NEW PALTZ, NY — SUNY New Paltz Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Matt Giufre has been named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Coach of the Year and four members of the women’s volleyball team have earned all-league accolades.
In his third season, Giufre directed the Hawks to a second place finish in the Eastern Division of the SUNYAC. The Hawks were 7-3 in conference play, are 27-10 overall and have been ranked as high as sixth in the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA) poll. The Hawks have equaled the program’s highest win total since 1999 and qualified for the NYSWCAA Tournament for the first time in five years.
Junior outside hitter Andrea Kaiser (Blue Point, NY) earned all league recognition for the first time in her career. Kaiser was named to the First Team after averaging a team-best 3.2 kills per game. Kaiser also averaged 2.6 digs per game and had a .254 hitting percentage. She was named the SUNYAC Player of the Week on September 19 and was an All-NYWSCAA Honorable Mention selection as well.
For the second consecutive year, junior middle hitter Christina Mazurowski (Tonawanda, NY) was a First Team selection. Mazurowski was second in the SUNYAC in blocks (143, 1.3 ppg.) and hitting percentage (.299).
Junior outside hitter Kelly Long (Endwell, NY) was honored by the conference for the first time in her career and was selected to the Second Team. Long’s contributions came on the defensive side of court where she averaged a team-best 2.8 digs per game.
Freshman Kate Becofsky (Altamont, NY) was named the SUNYAC Eastern Division Rookie of the Year. Becofsky made an immediate impact as the team’s starting setter and averaged 9.0 assists per game. With 920 assists, Becofsky has recorded the highest single-season assist total by a Hawks setter since Lisette Banegas registered 1,215 in 1996. Becofsky directed the Hawks’ offense to a .248 hitting percentage. Only Cortland and Geneseo had higher hitting percentages in the SUNYAC.
SUNY New Paltz will hope to earn an invitation to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Upstate New York Tournament. The field for the tournament will be announced on Monday (Nov. 8).
