action against Oswego State at Lakers Field Sept. 27 for a 2 p.m. start. Sandwiched between another conference game is a home matchup against Union Oct. 1 before the Hawks host Oneonta three days later on North Turf Field at 1 p.m.
 
The most highly anticipated matchup on the schedule is against SUNYAC rival SUNY Cortland. The Hawks haven't defeated the Red Dragons in the last five outings and have only beat them at home five times over the course of 34 games played. The matchup will be the last regular season game of the classic rivalry and per usual, will likely hold weight in postseason seeding. The last two years the winner of the matchup has garnered the top seed in the SUNYAC Tournament and has gone on to win the conference title. The last time the Hawks hoisted the SUNYAC trophy was when they defeated Cortland during the regular season before doing the same in the postseason in 2021. Since then, Cortland has won three-straight conference titles.  
The schedule doesn't lighten for the Hawks. They will host perennial top five program in Christopher Newport University. SUNY New Paltz held its own during its matchup last season, falling in a fairly close game against the then No. 5 nationally ranked Captains, 4-2 in Newport News, VA.  
 
The home stand continues as the Hawks host conference opponent Morrisville Oct. 17 before welcoming RPI for a 3:30 p.m. midweek matchup Oct. 22. They then make the trip down to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to face Salisbury Oct. 25 before coming back home for their last two games of the regular season, going up against non-conference foes Montclair State and Vassar on Oct. 29 and Nov. 1, respectively.
 
The SUNYAC Tournament will take place Nov. 7 and No. 8 at the highest seed.
 
Check out the full 2025 Hawks field hockey schedule here.


******************
To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.