The 2025 season may be hard pressed to duplicate the successes of the 2024 season, but interim head coach Samantha Trimblett doesn't come into the new year without the expertise and talent to ensure that the Hawks will make their fourth consecutive and final run for the SUNYAC championship and the NCAA DIII tournament invitation that comes with that honor.
 
The 2024 Hawks set all kinds of records: the most wins at 15; the most SUNYAC wins at 8; the least goals allowed at nine; the least SUNYAC goals allowed at one; the most shutouts at 15; the most SUNYAC shutouts at eight — which are not only SUNY New Patz records but also tops among all SUNYAC teams last year.
 
However, despite the loss of a coveted senior class that featured five All-SUNYAC selections, four All-Region picks and two All-Americans, the Hawks return a core 18 players with the addition of two talented freshmen as they restock in a back-to-back championship run.
 
"This year definitely a lot of changes, but I think facing all this adversity is what makes us stronger," said Hawks senior captain and All-SUNYAC pick Laney Schmitz. "We had a lot of non-conference games that really prepared us for our in-season, and same thing this year. We're bringing back 18 really hard-working women and it just helps drive those two incoming freshmen and helps them rise up to our level."
Having been departed coach Mike Eckberg's top assistant for the past three seasons (and honored as the 2024 SUNYAC Coaching Staff of the Year), Trimblett knows what will be needed to turn the 18 returnees into another winning unit. While the personnel losses are big on paper, all 18 players have been through the Hawks system, know what is expected of them and given their competitive backgrounds are ready to shine in 2025.

"It's given the opportunity to a lot of players who have deserved playing time but haven't received it before to get a chance on the field," said Hawks captain Hannah Wellinger. "They have new opportunities and they're flourishing on their own and you can just see overall it's so much more of a positive mindset for all the girls, because with a smaller unit, everyone is playing so much more, and you get an opportunity to make changes on the field even more. I think with everyone having a clean slate, it's just a fresh start and fresh confidence for everyone."
 
Leading the pack are the senior three captains for 2025, all having extensive starting experience: midfielders Mia Baldinger, Schmitz and defender Wellinger. The three, backed by a determined senior class that sees eight graduating after the season, have the moxy to push their teammates to excellence this year.
 
On offense, the Hawks have a couple of big holes to fill, yet three-time All-SUNYAC selection and former SUNYAC Rookie of the Year, senior Brooke Kelleher (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West HS) returns to lead the way offensively. She finished last season fourth in scoring with five goals, two game winners, along with seven assists and has the tools for a breakout year. Right behind her at fifth in goals with four, is graduate student Kennedy Jones (Albany, NY/Albany HS), another player looking to make her mark for the Hawks. Sophomore Abby McLeod (North Babylon, NY/North Babylon HS) looks to make the sophomore jump, building off a freshman season that saw her find the back of the net three times, while juniors Grace Norelius (Holbrook, NY/Sachem HS North) and Ashley O'Hara (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa HS) rounds out the Hawks' top group adding much needed depth for the Hawks' rugged 17 game schedule.
 
New to the offense will be first year Samantha Gemmo (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside HS), who has the credentials and championship experience as a starter on Oceanside's Long Island Class AAA finalist in 2024.  
 
Anchoring midfield will be two All-SUNYAC picks from a year ago, in Baldinger and Schmitz. Baldinger (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa HS) put in a solid 1,241 minutes in 2024, while adding three goals and five assists. Schmitz (Bohemia, NY/Connetquot HS) saw action in all 20 games, starting 13. She totaled 1,093 minutes on the pitch, adding a goal and an assist for the Hawks and was key in the middle defensively last season. Sophomore Alyssa Deutsch (East Islip, NY/East Islip HS) showed a high ceiling as a freshman last season, as she appeared in 18 games and added three goals, one game-winner and two assists in her first stint with the Hawks.  
Junior Erin Savarese (Holbrook, NY/Sachem HS North) saw 1,301 minutes a year ago, helping to lead record setting defense. Like Savarese, first year player Brooke Rosenberg (St. James, NY/Smithtown East HS), can double at midfield or defense, was an All-Section XI pick as a senior, with championship experience, helping to lead Smithtown East to two Section XI Class AA and Class AAA finals.
 
"I think our strength is just playing as a team," Schmitz said. "I think looking at a lot of opposing teams, you see them having one or two players that are their main outlet, but on our team every single player is our outlet so I think playing as a team will be our strength."
 
Defensively, SUNY New Paltz is anchored by four-year starter Hannah Wellinger (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown East HS), who is coming off her first, First-Team All-SUNYAC selection last season. Wellinger proved herself as one of, if not the best defender in conference last season and has the ability to play anywhere on the back line. Throughout her first three years, the two-year captain has appeared in 53 of 54 games with 42 starts, while starting all 20 last year. She will continue as the team's defensive linchpin, which is primmed to still be as stingy as it was a year ago.
 
Sophomore Grace Lien (Centereach, NY/Centereach HS) saw action in 18 games with 1,305 important minutes on the field. Rounding out the defensive returnees are senior Addison Weiner (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown East HS) who saw action in all 20 games, with on goal to her credit — her speed will also likely be utilized up top as well — while graduate student Maggie Cameron (Cornwall, NY/Cornwall Central HS); seniors Sam Wohlmut (Center Moriches, NY/Center Moriches HS) and Allie Ziemak (Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale HS) and sophomore Kara Jahrsdoerfer (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa HS) all have the backgrounds to make a difference in the defensive end.
 
"I feel like after going through all the losses we had so far and having a new coaching staff, kind of switching our formation a lot it's gotten us a lot closer," Wellinger said. "It really just made us bond and, on the outside, we really focused on our time together and becoming a family and more than just a team. I think not only having the 18 from last year, but also the two girls coming in have joined us so easily want to be a part of everything. With us going through everything helped us become closer and more of a team this year."  
Protecting the woodwork will be the task of the team's two returning goalies: junior Madelyn Jachimiak (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill HS) and sophomore Jess Centeri (Selden, NY/Newfield Senior HS). Although the two sat behind All-American goalie and SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year, Maddie Franklin, they both bring experience back in net. Both improved from a season ago, Centeri will look to get the start as she comes off an impressive spring season.
 
The Hawks begin their 2025 campaign on Friday at home against the Gators of Sage Colleges. Their first eight matches are all non-conference and feature six teams that participated in their respective conference championships and three which saw action in the NCAA DIII tournament, including the 2024 national championship runner-up.
 
"I know for a lot of us; it brought us to a new level of where we set our goals to be," Wellinger said. "From last year, our one goal this year is to just play out everything hard. We're not focused on an end point; we're focused on playing as hard as we can until the very end and we'll see where we go from there."
 
The 2025 campaign will be the last in the SUNYAC for SUNY New Paltz, as the University is set to join the New Jersey Athletic Conference in 2026; and their quest for a fifth consecutive trip to the SUNYAC Championship tournament, begins away on Saturday, Sept. 27 against long standing SUNYAC powerhouse Cortland. In 2024 the Hawks and Red Dragons tied 1-1 in regular season play, with the Hawks taking a 2-0 decision over Cortland to win the SUNYAC Championship and a trip to the NCAA DIII tournament. The Red Dragons ranked ahead of the Hawks in the most recent SUNYAC Coach's Preseason Poll.
 
"Obviously, we took home a SUNYAC Championship last year," said Schmitz, "but the way I like to phrase it is we don't want to repeat, but we want to re-do what we did in our way with our own identity."
 
SUNY New Paltz is set to open up Friday against the Gators at 2 p.m. on South Turf Field before it goes on the road Sunday to face national perennial powerhouse in William Smith College in Geneva, NY. The Herons are ranked No. 2 in the country in the first United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.
 
"Because we have a tough schedule, it sets us up for SUNYAC games so much better and we're not worried about having to face adversity in the first week of league play," added Wellinger. "We'll face it in non-league and go from there."

Season Preview featuring Laney Schmitz & Hannah Wellinger



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