Spring Season Underway

_{After a long break since the fall season, New Paltz Rugby is back on the field this spring. Both teams are building momentum, developing newer players, and laying the groundwork for continued growth heading into the final stretch of the academic year.}

Women’s Team: Building

The women’s team has competed in three tournaments so far this spring, facing strong opposition as a developing squad. While results have not yet gone their way, the group continues to gain valuable experience and confidence on the field.

Coach Angelica “Gel” Silva-Perez is optimistic about the weeks ahead, particularly as improving weather should help increase training attendance and consistency.

The Hawks will next compete at Beast of the East this weekend, where they look to continue building cohesion and put their progress into action.

Men’s Team: Two Sides Compete at Tri-State 7s

The men’s team entered two squads at the Tri-State 7s tournament. The A-side picked up strong wins over Bard and Maritime, finishing 5th overall in a competitive field. The B-side gained valuable experience against tough competition as they continue to develop depth across the roster.

The men then hosted Montclair and Maritime for a 7’s round robin, providing another opportunity for players to sharpen their skills ahead of Beast of the East in Rhode Island to which they will travel alongside the women’s team.

Alumni Update: Chris Lynch Named Empire GU High Performance Director

Congratulations to Chris Lynch (‘15), who has been appointed High Performance Director for Connecticut within the Empire Geographic Union. In this role, Chris will oversee both men’s and women’s select-side programming, helping guide athlete development pathways within the region. He joins fellow alumnus, Dean Hottum, who is the HP Director for NYC.

It’s always encouraging to see New Paltz alumni continuing to grow the game and here participating at a higher level.

Alumni Weekend Updates

May 1st through 3rd is officially alumni weekend this year. If you are still looking for lodging that weekend, there is a discount available at the Americass Best Value Inn (formerly Super 8). The discount code is: G250105S. This code will not be honored online, so please call them directly for booking at 845-255-8865.

Lastly, there will be no alumni games this year. Per the university, this is an insurance issue and cannot be rectified before May. Representatives from both teams have been working diligently to find a solution, and unfortunately, have not been able to. In lieu of the traditional alumni fixtures, both teams are actively looking for a college team willing to come play that weekend to give us something to cheer for. There is also talk of a possible touch game on the field that alumni can participate in. More details to come soon.

As always, thanks for reading. If you have any New Paltz Rugby related news, please send it in! We look forward to seeing many familiar faces back in New Paltz soon.

Go Hawks. 🦅