BASEBALL – Head coach: Matt Palisin, 13th season. Season runs from March 7 through April 29. SUNYAC Tournament: First-round games are April 30 at campus sites … The team returns sophomore slugger Mike Prentice (West Seneca, N.Y.) who led the team with a .382 batting average and a .424 on-base percentage. Also returning is ace Steve Sturm (Amherst, N.Y.), who recorded two conference wins including an 11-0 complete game shutout vs. Plattsburgh. Fellow senior Thomas Morris (Syosset, N.Y.) also returns to round out a veteran pitching staff. Captains are seniors Morris, Erik Krohl (Syracuse, N.Y.), Kenny Johnston (Buffalo, N.Y.), and Ricky Mendiola (Williamsville, N.Y.)
MEN’S BASKETBALL – Head coach: Philip Seymore, second season. Regular season runs through Feb. 21. SUNYAC Tournament: First-round games are Feb. 24 at campus sites … After a difficult 2013-14 campaign, Coach Seymore has brought in 13 new players on his 16-man roster. The Blue Devils are hoping to end a two-year playoff drought. Team captains are the three returning players: junior Alexander Grace (Bemus Point, N.Y.), junior Robert Lyles (Peekskill, N.Y.), and junior Eric Zwierlein (Nichols, N.Y.).
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – Head coach: Linda Hill-MacDonald, second season. Regular season runs through Feb. 21. SUNYAC Tournament: First-round games are Feb. 24 at campus sites. … The Blue Devils will be looking for consecutive playoff berths for the first time since the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. The team features SUNYAC Rookie of the Year point guard Alexis Cheatham (Lockport, N.Y.). Second-leading rebounder, junior Sabrina Macaulay (Newark, N.Y.), is also back. Captains are Macaulay, senior Kaylyn Billups (Buffalo, N.Y.),
and junior Katie Devine (Clarence, N.Y.)
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY – Head coach: Jeff Meredith, 27th season. Regular season runs through Feb. 21. SUNYAC Tournament: First-round games are Feb. 25 at campus sites … After a nail-biting loss against national powerhouse Oswego in last year’s SUNYAC first round, the Blue Devils look to improve this season. The Devils boast three senior goal-scoring threats in Stephen Castriota (Bellport, N.Y.), Jared Wynia (Calgary, Alberta), and Brian Doust (Calgary, Alberta). Captain is four-year senior defensemen Cory Melkert (North Bay, Ont.).
WOMEN’S LACROSSE – Head coach: Amy Simon, first season. Regular season runs from Feb. 28 through April 25. SUNYAC Tournament: First-round games are April 28 at campus sites. First year Coach Amy Simon looks to guide the Blue Devils back to the NCAA’s after the most successful year in program history, including its first NCAA Tournament win. She will lean on seniors Marissa Cussins (Corning, N.Y.) and Katie Kleine (Cazenovia, N.Y.), who were both selected as First Team All SUNYAC and All-Region in 2014.
SOFTBALL – Head coach: Tony Ciccarello, second season. Regular season runs from March 13 through April 24. SUNYAC Tournament: First-round games are April 30 at campus sites … The team returns senior outfielder Kate Nicholson (Heuvelton, N.Y.). The all-conference performer led the team with a .354 batting average and four stolen bases last year. Also returning is pitching ace Kelsey Gannet (Endwell, N.Y.), who recorded a no-hitter Mar. 20 against Framingham State. She led the SUNYAC with 16 complete games and was second in innings pitched. The Blue Devils will look to earn their first playoff berth since 2011. Captains are seniors Nicholson, Cherise Gunnell (Falconer, N.Y.), and Jess Lauck (Buffalo, N.Y.).
MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING – Head coach: Arthur Wang, 12th season. Season runs through Feb. 15. SUNYAC Championships: Feb. 18-21 at Buffalo, N.Y. … Headliners include sophomores Jeff Matter (East Aurora, N.Y.), Aaron Carlson (Leroy, N.Y.), and Adam Clouthier (Fairport, N.Y.). Matter and Clouthier, both divers, were First Team All-SUNYAC selections, while Matter also set the school record in the 3-meter springboard. Carlson was an honorable mention All-American in the 1-meter springboard. Freshman Jake Hewitt (Duanesburg, N.Y.) set the team’s 200-yard butterfly record during the fall semester. Team captains are Clouthier, junior Will Baker
(East Amherst, N.Y.), and senior Justin Hawes (Akron, N.Y.).
WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING – Head coach: Arthur Wang, 12th season. Season runs through Feb. 7. SUNYAC Championships: Feb. 18-21 at Buffalo, N.Y. … The Blue Devils feature nine seniors. Two of them, Larissa Dobson (Hamburg, N.Y.) and Ellie Brion (Canandaigua, N.Y.), plus junior Sam Rokos (Delanson, N.Y.), are team captains. All-SUNYAC performer Dobson finished top three in the 100- and 200-yard breast stroke. Senior diver Heather Colby (Owego, N.Y.) was another all-conference performer.
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD – Head coach: Tom Wilson, fourth season. Indoor season runs through Feb. 21; outdoor season from March 28 to May 8. SUNYAC championships: Feb 28 (indoor) and May 5 (outdoors) … Returning is Connor Mulcahy (Batavia), fourth at the ECAC D-III championship meet in the 800 meters in 1:52:95, sixth-best in school history. Mulcahy won the 1,500 meters at the SUNYAC outdoor championship meet … senior Chris Shartrand (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) will look to improve upon his third-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the SUNYAC championships.
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD – Head coach: Tom Wilson, fourth season. Indoor season runs through Feb. 21; outdoor season from March 28 to May 8. SUNYAC championships: Feb 28 (indoors) and May 5 (outdoors) … returning is junior Anna Dambacher (Divernon, Ill.), who qualified for the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the NCAA championships after placing first and second, respectively, at the SUNYAC championships. Also back is Nicole Desens (Hopewell, N.Y.), an All-SUNYAC thrower … junior Laura Morison (Wethersfield, Conn.) set the school record in the 400 meters last season. Freshman pole vaulter Kristen Sawyer (Lockport, N.Y.) broke the team indoor record in December.
