With the end of the 2011-12 school year approaching, SUNY New Paltz Athletics remains fourth out of 10 schools in the 2011-12 SUNYAC Commissioners Cup standings.
The Hawks currently hold a score of 6.77, trailing SUNYAC rivals SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Cortland and SUNY Oneonta.
Standings are compiled using a point system determined by the 20 different conference sports in the fall, winter and spring. Points are awarded based on how well a team does within the conference and the championship tournament.
All New Paltz teams qualified for their respective tournaments, with three New Paltz teams in the fall making it to their championship games. Women’s
Volleyball and Tennis fell to Cortland and Geneseo respectively. Women’s Soccer won the conference title after beating Cortland by a score of 1-0.
Tennis Head Coach Robert Bruley said the main challenge of competing in a strong SUNYAC conference is having the necessary team power to achieve the desired wins needed. He said there are struggles to gain the tennis athletes needed to play at the Div. III level when most are looking at Div. I and Div. III institutions both for academics and athletics.
However, Bruley said he has the utmost confidence in his team and they are willing to take on challenges in order to reach their goal of a SUNYAC title.
“We have a very strong Women’s Tennis team who rise to strong competition and will be challenging for the conference championships,” Bruley said.
Women’s Soccer finished their 2011 campaign with their first ever SUNYAC title and a trip to the NCAA Div. III tournament, where they defeated both Lynchburg College and Rowan University. The Lady Hawks eventually lost against Tournament Champion Messiah College.
Aside from the team’s skill, Head Coach Colleen Bruley made sure the eight veterans let incoming players know they were welcome and they would be accepted not only as teammates, but family as well.
“I knew we had the talent to succeed, but we needed to come together as a team in order for us to win,” Colleen Bruley said. “We used preseason as a way to come together as a family and bond.”
For future seasons, Colleen Bruley said she believes if the team continues to play with confidence and cohesiveness, they will be successful. While the team is graduating two players, she said it will not be detrimental to the team’s play come next season.
“I am expecting that if we play with confidence, and continue to be a cohesive team, then we will continue our success,” Colleen Bruley said.