Chancellor King Celebrates SUNY Cortland and SUNY Maritime Men's Lacrosse Teams Advancing to NCAA Division III Championship Tournament

Chancellor King Celebrates SUNY Cortland and SUNY Maritime Men's Lacrosse Teams Advancing to NCAA Division III Championship Tournament
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Nassau and Onondaga Community College Men's Lacrosse Teams Head to Final Four in NJCAA Tournament

Invites New Yorkers to Learn More about Athletic Programs at SUNY Campuses Throughout New York State

Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today celebrated the SUNY Cortland and SUNY Maritime men's lacrosse teams as they advanced to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III championship tournament, and Onondaga and Nassau Community College campuses as the men's teams head to the final four at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournament. SUNY offers athletic opportunities at all competition levels, from intramural and club sports to nationally ranked teams at several of its campuses, providing communities the opportunity to attend high-quality and engaging athletic competitions throughout New York State.

"SUNY means affordable excellence in the classroom and thrilling athletic programs and opportunities on campuses throughout New York State," SUNY Chancellor King said. "I applaud the men's lacrosse teams at SUNY Cortland, SUNY Maritime, Nassau Community College, and Onondaga Community College for hard-fought seasons and for earning spots in the 2026 NCAA Division III and the NJCAA Lacrosse Championship Tournaments. These student-athletes, and the campuses and wider communities who support them, help demonstrate what makes SUNY special."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "We applaud men's lacrosse teams at SUNY Cortland, SUNY Maritime, Nassau Community College, and Onondaga Community College for excelling on the field, just as SUNY student-athletes excel in the classroom. Balancing academics and athletics at a collegiate level is no easy feat, and we are proud of each of our students, as well as the coaching and support staff who inspire them to be their best selves."

On Wednesday, May 6, the SUNY Cortland men's lacrosse team, which went 14-5 during the 2025-2026 season, faced off against Western New England University in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship, winning 21-5. The team will face off against Bates College in the tournament's second round on Friday, May 8. The program's 2006 team also will be honored at the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship on Sunday, May 24, in Charlottesville, Virginia, to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of its thrilling national title win.

On Wednesday, May 6, the SUNY Maritime men's lacrosse team, which went 10-8 during the 2025-2026 season, faced off against the University at Scranton in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship, pushing to a thrilling overtime game, before a final score of 15-14, with the University of Scranton squeaking out the win.

On Monday, April 27, the Onondaga Community College men's lacrosse team, which went 10-2 during the 2025-2026 season, faced off against Hudson Valley Community College NJCAA Region III Men's Lacrosse Tournament, winning 42-4, and securing the teams 20th Region III Championship. The team will face off against Nassau Community College in the NJCAA National Tournament semifinals on Saturday, May 9, in Bel Air, Maryland.

On Saturday, May 2, the Nassau Community College men's lacrosse team, which went 10-3 during the 2025-2026 season, faced off against Herkimer County Community College in the NJCAA National Championship quarterfinals, winning 22-12. The team will face off against Onondaga Community College in the NJCAA National Tournament semifinals on Saturday, May 9, in Bel Air, Maryland.

SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum said, "We are always very proud when our student-athletes and coaches can represent SUNY Cortland on the national stage. It has been an extraordinary academic year so far – with our teams earning 14 conference championships across all sports – and still more action to come this spring. We will continue to represent SUNY and cheer on our Red Dragons with pride."

SUNY Maritime College President Rear Admiral John Okon said, "On behalf of the entire SUNY Maritime College community, I proudly congratulate our men's lacrosse team on winning the Skyline Conference Championship and earning the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Division III Tournament. This achievement reflects the hard work, discipline, and teamwork that are at the core of a Maritime education. These student-athletes have represented our College with honor both on the field and in the classroom, embodying the values of loyalty, valor, and leadership that define Maritime. We are incredibly proud of the team and cheered them on as they carried the Maritime legacy onto the national stage."

Nassau Community College Chief Administrative Officer Maria Conzatti said, "Nassau Community College Athletics has a longstanding tradition of excellence, with our student-athletes consistently competing and succeeding at the highest levels. Nassau Community College Men's Lacrosse has built an unmatched legacy of sustained excellence that spans generations, including an NJCAA record, 23 national championships. We are incredibly proud of this year's team for continuing that tradition and representing Nassau Community College and the SUNY system on the national stage."

Onondaga Community College President Warren Hilton said, "Our student-athletes have a proud history of competing at the highest level nationally. We look forward to cheering on our Men's Lacrosse team this weekend as they pursue the program's 13th national championship while representing Onondaga Community College and the entire SUNY system with pride."

SUNY provides athletic opportunities for all students at all competition levels, including nationally ranked NCAA, National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) sports teams. With this, SUNY ensures that students and community members have access to high-quality and engaging competitions.

SUNY has over 85 NCAA Division I, 290 NCAA Division III, and 385 NJCAA athletic teams, and hundreds of non-competitive athletic clubs. SUNY also has one of the oldest small college athletic conferences in the United States, the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC), consisting of 10 full members and 10 associate members competing in the conference. As part of his ongoing efforts to celebrate and highlight SUNY sports programs around the state, attended a women's lacrosse game between SUNY Cortland and SUNY Potsdam in March, and a men's basketball game between the State University of New York at Albany and State University of New York at Binghamton in January. Additionally, Chancellor King cheered SUNY alumni who competed in the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics including Katie Kranze Million, SUNY Oswego '91; Nick Jensen, SUNY Plattsburgh '14; and Kelsey O'Driscoll, SUNY Adirondack '19.

To learn more about SUNY athletics and find a sporting event near you, visit: https://www.suny.edu/attend/athletics/.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY's 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country's oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.

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