Hilliard Named To 2021 All-SUNYAC squad

Ryan Hilliard of Congers, a graduate of St. Joseph Regional High School, was one of four New Paltz men's soccer team members named to the annual All-SUNYAC squad.

The last time SUNY New Paltz had four players named was 2018; since soccer became a SUNYAC sport in 1959, the Hawks have had four players named all-conference eight times.

According to the college,

Patrolling the midfield of the soccer pitch can be a daunting task, with lots of space to cover with the responsibility of initiating the offense and controlling the defense. For junior Ryan Hilliard it entailed starting and playing in all 16 regular season games. Hilliard's offensive statistics of one goal and two assists may not be overwhelming, but his defensive play in the center of the field was more than impressive for SUNYAC coaches to name him to the Third-Team All-SUNYAC team."Ryan has been a pivotal player for our team on and off the field," said SUNY New Paltz coach Kyle Clancy. "He is a tremendous captain, a true leader by example that brings such a high level of competitiveness to every single day of practice. He is someone that wants to win everything and he holds himself to a high standard in all he does. He is also someone who has the ability to inspire and be a catalyst when we need that momentum change, something I feel is very important for a captain of any team. He showed it numerous times this year and his play and leadership was a huge part of our team's success this season."
Additionally, the junior captain logged 1,357 minutes of action this season and started every game including the Hawks SUNYAC Semifinal against Oswego State. Hilliard was also named to the SUNYAC All-Tournament team."I consider Ryan to be one of the best center midfielders in the conference," Clancy said. "Often, the work a "6" does can be overlooked— not as flashy, not as many stats — but without a good one, your team won't be successful. It's one of the more overlooked positions on the field in the modern game. Guys who play the position well help break down attacks, cover a ton of ground, collect balls to start counters or retain possession, and are big parts of a teams possession, and Ryan has excelled in each of these areas. He also brings such a high soccer IQ to the field and this is one of his best attributes and what helps him excel as a player."Hilliard was key in big games all year for SUNY New Paltz, none bigger than a 1-0 road victory over then No. 5 nationally ranked SUNY Oneonta which ultimately helped the team snag the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament later on in the season. He then showed true leadership, stepping into a centerback position on the road against Fredonia State with the team struggling with injuries entering the match. Hilliard took it upon himself to unselfishly make the position change and aid his team in another 1-0 victory."There are many games where Ryan's play has stood out and he has helped our team to victory," Clancy said. "I think Oneonta was certainly one where he was challenged by some very good players in the middle and he showed his quality and ability in helping us shut down their attacks, creating chances and ultimately helping us to a big victory in overtime. But I think the game that embodies who Ryan is was Fredonia. He was asked to play centerback when we went down a couple of players due to injury and he stepped in seamlessly, in a position he has only played for a short time over the summer. He showed the type of intelligence he has as a player and how he can adjust quickly to help his team win games. In that game, we earned a shutout and a huge 3 points away, and his play was a huge reason for that. While I think Ryan has earned more with his play, it is nice to see him honored by the Conference."

Videos, box score, the team roster and more are available at nphawks.com.

Editor's note: Due to incorrect information from SUNY New Paltz, the Rockland County native named to the annual ALL-SUNYAC squad was mis-identified. Patch regrets the error.