New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) announced Wednesday the conference coach's preseason poll for the East and West SUNYAC Division. SUNY New Paltz was named No.1 of the East Division, being favored over defending 2019 champions SUNY Cortland.
 
The Hawks are two years removed from a historic 2019 season where they won the most games ever in program history and earned a spot in the SUNYAC postseason. While there, they earned a win over Catskill Cup rival SUNY Oneonta, before falling to SUNY Geneseo and Oswego State in the second round of double elimination to end their hopes of their first SUNYAC title. 
The SUNYAC recently announced its plan for a spring sports schedule. To limit travel, the conference was divided into an East and West division, with teams playing double-headers of a home-and-home series against teams within their division. The top two teams in each division will secure a spot in the SUNYAC Tournament and will compete in a best-of-three series in the semifinal and championship rounds.
 
In the East Division SUNY New Paltz is accompanied by both Red Dragons programs, SUNY Cortland and SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Plattsburgh and SUNY Potsdam. The West Division is comprised of SUNY Geneseo, Fredonia State, Buffalo State, The College at Brockport and Oswego State.
 
The Knights, like the Hawks in the East, were voted as the top team to come out of the West Division by the SUNYAC coaches. SUNY Geneseo most recently won a SUNYAC title in 2018 and in 2019 made a NCAA Super Regional appearance. 
 
SUNY New Paltz opens up its 2021 SUNYAC campaign April 7 on the road against SUNY Cortland. To read more about their conference schedule click here.
 
To read the full SUNYAC softball coaches preseason poll release, click here.

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