CORTLAND, N.Y. - New Paltz came out on top of the 2019 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) field hockey preseason poll with 33 total votes. Geneseo came in at second with 29 votes, and Cortland right behind them with 28.
New Paltz put together a championship season in 2018 with an overall record of 12-8 under head coach Shanna Szablinski. Szablinski was named the Coach of the Year after her team defeated Cortland, 3-2, for the title last season. New Paltz now has five field hockey championships to its name. Returning from last season, Jessica Ascencao (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) was selected to the 2018 All-Conference first team after putting up 12 goals on the season. Ascencao was also last season's Rookie of the Year.
Geneseo ended the 2018 regular season ranked No. 4 with a 4-2 record. The Knights ended their season in the SUNYAC semifinals losing to New Paltz, 3-2. Under new head coach, Margaret McConnell, Geneseo went 9-7 overall in 2018. This season, the Knights will look to clinch their third SUNYAC title overall and first since 2016. Julia Kim (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) returns for her senior season with the Knights after being name the 2018 SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Cortland went into the SUNYAC championship ranked third and ended its season in the championship game, losing to New Paltz. Head Coach Tiffany Hubbard and her team led the conference on offensive in 2018 averaging 3.4 goals a game. Cortland also led the conference in total goals on the season with 64. Jess Gibaldi was named the 2018 Offensive Player of the Year as a senior for the Red Dragons.
2019 SUNYAC Women's Field Hockey Preseaon Poll
1. New Paltz, 33
2. Geneseo, 29
3. Cortland, 28
4. Oneonta, 23
5. Brockport, 15
6. Oswego, 13
7. Morrisville, 6
