SUNY New Paltz Cross Country 2024 Season Preview - SUNY New Paltz Athletics (2024)

New Paltz, NY — While the leaves on the trees have yet to turn into a myriad of colors, the opening of the fall academic year marks the start for the State University of New York New Paltz men's and women's cross country season. Under the guidance of third year coach Thomas Hartnett, the Hawks begin their 67th year of competition on the men's side, while the women celebrate 40 years of at SUNY New Paltz.

Hartnett's harriers will be looking to improve upon their respective finishes of 2023. While the men finished eighth of ten teams in the SUNYAC Championship and the women placed seventh of eight teams in the conference meet, both teams turned in their best performances of the year two weeks later at the NCAA DIII Mideast Regional Championship. The men all recorded season best times over the 8K course, finishing a respectable 16th of 25 teams. For the women, running on Westfield State's 6K course, all turned in season best times and finished also with a respectable 19th place among the meet's 24 teams.

Keying toward those season finales, both teams will look to five, perhaps six, invitational meets to prepare for both championship competitions. Beginning with the Vassar College Season Starter, the Hawks will compete in the New Paltz Invitational, the Ron Stonitsch Invitational at Vassar, the Fred Pavlich Invitational hosted by Bard College and travel to Rowan University for the Border Battles Invitational.
"We're really excited. We've worked really hard during preseason, "said SUNY New Paltz senior captain Mikayla Cecora. "Our opener is on Friday, so we're really excited."

The Hawks return five of eight runners from a year ago on the men's side, led by senior Oliver Melara-Perez (Port Washington, NY/Nassau CC/Paul D. Schreiber HS) who was the team's top finisher at the SUNYAC meet at 40th place. His best season 8k time of 25:58.0 was run at the NCAA DIII Mideast Regional. Junior Gavin Bowers (Endicott, NY/Owego Free Academy) finished 46th at the SUNYAC meet and had a season best time of 27:00.9 at the Mideast Regional. Senior Vincent Mandraccia (Rye, NY/Rye HS) placed 58th at the SUNYAC meet and also nailed his season best time of 28:02.7 at the Mideast Regional. Sophom*ores Brandon Gardner (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta HS) and Aiden Hesseltine (Saranac Lake, NY/Saranac Lake HS) finished 79th and 93rd respectively at the SUNYAC meet, with season best times of 28:32.2 and 30:42.5 respectively at the NCAA DIII Mideast Regional championship.

Two transfer students join the squad in sophom*ores Evan Miller (Canandaigua, NY/SUNY Morrisvlle/Honeoye Central) and Anthony Willis (New York, NY/Manhattanville
University/HS for Environmental Studies Each have the potential to score important points for the SUNY New Paltz men in 2024.

For the women, they return seven of eight runners from 2023, led by junior Lillian Stephenson (Cornwall, NY/Cornwall Central HS). Stephenson had an immediate impact when she first arrived at SUNY New Paltzin 2022 and saw her finish 25th in last year'sSUNYAC championship with a season's best time of 23:49.8 over the 6k NCAA DIII Mideast Regional course at Westfield State.

Behind Stephenson is strong depth that the Hawks haven't seen in quite some time, boasting 15 on the roster with eight fighting for spots in the regional meet.

"Having a bigger team this year, we have more people practicing so we have more people to stay with, more packs and it just motivates us more to keep going," Cecora said. "I think since they're less spots as we get towards championships season that will really motivate us to push ourselves and see where we can go from there.

Cecora, who captains the Hawks for the second consecutive year, will finish her career with the Hawks this fall. Last season, she ran a personal best of 25.43.4 at the Mideast Regional meet after crossing 67th overall at the SUNYAC meet two weeks prior. She also secured her best time in the 4K last season, running a 18:23.9 at the Oneonta Airfield Invitational earlier in the year.

Marcella Candlin (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties HS) returns for her senior season. She improved to 28th in the SUNYAC meet and had a season best and team best time of 22:54.9 in the Mideast Regional. Finishing 56th a year ago at the SUNYAC meet was Mackenzie Barcomb (Guilderland, NY/Guidlerland HS) who turned in a 25:09.3 time at the Mideast Regional. Junior Crystal Rustami (Syosset, NY/Syosset HS) took 63rd place at the SUNYAC meet and has a season best time of 25:06.8 at the Mideast Regional. Senior Allison English, 66th in the SUNYAC championship, was another runner with a season best at the Mideast Regional, finishing in 26:32.0. Senior Jazmyne Daily-Simpson finished 77th at the SUNYAC meet, with a season best 26:51.8 at the Mideast Regional. Sophom*ore Alice Adamo (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph Hill Academy) ran to an 81st place finish in her first SUNYAC meet, while turning in a season best 28:48.8 at the Bard Fred Pavlich Invitational. Returning after a year's absence is graduate student Hunter Larson (Newport Beach, CA/John A. Coleman HS). Larson finished 58th in the 2022 SUNYAC championship, with a season best time of 26:13.2, run at the Oneonta Airfield Invitational.

Hartnett brought in six newcomers. Joining the Hawks are first years Serafin Maier (Nyack, NY/Nyack HS) and Alexandra Swink (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy; sophom*ore transfers Sam Maendel (New York, NY/CCNY/The Mount Academy), Keira Whitaker (Forest Hills, NY/Wheaton College (MA)/Queens Metropolitan HS) and Orquidea Briceno (Brooklyn, NY/Manhattanville University/Fort Hamilton HS). Rounding out the newcomers is junior Ava Nargentino (Bethpage, NY/Bethpage HS). All bring serious scholastic and collegiate experience to New Paltz women's cross country.

"I think we're all on the same page. We want to win SUNYACs and place as high as we possibly can and do the best that we can, and I think we really can do that.

The Hawks are ready to open up their season Friday, competing in the annual Vassar Season Starter.

Season Preview Featuring Mikayla Cecora

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