Spring Season Heats Up with Tournament Play and Big Dates Ahead

Tournament Rugby Returns: A Busy Weekend for New Paltz Rugby

The spring season is in full swing as both New Paltz rugby teams hit the pitch this past weekend for tournament play. The men’s side hosted the Tri-State 7s Championship at home, fielding both an A and B side in front of a great crowd. Meanwhile, the women traveled to Fordham for their first tournament of the spring, taking on some of the toughest competition in the region.

Women’s Team: Learning and Progress at Fordham 7s

The women’s team made their spring debut at the Fordham University 7s Tournament, facing off against Fordham, Rutgers, and Montclair. While the Hawks didn’t come away with a win, it was a valuable learning experience for a squad full of new players getting their first taste of 7s rugby.

Head coach Angelica “Gel” Silva-Perez reflected on the team’s growth over the course of the tournament:

“It was definitely a tough tournament, but it's the first one of the season. We had a handful of new players getting a sense of what rugby actually feels and looks like from being on the pitch. It was definitely a learning opportunity, but I saw a great difference based on the first game compared to our last game at the tournament. We dusted off our boots at Fordham and are now gearing up for Tri-States.”

Looking ahead to next weekend’s Tri-State 7s Championship at Siena College, Coach Gel is confident her team will rise to the occasion:

“We know Siena, Molloy, Drew, and USMMA/King's Point will be tough competition, but we've been working hard and are ready to show what we can do. We actually played with a few USMMA players over the fall, so we have a good sense of what they bring to the table. We're excited for the challenge and are focusing on playing our best game.”

Men’s Team: Hosting and Competing at Tri-State 7s

The men’s team hosted the Tri-State 7s Championship this past Sunday, welcoming 12 colleges for a full day of rugby across two fields at SUNY New Paltz. With both A and B sides entered, the Hawks put their depth on full display and made their mark on the tournament.

Matt Yates, captain of the B-side, recapped the team’s day:

“The New Paltz B side knew we had a couple difficult matchups going into Tri-States. Facing off first against Hofstra, who previously had beaten out A side at our last game, New Paltz B suffered a pretty tough defeat. After a hard fight against Maritime, where new player Sam Hirsch scored his first try, we lost 5-20. But the day ended triumphantly with a 20-5 win against Bard, with tries from myself, Aaron Simmons, and two from new player Hayden Brock. Overall, it was a tremendous learning opportunity for the guys, and we look forward to our upcoming rematch against Maritime next weekend.”

On the A-side, captain Caleb Persanis shared his appreciation for the effort and organization:

“This weekend was amazing. We were able to host 12 colleges and got two big fields to use, all thanks to a lot of help from SUNY New Paltz administration. Our A squad had three tough games against Molloy, Oneonta, and Vassar. We had nice victories against Molloy and Oneonta, but unfortunately couldn’t finish against Vassar, coming out 3 points short. In the end, we finished with a point differential of +54 and were the 5th place team in the tournament. Disappointments aside, we were all pretty happy with the day and had a great time!”

Upcoming Fixtures This Weekend

The men’s team will host Molloy and Maritime for a home 7s round-robin this Saturday. It’s another great chance to support New Paltz rugby and see the teams continue to build toward the end of spring.

April 6th – Tri-State 7s Championship (Women’s Team) The women’s team heads to Siena College for the Tri-State 7s Championship, where they’ll face tough competition but look to show how far they’ve come this season.

April 13th – Beast Of The East (Women’s Team) The women will make their annual trip to Rhode Island for one of the biggest rugby tournaments in the country.

April 19th – Ray Day vs. Oneonta (Men’s Team) The men will host Oneonta for a special match in honor of Raymond Rattray, a beloved teammate and friend.

April 27th – Senior Day vs. Vassar (Men’s Team) The spring season will wrap up with a showdown against cross-river rivals Vassar, where we’ll also celebrate this year’s graduating players.

Go Hawks!