Athletics
Country music bounces non-stop off the concrete bleachers in the cavernous Syracuse Coliseum as the show ring gate swings open and the announcer crackles to life.
“Here’s draw number 20, back number 591, Holy Cannoli Katie and RE Sears.”
The chestnut mare jogs into the center of the ring and, with nearly invisible cues from Sears — a tap on the neck, a touch of the spur — spins four times to the left, four to the right.
From a simple knock at the door to knocking on the door of greatness.
From “arriving with nothing” to leaving with everything.
From honoring previous Mustang legends to now becoming one.
Those were just some of the memorable storylines highlighting the SUNY Morrisville Athletics Wall of Fame Class of 2023, which honored seven Mustangs:
Doyen “Dolo” Grant’s past is always present in his professional life.
Hanging on the wall of Dolo’s Fitness — a gym Grant ’09 owns and operates in his hometown of Canarsie, New York — is a dark green SUNY Morrisville football jersey. When his gym opened in 2019, the former Mustangs football captain and star wide receiver had his No. 9 home uniform, flanked by two action photos, mounted in a customized black frame.
This past summer, the SUNY Morrisville Athletics Department decided to make a bold move. Needing to replace the turf playing surface of Drake Field for the first time since 2006, what set the project apart was the installation of a one-of-a-kind black turf.
The move went viral, as the reveal of the new turf instantly captured global attention, with coverage from prestigious sports outlets such as Sports Illustrated and ESPN to global features as far as Mexico and Europe en route to reaching more than 50 million viewers on social media worldwide.
SUNY Morrisville’s woods sports team is gearing up for a new season and is looking for new members to join them!
Coach Seth Carsten, a former professional woodsman, is seeking veterans and rookies of varying majors and abilities to join the team, which showcases speed and precision with axes, chainsaws and other tools associated with traditional lumberjacking challenges.
Ernesto Mitchell ’23 went from chasing a dream to having a dream college career.
Mitchell, who graduated this May with a degree in criminal justice, wrapped up his collegiate playing career as one of the most decorated student-athletes in the history of the Mustang football program.
Through hard work and a relentless drive, see how Mitchell has tackled everything in his path since arriving at SUNY Morrisville, as told by Brandy Thurston ’95, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance & Sports Information.
The SUNY Morrisville men’s ice hockey team will be lacing up their skates Friday night as they play host to SUNY Canton at the Morrisville IcePlex, but for the team, it’s more than just a game; it’s the opportunity to share something they love with the young eyes that one day hope for the same opportunity.
SUNY Morrisville will be taking the ice in a benefit game for the Center State Youth Hockey Association, an organization that operates and plays out of the Morrisville IcePlex.
“It’s worth it if you put in the effort,” said Danielle Bunting ’21 while reflecting on her time as a SUNY Morrisville Mustang.
Three pairs of siblings at SUNY Morrisville are bringing more than just their skill and abilities to the game — they bring their chemistry, the anticipation of the next move, the difference in balance that counters the other and the desire to make a difference in Mustang athletics.
Despite all spring- and fall-season athletics competitions being canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the siblings shared their thoughts about being teammates.
The Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL), with whom SUNY Morrisville holds membership in the sport of women's ice hockey, issued a statement Thursday afternoon, suspending conference and non-conference competition until Jan. 1, 2021, due to the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.