NEW PALTZ, NY – The State University of New York New Paltz men's soccer team is set to compete in the 2026 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Men's Soccer Championship Tournament, beginning with the quarterfinal round Saturday, Oct. 31.
The Hawks have put together another strong campaign under head coach Kyle Clancy, compiling a 10-5-2 overall record and a 5-3-1 mark in their inaugural NJAC season. SUNY New Paltz has been particularly effective on its home turf, posting a 7-2-1 record on North Turf, including three conference victories.
SUNY New Paltz earned its first NJAC victory with a 2-1 decision over Rutgers-Camden, marking an early milestone in the program's new conference era.
Senior Ryan Zindler has spearheaded the Hawks' offensive efforts, recording a career-high 10 goals and four assists for a team-leading 24 points. Brandon Dhanoolal and Kieran Weber have provided additional firepower, each finding the back of the net eight times. Dhanoolal has also contributed seven assists, while Weber has added four.
Owen Joyce has played an integral role in the midfield, registering a goal and five assists, helping facilitate a balanced SUNY New Paltz attack that has seen 14 different players score throughout the season.
On the defensive end, first-year goalkeeper Austin Sheehan has anchored the Hawks, totaling 47 saves with a .710 save percentage during his debut campaign.
SUNY New Paltz has also earned recognition across the conference with several NJAC weekly honors. Zindler became the program's first NJAC Offensive Player of the Week, while senior captain Samuel Snider and first-year Chase Marshall earned Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors, respectively, during the same reporting period.
The Hawks secured their postseason berth with a 6-0 victory over Stockton on North Turf Oct. 24, earning a place in the conference tournament field. SUNY New Paltz will enter the postseason as the No. 5 seed and travel to fourth-seeded Rutgers-Newark for a 1 p.m. quarterfinal matchup Saturday, Oct. 31.
Montclair State secured the tournament's top seed after completing an unbeaten conference campaign, while two-time defending champion Rowan earned the No. 2 seed. Both programs will receive first-round byes.
Third-seeded TCNJ will host No. 6 Ramapo in the other quarterfinal matchup. The winner of SUNY New Paltz–Rutgers-Newark will advance to face top-seeded Montclair State, while the winner of TCNJ–Ramapo will take on Rowan in the semifinals Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Tickets for the NJAC Tournament are available exclusively online. For additional information, visit njacsports.com.
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