SUNY Poly Joins The Empire 8
SUNY Polytechnic Institute recently made the switch to the Empire 8 Athletic Conference (E8). With the addition of the Wildcats, the E8 will be comprised of 12 members all located in New York State. The conference currently sponsors 23 NCAA Division III sports.
“SUNY Poly is an ideal fit for Empire 8,” said Empire 8 Executive Director Chuck Mitrano who also serves as the NCAA Division III Championships Committee chair. “A strong academic institution with competitive teams that fits perfectly into our geographic footprint. This is consistent with our goal of adding quality institutions while supporting fiscally responsible athletics competition. We are excited to welcome SUNY Poly and provide their student-athletes with exceptional athletic competition and educational experiences.” Read more
SUNY Poly Honors A Legend
On a warm September day at SUNY Poly’s Campus Center Gym, history was made as the basketball court was officially dedicated to honor the remarkable career and contributions of Kevin Grimmer. Grimmer, who retired in July of 2021 after nearly four decades of service to Wildcat Athletics. His journey from a part-time intramural assistant to becoming the Director of Athletics and a successful basketball coach is a testament to his dedication and passion for the game. Grimmer passed away later that fall after a battle with ALS, shortly before the official name unveiling during the men’s basketball team’s season opener.
Czarnecki Named New Athletic Director
SUNY Poly was excited to welcome John P. Czarnecki as the university’s Director of Athletics last February. Having spent the last five years at the helm of Hartwick College’s athletics department, Czarnecki offers both a familiarity of the Empire 8, which SUNY Poly recently joined, and a track record of success in the conference.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome John to SUNY Poly. His nearly 20 years of experience in college athletics is very impressive,” said SUNY Poly President Dr. Winston Soboyejo. “His commitment to the academic excellence of the student-athletes he comes in contact with aligns perfectly with our university’s vision of becoming the State and nation’s premier public polytechnic.” Read more
——————————————————————————————————
YEAR IN REVIEW
The 2023-24 year was another exciting and successful year for Wildcat Athletics. Ten teams competed in a postseason tournament, with two teams (men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse) securing NAC Championships and punching their way to an NCAA tournament appearance. Multiple statistical records were broken, including James Mion becoming SUNY Poly men’s volleyball sole leader in solo blocks with 75 and softball star Trinity Critelli becoming the SUNY Poly softball all-time strikeout leader with 545.
Men’s Soccer
Coach Peterson Jerome and the Wildcat men’s soccer team completed another successful season, clinching the program’s ninth postseason berth in the last 11 years. The Wildcats finished the year with a 13-6-1 record, which was capped off with the programs second ever NAC championship. The 13 wins ties the 2023-24 club for the third-winningest season under coach Jerome. The Wildcats historic season came to an end in the first round of the NCAA tournament with a 2-1 loss to Amherst. The NCAA Tournament appearance was the 5th under Coach Jerome.
Women’s Soccer
The SUNY Poly Women’s soccer team put together another solid season in 2023, finishing the regular season with a record of 8-7-1 to clinch a spot in the NAC Conference Tournament. In the postseason tournament, the Wildcats would drop a heartbreaker in the first round, being eliminated by SUNY Morrisville on penalty kicks. The team’s eight wins on the season is the most the SUNY Poly Women’s Soccer club has had since 2017.
Men’s Cross Country
The SUNY Poly Men’s cross-country team wrapped up a decent 2023 campaign that saw the team finish in the top ten in seven races, including a third-place finish at the Bruce Bridgeman Invitational and fourth-place finish at the Steven A. Warde Invitational. Spencer Daley, Caleb McDermott and Noah Breedy led the way for the Wildcats for much of the year. In the NAC Championships, The Wildcats finished in 9th place, with Caleb McDermott and Spencer Daley finishing in the top 50.
Women’s Cross Country
The SUNY Poly Women’s cross-country team competed in nine races throughout the 2023 season, placing in five of the competitions. Grace McClay and Rosalea Claeys paced the Wildcats for much of the season, consistently scoring for SUNY Poly. Grace McClay would be the lone Wildcat to compete in the NAC cross-country championships, placing 31st in the 6k event with a time of 32:46.
Women’s Volleyball
The SUNY Poly Women’s volleyball team is looking forward to a fresh start in 2024, ending the 2023 campaign with only two wins. Working with a strong core of returning players, and a nice infusion of new young talent, the Wildcats will head into the Empire 8 hungry for success. Brennah Durfee was named to the NAC Sportsmanship team.
Golf
In the program’s second year, The SUNY Poly varsity mixed golf team competed in eight events. The team enjoyed a solid season, culminating in a ninth place finish in the NAC Championship Tournament. In the tournament, the Wildcats were led by Isaac Falk, who placed 16th, and Ryan Till who placed 37th. The Wildcats will look to take another step in the right direction next season.
Women’s Basketball
The SUNY Poly Women’s basketball team had an uncharacteristic 2023-24 campaign, finishing the season under .500 with a record of 7-18. Freshman guard Alysa Jackson was a bright spot throughout the course of the season, averaging over 12 points and 2 steals a game, which led to her being named to the NAC All-Conference third team. Alivia Turk was also a consistent contributor, providing nearly 10 points and 8 rebounds a game. Turk was named to the end of the season sportsmanship team.
Men’s Basketball
Another strong season for the SUNY Poly Men’s Basketball team propelled the squad to another NAC conference tournament appearance. Finishing the regular season with a record of 16-9, the Wildcats squared off with SUNY Cobleskill in the first round of the NAC tournament. The Wildcats would fall to the Fighting Tigers by a score of 90-74.
Men’s Volleyball
The SUNY Poly Men’s Volleyball team continued its upward trend, ending the 2024 regular season with five more wins than last year with a record of 14-16. A strong stretch towards the end of the year helped push the squad back into the Conference Championship tournament where they would advance to the second round before losing to the #1 seeded Nichols College.
Baseball
The SUNY Poly Men’s baseball team continued their upward trend in 2024, ending the season with a record of 18-16, which is the most wins in a season for the program since 2016. Sophomore infielder Ryan Pelton led the charge most of the season for the Wildcats, ending the season batting nearly .400 with six home runs and 37 RBIs. His six home runs throughout the season ties him for most career home runs of any SUNY Poly baseball player ever.
Softball
The SUNY Poly softball team completed another spectacular season, which started with a seven-game winning streak in Myrtle Beach and ended in a heartbreaking 4-3 loss in the NAC Championship game against Husson University. The Wildcats finished the season with a combined record of 26-10.
Women’s Lacrosse
The SUNY Poly women’s lacrosse team took a big step in the right direction in 2024, ending the regular season with a record of 6-8, clinching the 4th seed in the NAC Championship Tournament. The Wildcats season would come to an end in the first round of the tournament, losing to the future 2024 champs, SUNY Canton.
Men’s Lacrosse
A successful 2024 campaign is in the books for the SUNY Poly men’s lacrosse team. Finishing with a 10-7 record, the Wildcats would capture their second NAC Championship in program history, defeating Maine Maritime by a score of 18-8. The win propelled the team into the NCAA Tournament, where they would lose to the University of Saint Joseph.