SUNY New Paltz Athletics

In response to requests from the New Paltz Teacher’s College student body, Dr. Loren Campbell, Chair of Physical Education and Athletic Director, inaugurated a men’s soccer team, beginning in the fall of 1958. Dr. Charles P. Wolbers, a new member of the physical education faculty, was named as the first coach of the team. Soccer, in addition to men’s tennis and men's basketball, was one of the men's teams that Dr. Wolbers would coach at New Paltz.
 
The first team in 1958 was composed of men with great enthusiasm but limited soccer experience. Members of that first team were: Eric Anderson, Jim Barr, C. Clark, C. Creighton, Milo Dalbey, R. Gutierrez, Harvey Henry, George LaFrance, William Mason,Samuel Mungo, William Perelli, Anthony Potts (Captain), Marty Wilde, J. Wright, Lou Mosconi.
 
Fall 1961 saw a young, energetic soccer coach join the New Paltz faculty. Al Miller had been a standout player at East Stroudsburg State College, achieving All American status. After winning just two games in 1961, Miller would develop a soccer team that quickly rose to the top echelon of regional collegiate soccer. After 1961, his teams would never have a losing season and were always contenders within NYSIAC/SUNYAC. The 1963 team was the first men’s team to be invited to an NCAA College Division Tournament. The 1965 team were SUNYAC champions, with a perfect 6-0 record, and went on to win the 1965 NCAA College Division Atlantic Coast Championship. He was a tough taskmaster to his players, but this paid off not only with wins and losses but with honors accorded to his players. During his six year tenure, 17 players were named All SUNYAC, 13 were named All New York State, and five named to the All American team. Attending a home soccer game became the “in” thing to do for New Paltz students and townsfolk; weekday game crowds regularly numbered over 1,000 and many Saturday games saw crowds in excess of 2,000.
 
Coach Miller left New Paltz after the 1966 season, going on to continue to build an outstanding career in the college, professional and national team ranks. He was inducted into the US National Soccer Hall of Fame, and the athletic hall of fame of SUNY New Paltz, Hartwick College and East Stroudsburg University.
 
Stepping in as coach was Robert Durkin, long time assistant at New Paltz. Durkin worked hard to maintain the level of excellence New Paltz had become known for. In 1970, Durkin and the Hawks had the finest season in New Paltz soccer history, finishing with a still record 14-5-1 mark. The 1970 Hawks won the NAIA Regional Championship, which earned them a ticket to the NAIA National Championship. The Hawks acquitted themselves well, reaching the national semifinals and finishing fourth in the national tournament. Coach Durkin mentored 16 All SUNYAC selections, 10 All NYS picks and three All Americans.
 
However, the 1970’s were turbulent times on college campuses and student support for athletics was waning. This was certainly true at New Paltz, where successive student governments, who controlled athletic funding, withdrew financial support to the point where several sports were eliminated and the remaining sports existed with barely marginal support. Travel, recruitment, games administration, equipment, and even coaches salaries all suffered. Unable to continue to maintain a program of excellence, Coach Durkin resigned as soccer coach at the end of the 1973 season.
 
The 1974 and 1975 saw two different coaches of New Paltz men’s soccer. Continuity was achieved in 1976 with the arrival of physical education professor and soccer coach Dr. Roland Hess. Leaving SUNYAC in 1976 and joining the more regionally based Central Atlantic Athletic Conference from 1977 until 1985, the Hess coached Hawks were able to achieve respectability on the pitch, finishing second in the CACC three times.
 
The Hawks returned to SUNYAC play in 1985 and have been under the leadership of six different coaches in the ensuing 37 years. During this time, New Paltz has achieved uneven success. Coach John Barrett did not find success in SUNYAC in 1985 but did produce two All SUNYAC selections. Coach Art Goon (1986-1991)led his 1987 and 1988 teams to two of the best season records in Hawk history; the 1987 team appeared in their first SUNYAC Tournament and lost in the finals of the ECAC Division III Metro NY/NJ Tournament and coaching 21 players to All SUNYAC honors. Coach Stuart Robinson (1992-2006) led the 1997 team to 11 wins and a place in the ECAC Division III Metro NY/NJ Tournament. His 2003 and 2004 teams earned spots in the SUNYAC Tournament, with the 2004 team recording 12 wins. Robinson twice earned SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors while mentoring 38 players to All SUNYAC honors, including the SUNYAC Player of the Year in 2003. Eric Watson assumed the head coach spot from 2007-2011 leading 10 players to ALL SUNYAC hours and earning SUNYAC Coach of the Year recognition. Legendary Hawk Eugene Ventriglia (2012-2015) next led the Hawks to two SUNYAC Tournament appearances in 2011 and 2012, with 10 All SUNYAC selections. Upon Ventriglia’s retirement at the end of the 2015 season, Kyle Clancy was named head coach. Clancy, as of May 2022, has led the Hawks to three winning seasons in five years, with the 2018, 2019, 2021 teams seeing action in the SUNYAC Tournament. The 2021 team also finished second in the overall SUNYAC standings, the highest ranking since the 1965 team finished first in the conference. Clancy has guided 11 Hawks to All SUNYAC honors, including the 2018 SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year and the 2021 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year.

              (Missing three games)