SUNY-New Paltz Women's Field Hockey

Vitale begins her eighth season as the head coach of the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey program in 2016. With 86 victories to her credit across seven years at the helm, she has more wins than any other coach in program history. Vitale has constructed a powerhouse program during her time at New Paltz, as the Hawks have won four consecutive State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) titles from 2012-15, and she won SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors for three consecutive seasons from 2011-13. Furthermore, in 2012, she weas named the Synapse Sports NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year, and her teams have twice advanced past the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.   A total of 17 New Paltz student-athletes have gained All-SUNYAC recognition under Vitales stewardship in addition to six National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Region honorees and two NFHCA All-Americans.   Most recently, Vitale continued her run of success by guiding New Paltz to its fourth straight SUNYAC championship in 2015, as the Hawks went 16-6 overall (5-1 SUNYAC). New Paltz topped Simmons by a 1-0 final in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, marking the program's third-ever NCAA Tournament win and first-ever NCAA home event in the history of the College. In 2013, the Hawks won their first-ever NCAA Tournament contest, upsetting William Smith College on the road, 5-2, in the first round. New Paltz has had a flair for the dramatic in winning its first two SUNYAC titles, as the Hawks topped SUNY Cortland in the championship game in shootout fashion both in 2012 and 2013. New Paltz achieved its first-ever winning season in 2012going 16-5 overalland followed it up with a 14-9 mark in 2013. New Paltz tasted success in 2011, earning the No. 3 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament for the second time in as many years. At the season's end, Vitale was accorded SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors, becoming the first head coach in the program's history to earn the distinction. 2010 was a banner year for the Hawks, as they went 9-10 overall (3-3 SUNYAC) and qualified for the inaugural SUNYAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed. In her first season as the bench boss, she turned around a team that had gone 3-13 the year before her arrival. The Hawks achieved an 8-11 record in 2009, which equaled the program-record total for single-season victories at the time.  Prior to New Paltz, Vitale served as the assistant coach for Lock Haven University for six years. She was responsible for assisting in all phases of the program, including game plans, scouting, academic monitoring and recruiting. During her time at Lock Haven, Vitale helped guide the program to a 106-25 record, including three North East Conference Championships.  Vitale is a 2002 graduate of Lock Haven, where she earned her bachelors degree in health and physical education with a concentration in sports administration and coaching. Vitale was a forward on the Lady Eagles field hockey team from 1998-2000 and spent the 1997 campaign on the field for Mansfield University. In 2000, she achieved recognition as the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Athlete of the Year and was a Honda Broderick nominee. She was a three-time All-American (1997, 1998, 2000), a three-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) First-Team selection (1997, 1998, 2000) and was named the PSAC Athlete of the Year in 2000.  Over the span of her career at Lock Haven, Vitale recorded a total of 39 goals, including 17 during her senior season, to rank ninth on the Lady Eagles all-time goals list. She was a member of the 2000 national championship squad and two PSAC championship teams (1998, 2000).  Prior to her return to Lock Haven, Vitale served as an assistant coach at the College of Wooster, working with the field hockey and lacrosse teams.  Contact Shanna Vitale at ext. 3929 or Shanna Vitale Head Field Hockey Coach/Senior Woman Administrator Shanna Vitale begins her eighth season as the head coach of the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey program in 2016. With 86 victories to her credit across seven years at the helm, she has more wins than any other coach in program history. Vitale has constructed a powerhouse program during her time at New Paltz, as the Hawks have won four consecutive State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) titles from 2012-15, and she won SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors for three consecutive seasons from 2011-13. Furthermore, in 2012, she weas named the Synapse Sports NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year, and her teams have twice advanced past the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.   A total of 17 New Paltz student-athletes have gained All-SUNYAC recognition under Vitales stewardship in addition to six National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Region honorees and two NFHCA All-Americans.   Most recently, Vitale continued her run of success by guiding New Paltz to its fourth straight SUNYAC championship in 2015, as the Hawks went 16-6 overall (5-1 SUNYAC). New Paltz topped Simmons by a 1-0 final in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, marking the program's third-ever NCAA Tournament win and first-ever NCAA home event in the history of the College. In 2013, the Hawks won their first-ever NCAA Tournament contest, upsetting William Smith College on the road, 5-2, in the first round. New Paltz has had a flair for the dramatic in winning its first two SUNYAC titles, as the Hawks topped SUNY Cortland in the championship game in shootout fashion both in 2012 and 2013. New Paltz achieved its first-ever winning season in 2012going 16-5 overalland followed it up with a 14-9 mark in 2013. New Paltz tasted success in 2011, earning the No. 3 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament for the second time in as many years. At the season's end, Vitale was accorded SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors, becoming the first head coach in the program's history to earn the distinction. 2010 was a banner year for the Hawks, as they went 9-10 overall (3-3 SUNYAC) and qualified for the inaugural SUNYAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed. In her first season as the bench boss, she turned around a team that had gone 3-13 the year before her arrival. The Hawks achieved an 8-11 record in 2009, which equaled the program-record total for single-season victories at the time.  Prior to New Paltz, Vitale served as the assistant coach for Lock Haven University for six years. She was responsible for assisting in all phases of the program, including game plans, scouting, academic monitoring and recruiting. During her time at Lock Haven, Vitale helped guide the program to a 106-25 record, including three North East Conference Championships.  Vitale is a 2002 graduate of Lock Haven, where she earned her bachelors degree in health and physical education with a concentration in sports administration and coaching. Vitale was a forward on the Lady Eagles field hockey team from 1998-2000 and spent the 1997 campaign on the field for Mansfield University. In 2000, she achieved recognition as the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Athlete of the Year and was a Honda Broderick nominee. She was a three-time All-American (1997, 1998, 2000), a three-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) First-Team selection (1997, 1998, 2000) and was named the PSAC Athlete of the Year in 2000.  Over the span of her career at Lock Haven, Vitale recorded a total of 39 goals, including 17 during her senior season, to rank ninth on the Lady Eagles all-time goals list. She was a member of the 2000 national championship squad and two PSAC championship teams (1998, 2000).  Prior to her return to Lock Haven, Vitale served as an assistant coach at the College of Wooster, working with the field hockey and lacrosse teams.  Contact Shanna Vitale at ext. 3929 or