Courtesy of New Paltz Sports Information Department

This summer the SUNY New Paltz Athletic Communications office underwent some changes to their staff. Monica D'Ippolito is set to join the staff in early-August as the Athletic Communications Director, Riley Damerell joined the staff as the Assistant Sports Information Director in late July and R.J. Rosarejoined as the Athletic Communications Assistant.
 
D'Ippolito is a 2014 graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh where she graduated with a degree in journalism and was the goalkeeper for the women's soccer team. She has worked for The Baltimore Sun the past two years covering high school sports and believes her background as a journalist will contribute to the success of the department.
 
"I am hoping to make an immediate impact to the department," said D'Ippolito. "I will bring a different perspective and also am planning on incorporating everyone's ideas into what we have to accomplish."
 
Damerell is a 2017 graduate of SUNY Purchase where he graduated with a BA in journalism. He also played volleyball and tennis throughout his college career as well working in the Sports Information department.
 
"My freshman year the Sports Information Director, Bobby Ciafardini, really took me under his wing," said Damerell. "I eventually got more involved with stat keeping and working on the website, which is what I winded up doing throughout my time at Purchase."
 
Damerell wanted to stay involved with sports information post-graduation and jumped all over the idea of working at New Paltz after being referenced to the job from his volleyball coach, Christopher Husmann '16.
 
R.J. Rosa graduated from New Paltz in 2016 with a degree in visual arts while playing on the men's basketball team. Rosa transferred to New Paltz in 2013 and after only three seasons finished third all-time in the school record books for career steals. Rosa joined the athletic staff after graduation and returns again in 2017 as the Athletic Communications Assistant. He was also a part of the search committee for the Athletic Communications Director position.
 
"It was great learning process to be a part of the search committee," said Rosa. "It was cool to see the hiring process from the other side as not many people are able to help hire their own supervisor."
 
With the two new hires, Rosa is excited for the future of the department.
 
Rosa said, "As a department, we are evolving with the technology and as a young office that gives us an advantage over other departments."
 
Director of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation, Stuart Robinson, is excited for what the new staff has to offer.
 
"Given the rapidly changing world of communication and the platforms to tell a story, I am extremely excited about the staff that we have assembled," said Robinson. "Creative, talented and insightful, these three SUNY graduates, will help our department meet the constantly changing platforms of communication which clearly benefit the accomplishments of our students. I look forward to working with each of them."