Momentum is key in the Hawks' definitive campaign for the coveted SUNYAC championship title.
 
Following a historic season that broke a nearly 12-year playoff win drought, the State University of New York New Paltz intends to make a deeper run in its last year as part of the SUNYAC conference.
 
"There is a lot of momentum and belief in the team now," said Hawks senior captain Alex Wyant. "There's a lot to build on and improve on [and] it's a lot different of a team."
 
Last season, the team concluded with a 9-8-2 overall and 5-3-1 conference record with key regular-season triumphs, including a 1-0 win against the then-undefeated Buffalo State Bengals and a 1-1 draw against then No. 12 nationally ranked Cortland. The Hawks scored 25 goals across the season, with over 13 shot attempts per game and 130 shots on net for the year. The goalkeeping unit also gathered 70 saves across 19 games played.
 
SUNY New Paltz's winning record earned them a No. 5 seed in the postseason tournament, also acquiring its fifth consecutive playoff berth. In the quarterfinals against the Plattsburgh Cardinals, both teams remained tied at 2-2 through three overtime rounds, eventually heading to penalties. The Hawks outshot the Cardinals 5-3, earning a spot in the semifinals against the Buffalo State Bengals.
 
"That first playoff win was great, the first one in twelve years," said SUNY New Paltz senior captain David Acker. "And the way we did it was pretty unbelievable."  
Unfortunately, the top-seeded Bengals narrowly defeated the Hawks 2-1, ending their legendary run in 2024. However, it is a brand-new year for SUNY New Paltz, but the end goal remains the same.
 
"As seniors, three years in a row, all playoff losses. We know how it feels, [and] we don't want the younger guys to feel that," said Acker. "We are really looking to make a statement in this last year."
 
From last season's roster, the Hawks lost six seniors from the program, all of whom had an impact on the program's success. Their backline was especially depleted, with the loss of two key field starters, Alberto Molina and Owen McGarrity, as well as All-SUNYAC First Team starting goalkeeper Christina Micheli. Junior goalkeepers Joe Washington (West Islip, NY), Matt Katz (Amityville, NY) and senior Cody Baker (Kingston, NY) all return to fill the starting spot. Junior co-captain Samuel Snider (Oceanside, NY) and senior Ryan Bochenski (Eastchester, NY) anchor the defensive line as the only two returning starters, each earning 1691 and 1526 minutes of gametime last season, respectively.
 
However, the Hawks arguably show the most strength in their midfield, including seniors Wyant and Acker. Wyant came in clutch numerous times last season, evident by his team-high three game-winning goals and five goals total. The Beacon, NY native logged 1525 minutes of play in 2024, the most for any midfielder on the team. Acker (Oceanside, NY) will be an appreciated addition to the midline, as he is projected to return from injury a few weeks into the season. Last year, Acker also struggled with injury but tallied 466 minutes of action in 11 games played. Alongside the senior captains, junior Kieran Weber (Levittown, NY) will return to the lineup. Weber earned a goal and two assists in 1168 total minutes played last year. The midfield is rounded out with senior Alejandro Londono (Mamaroneck, NY) and sophomore Cam Mingle (Wyantskill, NY), who each saw over 200 minutes each last season.
 
"I think [the midfield] is one of our strongest suits, but also, [we are] building around it as well. It's not just the midfield, it's having a whole team and a whole core," said Wyant. "The backline is looking a lot better and the frontline is firing on all cylinders right now, so there's a lot of competition throughout and it's great to see."  
The underclassman-heavy forward lineup also looks to make an impact this year. Brandon Dhanoolal (Tarrytown, NY) returns for his sophomore campaign after garnering All-SUNYAC third team honors and leading the Hawks in scoring last season with eight goals and 17 total points. Fellow sophomore forwards Brian Lizama (Huntington Station, NY) and Ryan Zindler (Wappingers, NY) also return, both critical goal scorers for SUNY New Paltz with five and three career goals, respectively.
 
"I think we have a new look at different positions, guys are moving around a bunch, guys who were freshmen last year are seeing different positions," said Wyant. "Everyone is looking like they are growing into themselves, and the freshman class is looking strong as well, very confident."
 
Despite graduating a large class, head coach Kyle Clancy welcomes an incoming class of six players, with four first-year and two transfer students. Freshmen Declan Bain (Saratoga, NY) and Owen Joyce (Oceanside, NY) round out the Hawks' strong midfield, while Sky Attard (New York, NY) will be a welcome addition to the frontline. Leo Steiner (Oradell, NJ) also comes in to aid the rebuilding of SUNY New Paltz's defensive unit, and transfer juniors Nico Peralta (Middle Village, NY) and David Lamour (Valley Stream, NY) will also join as defenders. Both Peralta and Lamour hail from Nassau Community College, which has claimed back-to-back NJCAA Region XV championships and semifinal appearances in the NJCAA national tournament.
 
"We are going to leave it all out there and build up every day," said Acker. "It doesn't take one day to win a SUNYAC, it takes a whole season of developing and going through pain together in order to get that goal. "
 
The Hawks kick off non-conference play at home this Friday, facing Sarah Lawrence College at 5 p.m. SUNY New Paltz leaves for its road trip on Sunday, heading to Springfield College to face the Pride at 1 p.m.
 
"The biggest thing is to win a SUNYAC and finally bring one home," said Wyant. "It's been a while [and] every other team has done it and it's [our] last year to do it — why not be us?"
 
Season Preview featuring Alex Wyant & David Acker



******************
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.