NEW PALTZ, NY — Kathryn MacCrate (East Setauket, NY), a former diver at SUNY New Paltz, was recently the recipient of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Award of Valor.
MacCrate received the award at the league’s annual athletic awards banquet in Canandaigua, NY on May 11. The SUNYAC Award of Valor honors a student-athlete for his or her ability to overcome an obstacle or life-altering event through perseverance, dedication and determination while serving as an inspiration for others.
As a senior in 2003, MacCrate captured a SUNYAC Championship in the one-meter diving competition just three months after her father’s death. MacCrate spent a portion of the season with her family in Long Island while still attending classes and training for the upcoming season. The stress of the months leading up to and following her father’s death took its toll on MacCrate. She had only competed in one of the Hawks’ eight meets leading up to the SUNYAC Championship in February and even considered skipping the meet. But MacCrate, a four-year diver at SUNY New Paltz, found the desire to rejoin the team and dedicated the remainder of her season to her late father.
She competed in a meet against Cortland two weeks prior to the start of the conference championship and finished more than 11 points behind the Red Dragons Amy Sislo on the one- meter diving board. Despite finishing second, the meet allowed MacCrate to work her way back against one of the top divers in the conference. Sislo, the reigning SUNYAC Champion on both the one and three meter boards, was gearing up to defend both of her titles.
Two weeks later at the SUNYAC Championship, it was MacCrate’s turn to shine. MacCrate, who finished third in the one-meter competition in 2002, registered a score of 336.35 on her third and final dive to better the score of 323.15 by Sislo.
MacCrate joined All-American and SUNY New Paltz Athletic Hall of Fame member Karen Adams as the only female divers in the history of the program to win a SUNYAC Championship.
MacCrate’s story is an inspiration that displayed her character and ability to persevere during a tragic time in her life. She made the decision to dedicate herself to her diving despite going through one of the most difficult times in her life.
