2025-26 SUNYAC Women's Tennis Annual Awards Released

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC releases its 2025-26 women's tennis annual awards including the Peter J. Cahill Most Valuable Player, Doubles Team of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and All-Conference teams as voted on by the conference coaches.

Peter J. Cahill MVP - Justine Stanejko, New Paltz
Stanejko is being honored with the the Peter J. Cahill MVP award for the fourth straight year. In her senior season she was undefeated in conference play and is currently 9-0 in singles play overall. She was named to the All-Tournament team for the fourth consecutive year after going 2-0 in the tournament. Stanejko and the Hawks won its fourth consecutive SUNYAC women's tennis conference title. Stanejko and her doubles partner Samantha Ostrander are being honored as the SUNYAC Doubles Team of the Year. This is also the fourth year in a row that Stanejko has been honored with this award.

Peter J. Cahill taught and coached at Cortland for 30 years until his retirement in 2002. He passed away on Nov. 17, 2006. In 1998, he became the women's tennis coach at Cortland and promptly won five of next seven SUNYAC Championships while posting an impressive 59-29 record. Cahill was selected SUNYAC Women's Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2005.

Rookie of the Year - Samantha Ostrander, New Paltz
In her first season with the Hawks, Ostrander is currently undefeated in both singles and doubles play. She is 10-0 overall at No. 2 singles including five regular season conference wins to help her team clinch the No. 1 seed going into the SUNYAC championship. Ostrander was named the SUNYAC Women's Tennis Tournament MVP after going 3-0 in the tournament to lead the Hawks to their fourth straight SUNYAC title.

Doubles Team of the Year - Justine Stanejko and Samantha Ostrander, New Paltz
The Hawks' No. 1 doubles team of Justine Stanejko and Samantha Ostrander are the 2025-26 SUNYAC Doubles Team of the Year after finishing the fall season undefeated in conference competition. They helped the Hawks earn the No. 1 seed going into postseason play. Stanejko and Ostrander were ahead in doubles play against Plattsburgh, 5-2, in the semifinals, but did not finish their match before their team clinched the doubles point. In the championship, they defeated Cortland's No. 1 doubles team, 6-1, to help their team win its 11th overall conference crown. The duo is 8-0 overall in doubles play so far this season.

Coach of the Year - Rob Bruley, New Paltz
Bruley earns his seventh straight and 12th overall SUNYAC Women's Tennis Coach of the Year honors in his 28th year as the Hawks head coach. He coached the 2025-26 women's tennis team to an undefeated season in SUNYAC play (5-0) and is currently 8-0 overall. Bruley led his team to their fourth straight and 11th overall SUNYAC women's tennis title, defeating Cortland 4-0. With the win, New Paltz earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis tournament making this Bruley's and the Hawks' ninth appearance overall.

2025-26 SUNYAC Women's Tennis All-Conference Teams (PDF)