Softball | 04/13/2023 15:14:00
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ONEONTA, New York – Hartwick College and Hartwick College Athletic Department are pleased to announce the return of softball to their collegiate athletic offering, beginning as a club sport in 2023-24 and transitioning to a collegiate sport for the 2024-25 academic year. Hartwick originally began the program in 1991-1992 in conjunction with the addition of women’s volleyball, but retired softball after the 2006 season.
“We are very proud to once again offer our students this opportunity for athletic competition,” said President Darren Reisberg. “It allows us to reaffirm our commitment to athletics and enhancing the student and student experience with athletes. It will also add vitality to our dynamic athletics program and help attract students interested in excelling in the classroom and in the competitive arena to perform. And for our strong alumni base, give them one more reason to join me and cheer on our Hawks!”
Softball has a strong track record at Hartwick, with the program’s most successful seasons coming in 1998 and 1999 when the team appeared in the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA) tournament. Current Hartwick College Athletics Hall of Famer Stephanie Winn ’99 helped lead those two teams to a 45-30-1 aggregate record in two seasons.
“I’ve had several discussions with students over the past few years about including softball in our intercollegiate athletic offering,” commented athletic director John Czarnecki. “We know there is strong interest from current and incoming students, so this is an easy decision for us as a department and institution. I couldn’t be more excited for softball to return to Hartwick!”
The Hawks will join all nine other schools in Empire 8 to offer softball as a varsity sport. The conference has a strong track record of success at the region and national level, with St. John Fisher finishing second in the NCAA Division III in 2017.
Empire 8 Commissioner Chuck Mitrano commented, “We are delighted that Hartwick College is adding softball to its athletics offering. Empire 8 Softball is competitive from head to toe, and this move provides quality competitive opportunities for the future Hawks and all of our student athletes. “
The athletic department will begin a nationwide search for its head coach in late April. The new head coach will be responsible for coaching the club program in 2023-24 while also recruiting potential student athletes to build the program’s roster for varsity competitions in the 2024-25 season.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
Empire 8 Conference members are primarily committed to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is recognized as the pre-eminent NCAA Division III Conference. The membership has stood out among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and athletic competition, outstanding service, and highly ethical policies and practices. His commitment to meeting the educational needs of his student-athletes is the hallmark of E8. For more information on Empire 8, visit www.empire8.com.
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