As the State University of New York New Paltz men's lacrosse program enters its seventh year of play, new interim head coach Kroy Arnold steps into a program returning seven of 10 starters, five of which were first-year players, as the program embarks on building a foundation of New Paltz Men's Lacrosse. 
 
While the Hawks return the bulk of 2025's roster, gone are three key players who led the team in goals, assists and total points. It will be Arnold's effort to quickly develop a very young team with only nine upperclassmen into a competitive group that can match last season 6-11 overall and 3-4 SUNYAC mark, both second best in Hawks history.
 
"I think the guys have responded well to the coaching change and all the adversity we've faced," said SUNY New Paltz men's lacrosse junior defenseman and co-captain Aidan Harrington. "To be honest, it's brought us a lot closer as a group. We've kind of embraced it, taking it on the chin a little bit and we're just going to keep rolling with the punches here. We've just embraced each other, and I think it's just made us closer than before. We're ready to go. It's a tough schedule, but we're just trying to take everything game by game, practice by practice, just one day at a time."
 
Three sophomores will lead SUNY New Paltz's attack guided from an experienced offensive coordinator in Arnold. Finn Smith (Syracuse, NY/Thomas J. Corcoran HS) started all 17 games, scoring 14 goals, with one a game-winner, while adding 18 assists, 32 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers last season. Killian Yomber (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills HS) started 15 of 15 games and finished with 13 goals, 10 assists, 23 ground balls and five caused turnovers. Michael Plante (Troy, NY/Tamarac HS) started 13 of 16 games, scoring 13 goals, one a game-winner, with one assist, 22 ground balls and seven caused turnovers. Also, with experience from their first year in 2024 are sophomores Jack McLaughlin (Amherst, NY/Amherst HS) and Sean Hoolan (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West HS). McLaughlin coming back from a season-ending injury last season, is primed for a heavier workload as he'll see time at both midfield and attack.

 
 
"We're really proud in the way our [sophomore] class has come along," said Hawks senior defenseman and co-captain Owen Craker. "Each day you can see their maturity grow and grow. It's not just us as the seniors or juniors, but us collectively as a group who have a voice and working toward the same goal. So, for them to be so many in numbers and also growing not only just in talent and skill wise, but maturity is really going to take us to the next level."
 
Rounding out the attacking line are freshmen Gavin Vendy (Middletown, NY/Pine Bush, HS), Michael Barbieri (Bohemia, NY/Connequot HS) and Blake Hayden (Northport, NHY/Northort HS). Vendy is the most experienced of the newcomers, playing as a three-year starter at Pine Bush, he helped lead the Bushmen to an undefeated divisional season in 2024 and to the 2025 Section IX, Class A finals. His career stats include 62 goals and 24 assists. Both Barbieri and Hayden (Northport, NHY/Northport HS) come from perennial Suffolk County playoff contenders with Hayden likely seeing more time on the midfield line.
 
The midfield unit will star senior Colin Cleary, junior Nate Urban and sophomores Nick Darcnegelo and Blake Lyons to lead the offense. Cleary (Centereach, NY/Centereach HS) started two of 17 games, with eight goals —two game winners — with 38 ground balls and four caused turnovers. Darcangelo (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs HS) started 11 of 17 games at midfield a year ago, contributing 14 goals and four assists, while Lyons (Carle Place, NY/Carle Place HS) saw action in all 17 games, adding 18 goals, one game winner, along with 21 ground balls and seven caused turnovers. Urban (Massapequa Park, NY/Massapequa HS) returns after a year's absence but has all the tools to make an immediate impact this spring.
Luke Walters (Staten Island, NY/Susan E. Wagner HS) leads the group defensively, as he has quietly progressed into one of the team's most consistent players and No. 1 defensive midfielder. He played in all 17 games a season ago, contributing 21 ground balls and six caused turnovers. Senior Brandon Ortiz (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa HS) will contribute on both ends of the field despite battling through a couple injuries, appeared in 10 games and added seven ground balls and two caused turnovers. Adding depth will be sophomore Riley Nelson (Scituate, RI/Ponaganset HS) and two first-year midfielders in Ayden Aulet (Valley Cottage, NY/Nyack HS) and Gavin Conroy (New York, NY/NYC Museum School). Conroy, who played scholastic lacrosse for Stuyvesant High School, had 25 goals, eight assists and 215 ground balls in his Pegleg career. Aulet will also be featured as a face off specialist for SUNY New Paltz this season.
 
The Hawks' top long stick midfielder is senior Sean Cassidy (Port Washington, NY/Paul D. Schreiber HS) who will play heavy minutes this season and looks to contribute on the wings as well during faceoffs. Last season, Cassidy played in all 17 games, was sixth on the team in ground balls (26), while also adding six caused turnovers and a shot on goal in 2025. Joining him at LSM is junior Christian O'Connor (Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford HS) who has also battled through injury throughout his career. He played in 10 games a season ago and contributed three ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Arguably SUNY New Paltz's strongest unit is defense, backed by a deep goalie room.  
 
Standing between midfield and goal are four defenders who saw significant time in all 17 games. Sophomores Yasin Tabatabaee (Green Township, NJ/Newton HS) and Drew Hulede (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes HS) collectively started 33 of 34 games; Tabatabaee contributed one goal with 11 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers; Hulede added one assist with 21 ground balls and led the team with 15 caused turnovers. 
 
Leadership is provided by captains Harrington (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls HS) and Craker (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst HS). Harrington started 14 games with 22 ground balls and five caused turnovers, while Craker added 13 ground balls and four caused turnovers. Hoping to earn some playing time as a freshman is Sam Wilbert (Sayville, NY/Sayville HS).
 
"I think through these four years there's definitely been lots of ups and downs," Craker said. "Personally, just injury wise and coaching changes but this year especially it's been great to see everyone come together and prepare amongst each other and not just individually come prepared. We've been huge throughout the offseason just working together, always being in the gym together, lifting together, all of these different things and grow not only personally but as a group and ultimately take that to the field."
 
 
Guarding the goal is a talented group, led by incumbent in sophomore Zach Novak (Bethlehem, NY/Bethlehem Central HS) who started all 17 games, with 781.45 minutes between the pipes for a 1.28 goals-against-average and a .487 save percentage, and a 6-11 record. Sophomore Eric Waldron (Wappingers Falls, NHY/Roy C. Ketcham HS) saw action in 10 games with 220.59 minutes played, registering a 14.93 goals-against-average and a .518 save percentage. Two impressive newcomers join the ranks in freshmen Ryan Hilbert (East Islip, NY/East Islip HS) and Jacob Kenny (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison HS). Hilbert aided East Islip to two consecutive Section IX, Class B finals, while Kenny was a four-year starter for the Knights with a career 5.40 goals against average and 12.49 saves per game average.
 
The Hawks feature two returning face-off specialists in sophomore Ryan O'Hara (Oakdale, NY/Connetquot HS) and junior Brendon Lloyd (Selden, NY/Newfield HS). O'Hara saw action in 10 games before suffering an injury midway through the year and was 86-for-160 with a .580 face off percentage, while Lloyd saw action in seven games.
 
"This year I think we kind of nailed down just being very process oriented," Harrington said. "One day oriented. I'm not really trying to look at playoffs or SUNYAC Championship or any of that. I'm trying to look at what we're going to do today. It's just day-by-day, practice-by-practice, game-by-game and I think we've all just embraced that this year, just controlling what we can control."
 
SUNY New Paltz's 16-game schedule features 10 opponents that saw postseason action a year ago; three were conference champions and three earned spots in the NCAA DIII tournament, which will be the program's toughest slate to date.
 
"Coach has really preached day-by-day and trust the process and the wins and playoff berth will come as we work towards it," Craker said. "As long as we work and do what we need to do — we're working toward being the best us possible. As long as we're the best us, we'll compete with anyone out there."
 
The Hawks open the season on the road on Saturday against the Privateers of SUNY Maritime College, before opening their home season on North Turf Field Feb. 28 hosting future NJAC foe Kean University. SUNY New Paltz begins its final SUNYAC competition on the road on March 28 at SUNY Plattsburgh before concluding the regular and SUNYAC season April 25, hosting SUNY Morrisville. The first round of the SUNYAC men's lacrosse tournament begins on Wednesday, April 29.

Season Preview featuring Aidan Harrington & Owen Craker


 

************** 
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.