Wildcat Athletics Year-in-Review

The 2024–25 year was another strong year for Wildcat Athletics. In the school’s first year as part of the Empire 8, five teams competed in a postseason tournament, with one team (men’s basketball) making it all the way to the conference championship game. Multiple athletes were recognized as All-Conference players, with men’s volleyball star Thomas McNulty leading the charge by taking home Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Men’s Soccer

Coach Peterson Jerome and the Wildcat men’s soccer team completed another successful season, clinching the program’s tenth postseason berth in the last 12 years. The Wildcats finished the year with a 10-4-4 record, earning the distinction of being the first team in school history to secure a playoff berth in the Empire 8. The Wildcats’ strong campaign came to an end in the first round of the playoffs, losing a tightly contested battle against SUNY Brockport. Five Wildcats received All-Conference nods, while Jhonny Theze and Thomas Nimineh earned All-Region honors for their impressive seasons.

Women’s Soccer

The SUNY Poly women’s soccer team went through some growing pains in 2024, finishing the regular season with a record of 5-11-1. Despite the losing record, several Wildcats had productive seasons, including the senior pair of Kate Donnelly (21 points) and Hannah Shipley (18 points). Under new leadership, the Wildcats will look to bounce back in the upcoming 2025 season.

Men’s Cross Country

The SUNY Poly men’s cross country team wrapped up a solid 2024 campaign that saw the team finish in the top seven in six races, including third-place finishes at both the SUNY Poly Short Course Invitational and the Steven A. Warde Invitational. Caleb McDermott, Jack McCarthy, and Noah Breedy led the way for the Wildcats throughout the year. In the Empire 8 Championship, the Wildcats finished in ninth place, with McCarthy and Breedy once again leading the team.

Women’s Cross Country

The SUNY Poly women’s cross country team competed in six races during the 2024 season, placing in all of them. Rosalea Claeys paced the Wildcats for much of the season, consistently scoring for SUNY Poly. Rosalea was the sole runner for the Wildcats in the Empire 8 Championship, finishing in 108th place with a time of 28:30.8.

Golf

In the program’s third year, the SUNY Poly varsity mixed golf team competed in four regular-season events. The team enjoyed a solid season, culminating in an eighth-place finish in the Empire 8 Championship Tournament. In the tournament, the Wildcats were led by Blake Pugh, who placed 34th, and Ryan Peters, who placed 36th. The Wildcats will look to take another step forward in 2025.

Women’s Basketball

In their first season in the Empire 8, the SUNY Poly women’s basketball team ended their campaign with a record of 6-19. Guard Alysa Jackson led the Wildcats offensively for most of the season, averaging 12 points and two steals per game. As a freshman, Sanaa Lee made an immediate impact, averaging over three blocks and nearly nine rebounds per game. Her 79 blocks were the most in a single season for any Wildcat since Deasia Goodson had 72 in the 2012–13 season.

Men’s Basketball

Behind head coach Rob Schoener, the SUNY Poly men’s basketball team wrapped up another strong season in program history, making it all the way to the Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Championship Game. The Wildcats ultimately fell to crosstown rival, the Utica University Pioneers, but not before solidifying their place within the new conference with a final season record of 18-10. The Wildcats had multiple players step up, including Anthony Rose, Cheickne Toure, Daimarr Miller, and LaMarqus Merchant Jr., who were all named to the Empire 8 All-Conference Team.

Men’s Volleyball

The SUNY Poly men’s volleyball team continued its upward trend, ending the regular season with five more wins than the previous year and finishing with a 19-14 record, which was the Wildcats’ best since 2016. A strong mix of rookie talent and veteran leadership made the team dangerous in the NEVC and helped them reach the second round of the conference playoffs for the first time in nine years. Their impressive play earned four Wildcats spots on the All-Conference team, while junior setter Thomas McNulty was honored as the league’s best defensive player.

Women’s Volleyball

With a new head coach at the helm, the SUNY Poly Women’s Volleyball team is looking forward to a fresh start in the 2025 season. The Wildcats bring together an exciting mix of promising newcomers and experienced returners, creating a strong foundation of talent and leadership. The coaching staff is focused on building a competitive culture that emphasizes hard work, team chemistry, and steady growth. As SUNY Poly looks ahead to its future in the Empire 8, the 2025 season represents not only a chance to rebuild but also a chance to spark momentum for years to come.

Baseball

The SUNY Poly baseball team took another step forward in 2025, finishing with a record of 14-22, including a 10-14 mark in conference play. The Wildcats clinched a playoff berth for the first time in four seasons. Ryan Pelton continued his hot hitting as a Wildcat, ending the season with a .311 batting average and becoming the program’s all-time home run leader (11). Alsobreaking records was sophomore Quinn Hill, who set a new single-season program record with 45 runs scored.

Softball

The SUNY Poly softball team completed another impressive season under head coach Juleah Wanner. Finishing the season 20-17, the Wildcats advanced to the second round of the Empire 8 playoffs before being knocked out by the Utica University Pioneers. Senior Trinity Critelli added to her illustrious Wildcat career, tallying 187 strikeouts in 149 innings pitched. She ends her career as the all-time leader in strikeouts (726), wins (47), and posted the second-lowest ERA in program history (2.91).

Women’s Lacrosse

The SUNY Poly women’s lacrosse team ended the season with a record of 1-13. The Wildcats were led by Callie Johnson and Brinley Ronan, who each compiled 26 points. Jayden Brown stood out in net all year, finishing with 157 saves and securing not only the single-season saves record, but also becoming the all-time saves leader (479) in SUNY Poly women’s lacrosse history, overtaking Cassidy Thompson, who had held the record for the past 10 years.

Men’s Lacrosse

The SUNY Poly men’s lacrosse team ended their season with a record of 5-10. Several Wildcats had strong seasons, including Luke Taylor (34 points), Payton Thomas (30 points), Cooper Fitzgerald (26 points), and Ryan Carroll (25 points). Payton Thomas was not only the team’s second-leading scorer, but also became just the second player in program history to score 100 career goals. The first was Edward Rosaschi in 2021, who finished his career with a program-record 114 goals.