James Magnuson starred on the State University of New York at New Paltz baseball team for three seasons, helping the Hawks to a playoff berth in 2018. Through his three seasons on the mound, Magnuson appeared in 31 games with five starts, pitching 58 1/3 innings with four wins for his career. The Northport, NY native graduated from SUNY New Paltz in May of 2019 with a degree in Biology.

Magnuson talked about his experience as a Hawk and why there is only one SUNY New Paltz. 

"New Paltz will always be my second home. From the moment I stepped on campus everyone was so inviting. I soon found out how tightly knit the whole community is. Living in Gage Hall allowed me to interact with a ton of great people, athletes and non-athletes alike. The athletic department always hosted great events to get all of the teams together like the annual kick-off barbecue and the end of the year awards ceremony. Even the athletes took initiative in getting all of the teams together with a formal in both the fall and spring semesters.

Another special thing about going to school at New Paltz is the town and surrounding area. There are so many great places to eat, shop, and just hangout in town. If you venture only a few minutes out of town there are unbelievable hikes, waterfalls, and lakes to go to. The Shawangunk Ridge is a staple in New Paltz and being able to see it from most parts of campus gives us 'the best view in the SUNYAC.'"

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