SUNYAC CHAMPIONS!

For the first time its history, the New Paltz women’s soccer team (13-5-2) won the State University of New York Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament, defeating top-seeded SUNY Cortland (12-5-2), 1-0, in the tournament final in Cortland. The victorious Hawks also claimed their first-ever berth into the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament, as they earned the league’s automatic-qualifying bid by virtue of winning the conference tournament.

The team headed to Lynchburg, Va., the weekend of Nov. 12 for the first round of the 2011 NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament. The team (14-5-3) beat Rowan University (14-5-0), 2-1, in overtime in a 2011 NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament second-round game. Read the full story here.

The Hawks advance on to the third round, where they will face top-ranked Messiah College (19-0-1) on either Friday, Nov. 18, or Saturday, Nov. 19, at a site and time to be determined.

In addition to winning her first-ever conference title, 15th-year head coach Colleen Bruley captured her 100th career win, becoming the first coach in the history of the program to accomplish that feat. Goalkeeper Stephanie Vega ’13 (Elementary Education/History) was named the Tournament MVP, while defender Shannon Cobb ’12 (Elementary Education), forward Samantha Abravanel ’13 (Secondary Education) and midfielder Emily Rokitowski ’13 (Sociology) joined Vega on the All-Tournament Team.

For more information on New Paltz athletics, visit www.nphawks.com.