DELHI, N.Y. (July 21, 2021) - With the Olympics upon us, SUNY Delhi Athletics wishes to highlight some recent moments and memories that we believe merits gold-medal recognition.
#1: The Return to Athletics Competition
Wednesday, March 10 marked a long-awaited day of celebration as SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras announced the return of intercollegiate athletics for SUNY Delhi and several other state schools. By that Sunday, the Broncos men's lacrosse team made the college's first endeavor back into competition when they traveled to face Morrisville State.
For the next three months, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball set forth with competitive schedules. The men's golf team captured their second straight North Atlantic Conference (NAC) title and a USCAA National Invitational championship, while softball clinched a conference playoff spot in their first NAC season, finishing with a 12-8 record. Track & field played host to three home meets as six Broncos qualified for the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field (AARTFC) Championships, where freshmen Naquille Harris set meet records on his way to both the 100-meter and 200-meter championships and fellow freshman Josh Jeffes earning gold in the 400 meters. Over in tennis, freshman Jarod Rackliffe was named both the NAC Player and Rookie of the Year. The men's lacrosse team used the electric campus atmosphere to spark wins in two of their three home games in a season where they remained in playoff contention through the final game. The volleyball team went 6-2 in their abbreviated spring slate, while men's and women's soccer took the field for a handful of matchups.
The long road back to competition could not have been possible without the determination and tireless efforts of the State of New York, SUNY, the SUNY Delhi administration, and health services. Careful initiatives such as health screenings and weekly testing made efforts towards a safe return to campus life a successful one. Even more profound was the volunteer work from all capacities on campus to ensure proper protocols and safety measures were in place to navigate through a successful 2020-21 academic year with the smallest margin for error as possible.
