New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz Athletics, Wellness and Recreation, in conjunction with the Office of Alumni Relations, has announced the SUNY New Paltz Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022. Comprising the Hall of Fame's 21st induction class are former student-athlete, athletic administrator and coach Alan Dunefsky, Dani Ackerman '16 (field hockey), Becca Borquist '16 (women's volleyball), Robert Jones '01 (men's basketball), Lauren Motzkin '08 (softball/basketball) and Christian Smith '16 (men's volleyball).
 
The annual induction ceremony and dinner will be held Oct. 1 on the campus of SUNY New Paltz. More details to follow.
 
To view the past Hall of Fame members, click here. To read more about each Class of 2022 inductee continue reading below:

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Alan Dunefsky - Class of 1969, 1991 
Student Athlete, Athletic Administrator, Coach
 
Alan Dunefsky can easily be called "Mr. New Paltz" for his more than 50-year association with SUNY New Paltz. Beginning as a student athlete in both tennis and volleyball, he continued his involvement in athletics by serving in a variety of capacities within the Department of Athletics, including as Director of Intramurals and Recreation. Most significantly was his dedication to the development of women's intercollegiate athletics at SUNY New Paltz. As coach of women's volleyball and softball, Dunefsky nurtured both programs to sustained respectability and success in both the NYSWCAA and SUNYAC. Dunefsky's volleyball team appeared in six NYSWCAA post season tournaments as well as one SUNYAC tournament. His softball teams earned five trips to the NYSWCAA tournament and three trips to the SUNYAC tournament. His 1988 softball team was the first SUNY New Paltz women's team in any sport to earn a postseason championship — as the NYSWCAA softball champions with the team earning induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. His players in both sports earned numerous postseason accolades, but most importantly as graduates they have gone on to successful and fulfilling careers in business, education, medicine, public service and more.


Dani Ackerman - Class of 2016
Student-Athlete - Field Hockey
 
Dani Ackerman never missed a field hockey game in her four-year career. She started in all 88 of them. She dominated at midfield for the Hawks. She was the leader of the Hawks most successful four-year period thus far, with a 61-27 overall record against the region's top teams and an 18-6 record in SUNYAC. She was instrumental in the New Paltz domination in the SUNYAC Championship tournament, winning the title in each of her four seasons. Add to that four straight NCAA DIII tournament appearances, including two second round appearances. 
 
Displaying a work ethic any coach would envy, Ackerman earned team MVP honors twice (20124, 2015). She was a three-time All-SUNYAC selection, twice to the first team and was the 2015 SUNYAC Player of the Year. She was named to the SUNYAC All-Tournament team twice, earning MVP honors in 2015. Ackerman was a two-time NFHCA DIII All-Northeast Region First Team selection (2014, 2015) and was named Second Team NFHCSA DIII All-American twice (2014, 2015). She capped off her outstanding career by being selected to the NFHCA DIII Senior All-Star game. She stands in the top five in program history with 39 career goals, 20 assists and 98 points.
 
Paralleling her on field accomplishments were those in the classroom. Ackerman was a four-time SUNYAC Commissioner's List selection, a four-time NFHCA All-Academic selection and CoSIDA Academic All-District and Third Team CoSIDA Academic All-American.


Becca Borquist - Class of 2016
Student-Athlete - Women's Volleyball
 
After an outstanding scholastic career at Rhinebeck High School, Becca Borquist crossed the Hudson River and etched her name into the record books of SUNY New Paltz athletics. A four-year player, Borquist started 147 of 149 matches for the Hawks at the outside hitter position. When she graduated in 2016, she was the most decorated women's volleyball player to date. Borquist led SUNY New Paltz to two SUNYAC semifinals, one SUNYAC final, one SUNYAC Championship and two NCAA DIII tournament appearances. 
 
In that time Broquist was named an All-SUNYAC selection four times, once to the second team and three times to the first team. She followed up her SUNYAC Rookie of the Year honor by being named the SUNYAC Player of the Year in 2014 and Co-Player of the Year in 2015.
Borquist earned ECAC DIII Metro/Upstate First team honors twice. She was named AVCA All-Northeast Region First team three times and was the first SUNY New Paltz women's volleyball player to earn AVCA All-American honors three consecutive years. She earned all-tournament honors at 10 in-season tournaments and was named MVP twice. Borquist was named to the NCAA DIII Regional All-Tournament team in 2013. She was named SUNYAC Women's Volleyball Player of the Week six times in her career, along with two ECAC DIII Metro/Upstate Player of the Week honors.
 
Not only outstanding on the court, Borquist excelled in the classroom, being a four-time SUNYAC Commissioner's List selection and a three-time CoSIDA/Capital One All-Region pick and a third team CoSIDA/Capital One All-American choice.


Robert Jones - Class of 2001
Student-Athlete, Basketball Coach
 
Robert Jones was a four-year player for the SUNY New Paltz men's basketball team, playing in 100 of 102 games for the Hawks at power forward. He led the team in rebounding all four years and was the top scorer in his junior and senior year. He scored 1,321 points for ninth on the all-time scoring list; his 875 rebounds rank him second all-time and his 140 blocks are first all-time for the Hawks. He was a three-time All-SUNYAC selection, twice as honorable mention and once as first team. 
 
Jones continued his basketball career after graduation, as an assistant DIII coach at Bard College and at SUNY New Paltz before becoming head coach of Long Island Catholic high school power, St, Mary's High School. He led the Gaels to a 32-15 record in NYS' highly competitive Class AA. In 2007 he joined the coaching staff at Norfolk State University as an assistant; was promoted to associate head coach, then interim head coach before becoming the permanent head coach in 2014. Since that time, he has led the Spartans to a 166-126 record, fifth highest among active Division I coaches. Jones' 104-32 MEAC record lands him fifth in the nation among Division I coaches with at least 100 conference wins. His teams have appeared in the MEAC finals seven times and have won the MEAC regular season title twice and the MEAC tournament twice, earning NCAA DI tournament berths in 2021 and 2022. His 2019 team earned the Spartan's first postseason invitation to the NIT, where they knocked off SEC member Alabama at Alabama.

 
Jones, the author of several publications and books on basketball strategy, has been honored as MEAC Coach of the Year (2019, 2002), Skip Prosser Man of the Year (2019), HBCU College Coach of the Year (2021), Hugh Durham Award (2022), NABC District 15 Coach of the Year (2019), MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Coach ((2021) and was named head coach of Team McLendon at the 2022 inaugural HBCU All Star Game.
 

Lauren Motzkin - Class of 2008
Student Athlete - Softball 
 
Lauren Motzkin is the most honored SUNY New Paltz softball player to date. She was named a team MVP three times and earned All-SUNYAC First Team honors as a junior and senior at both the catcher and utility player position. As a senior, Motzkin was named a First Team NFCA All-Northeast selection. Based on the honor, she was named to the NFCA All-America Third Team, the first and still only Hawk in program history to earn this accolade. 
 
Motzkin led the Hawks to two consecutive SUNYAC championship tournament appearances in 2007 and 2008, and currently holds first place for career at bats (476), hits (171) and doubles (38) in program history. In her senior season, Motzkin appeared in all 43 games, batting .397 with a .992 fielding average and led the team in hits (58), doubles (15) and stolen bases (13 for 13).
 

Christian Smith - Class of 2016
Student-Athlete - Men's Volleyball