SUNYAC 2024

stlawus · February 28, 2024, 07:32:34 PM

We were still using the 2022 thread so I figure I'll make a fresh one. Looks like Oneonta has 2 players moving to the division I ranks. Rising 5th year John Bernardi and current sophomore Milton Mancias Magana have transferred to Manhattan College and are already on the spring rosters.

Kuiper · April 03, 2024, 12:32:19 PM

SUNY New Paltz just announced that it is initiating a 2 year process to leave the SUNYAC. The stated reasons seem potentially contradictory: (1) To enhance the profile and expand its athletic recruitment footprint, and (2) to reduce away game travel. I could definitely see conferences that allow for less travel, but will they at the same time provide enhanced profile and expanded athletic recruiting footprint? Maybe the Liberty League, but they would still have to travel to upstate and western NY. The only other fit I could see would be the NJAC, which I suppose expands its geographic footprint to New Jersey without making it travel quite as far as in the SUNYAC, but that would require the NJAC to accept a member from outside New Jersey.

https://nphawks.com/news/2024/4/3/general-suny-new-paltz-initiating-two-year-process-to-seek-a-new-athletic-conference.aspx

Quote"A conference change presents opportunities to enhance the profile and competitiveness of Hawks athletics programs at a time when our varsity teams are performing at historic levels," said Director of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation Renee Bostic. "The transition to a new conference will position SUNY New Paltz to expand its athletics recruitment footprint, as well as our overall institutional awareness, beyond our historical markets."

A major component of this plan will be to reduce away-game travel time for varsity teams. New Paltz athletes currently average four hours of transit time for road contests against SUNYAC teams, many of which take place at distant sites in western and northern New York.

Reducing that geographic distance will provide a better experience for athletes, by reducing the need for overnight stays and missed class time and enabling parents, friends and family to more easily travel to see them compete. It will also provide cost savings that can be reinvested into athletics and wellness programs that benefit all New Paltz students.

stlawus · April 03, 2024, 02:22:48 PM

From a travel perspective the Skyline would obviously make the most sense but that completely goes against the stated goal of trying to raise their profile and level of competitiveness as well as their recruitment footprint. Liberty League matches the academic and recruiting profile and there are more teams closer compared to the SUNYAC but you still have similar travel hauls. Doesn't seem like there is a very obvious destination here. Little East maybe, but the travel would still be a factor there.

Crossit4fun · April 26, 2024, 10:30:41 PM

NP has played a decent amount (~3/4) of non-conference matches versus the Liberty League. They also played a couple versus skyline last few years.
SUNYAC got weaker losing Brockport & Geneseo and adding weaker Canton & Morrisville. Highly unlikely they would go to a much higher profile conference.
I agree with you Liberty would fit that sentence but thats about it. Any other conference geography wise will be weaker, much weaker.

Crossit4fun · April 26, 2024, 10:35:17 PM

Quote from: stlawus on February 28, 2024, 07:32:34 PMWe were still using the 2022 thread so I figure I'll make a fresh one. Looks like Oneonta has 2 players moving to the division I ranks. Rising 5th year John Bernardi and current sophomore Milton Mancias Magana have transferred to Manhattan College and are already on the spring rosters.

New Paltz lost their best midfielder, 2022 top scorer, a rising Sr. to D1 Siena.

Crossit4fun · May 01, 2024, 04:32:06 PM

NP S/be 2022 and 2023 top scorer

Crossit4fun · June 08, 2024, 12:05:34 PM

Big changes in SUNYAC this year with the addition of Canton & Morrisville and Brockport & Geneseo left for the Empire 8.

Have to think the remaining members SOS will decrease and Conference ranking will suffer as well.

Cortland are the clear frontrunners and the battle for second place and a bye for the conference playoffs will come down to Oneonta, Buffalo, Platts and New Paltz. The sixth and last playoff slot is there for Oswego to grab.

With no Brockport and Oneonta losing two players as D1 transfers to Manhattan, the starting GK and another MF graduating / out of eligibility may open the door for Buff, NP or Platts to give Oneonta a run for 2nd place...

Oneonta is deep but they lost a lot of big game experience
Buff State lost their best Defender
NP lost their top scorer the last two years as a D1 transfer, three forwards graduated (two were starters) and rumor has it another MF left as well.
Platts returns their core with a starting MF graduating.
Oswego lost their top goal scorer and one of their better Defenders both graduated.

Kuiper · July 02, 2024, 11:16:34 AM

New Paltz joining the NJAC

https://x.com/njacsports/status/1808153404675613022?s=46&t=uXiupHZfR0TxrRyWF9BmRg

It was really the only conference that met the criteria geographically and competition-wise based on the stated goals, but is the first non-NJ school in that conference I believe

Crossit4fun · July 02, 2024, 05:59:27 PM

Thats a decent fit for New Paltz a slight step down in conference competition. NP should be in the 4th/5th place mix every year in that conference, third in really good year.

Crossit4fun · July 02, 2024, 06:01:01 PM

Thats a decent fit for New Paltz a slight step down in conference competition. NP should be in the 4th/5th place mix every year in that conference, third in really good year.

Ejay · July 05, 2024, 07:20:13 AM

The move is beneficial to the NJAC because it allows the league to maintain an NCAA automatic qualification in women's tennis, bolsters a newly sponsored sport of men's lacrosse (adding conference status in the NCAA requirements) and extends the NJAC's men's volleyball program to five schools (leaving it one shy of the NCAA AQ status).

Crossit4fun · July 05, 2024, 10:14:47 PM

All good points for the NJAC and conference participants.
Thank you for the info..

Ejay · July 06, 2024, 12:01:09 PM

Quote from: Ejay on July 05, 2024, 07:20:13 AMThe move is beneficial to the NJAC because it allows the league to maintain an NCAA automatic qualification in women's tennis, bolsters a newly sponsored sport of men's lacrosse (adding conference status in the NCAA requirements) and extends the NJAC's men's volleyball program to five schools (leaving it one shy of the NCAA AQ status).

For NP, travel time will be significantly reduced with the new affiliation: the two longest trips will be three hours and there are five at roughly 1 hour, 45 minutes-or-less.

In the SUNYAC, New Paltz had one trip of two hours (Oneonta) and the rest were over three hours, including two over five hours (Fredonia, Buffalo State). The shorter trips also means less need of hotel stays.

NJAC schools
Ramapo (Mahwah) – 47 minutes (51 miles)
William Paterson (Wayne) – 1 hour, 3 minutes (62 miles)
Montclair State – 1 hour, 19 minutes (71 miles)
Rutgers-Newark – 1 hour, 35 minutes (81 miles)
Kean (Union) – 1 hour, 43 minutes (85 miles)
New Jersey City University – 1 hour, 47 minutes (85 miles)
College of New Jersey (Ewing Township) – 2 hours, 25 minutes (132 miles)
Rutgers-Camden – 3 hours, 1 minute (164 miles)
Rowan (Glassboro) – 3 hours, 11 minutes (177 miles)
Stockton (Galloway) – 3 hours, 13 minutes (182 miles)

SUNYAC schools
Oneonta - 2 hours, 8 minutes (105 miles)
Cortland - 2 hours, 51 minutes (164 miles)
Morrisville - 3 hours, 4 minutes (172 miles)
Plattsburgh - 3 hours, 27 minutes (231 miles)
Oswego - 3 hours, 38 minutes (240 miles)
Geneseo - 4 hours, 20 minutes (266 miles)
Potsdam - 4 hours, 34 minutes (267 miles)
Canton - 4 hours, 38 minutes (270 miles)
Brockport - 4 hours, 39 minutes (310 miles)
Buffalo State - 5 hours, 13 minutes (353 miles)
Fredonia - 5 hours, 52 minutes (359 miles)

Crossit4fun · July 06, 2024, 03:40:25 PM

You would think that the SUNY and CUNY would create geographical based conferences. They are part of the way there with the recent changes.

Crossit4fun · July 12, 2024, 11:26:36 PM

Quote from: stlawus on February 28, 2024, 07:32:34 PMWe were still using the 2022 thread so I figure I'll make a fresh one. Looks like Oneonta has 2 players moving to the division I ranks. Rising 5th year John Bernardi and current sophomore Milton Mancias Magana have transferred to Manhattan College and are already on the spring rosters.

I was told today of another Oneonta starter transferring, Ali Somow in addition to the D1 Manhattan transfers (Bernardi & Magana)