Stony Brook University

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook women’s track and field wrapped up the regular season on Friday and Saturday, competing at the Larry Ellis Invitational hosted by Princeton. As a team, the Seawolves recorded three top-ten placements, including a first-place finish in the 4×400 relay.

HIGHLIGHTS

As the regular season now comes to a close, the team will shift their focus to championship season, starting with the two-day CAA Outdoor Championships on May 14-15 in Greensboro, N.C., at the Marcus T. Johnson Track.

Photo from Stony Brook University Athletics

For the third year in a row, the No. 19 Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team has won the CAA Championship after defeating the No. 2 seed Drexel, 12-10, on May 3. With the win, the Seawolves earn their 12th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, a streak that dates back to the 2013 season. Stony Brook captured its 11th conference championship title in program history (three CAA, eight America East) and won its 10th on the home turf of Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.

Charlotte Wilmoth led all players with a game-high five points (three goals, two assists) to pace the scoring for the Seawolves. Isabella Caporuscio, Alexandra Fusco, and Kylie Budke registered a pair of goals, while Riley McDonald, Casey Colbert, and Courtney Maclay all tallied one goal apiece.

Defensively, Avery Hines continued her defensive dominance as she caused six more turnovers and set a new Stony Brook single-season record. With her 67 caused turnovers, she outdid her 66 caused turnovers last season for the most caused turnovers in a single season in program history.

Four Seawolves earned All-Championship Team honors for their standout play in the tournament. Caporuscio, Allie Masera, and Molly LaForge were named members of the All-Championship Team, with Budke taking home the Most Outstanding Performer honor.

The Seawolves opened scoring with a pair of goals from Caporuscio and Colbert before Drexel responded with three goals of their own. With 45.5 seconds left in the first quarter, Wilmoth was left wide open right outside the crease to even things up at three.

The back-and-forth affair would continue with a game-high seven goals through the second quarter. Wilmoth and A. Fusco dominated on the offensive front, tallying five points combined. With 1.1 seconds left in the half, Masera would go coast to coast dishing it out for a Wilmoth goal to take a 7-6 lead into intermission.

Coming back from the break, Drexel scored two goals to take an 8-7 lead before the Seawolves scored three straight for their first two-goal advantage since the start of the contest. Stony Brook would take a 10-8 advantage into the final quarter.

The Dragons scored a pair to start the fourth quarter and tie it up at 10 apiece. Budke’s standout performance began with just 3:27 remaining in the fourth quarter, breaking through her lone defender and finding the back of the net to give the Seawolves a 11-10 lead. She then scored back-to-back on an identical play, cutting through the eight-meter and dodging her defender for a two-goal advantage. With less than 30 seconds, Julia Fusco intercepted a wild pass from the Dragons to ice the clock and secure Stony Brook’s 11th conference championship.

Photo from Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook men’s track and field wrapped up the regular season on May 2 and 3, competing at the Larry Ellis Invitational hosted by Princeton. As a team, the Seawolves recorded five top-eight placements.

HIGHLIGHTS

As the regular season now comes to a close, the Seawolves will shift their focus to championship season, starting with the two-day CAA Outdoor Championships on May 14-15 in Greensboro, N.C., at the Marcus T. Johnson Track.

An aerial view of Stony Brook University

When 11 Stony Brook students’ visas were terminated early this month, a state of uncertainty descended on the school and community. Immigration and Customs Enforcement revoked the students’ records, destabilizing them when they should be learning and growing. Their largest concern, no longer exams and school work, was whether they would be able to stay in the country to finish their education.  Hundreds of international students across the country were notified by their schools that their visas were revoked, and many times without a public reason. 

The school extended resources to help, students and staff gathered in swaths to support the affected students, and local politicians like Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D-NY4) used their resources to help protect and prepare the students for what came next. 

While SEVIS records can be terminated on the basis that the student has a criminal record, the federal government has also revoked records of politically active students, reasoning that they interfered with foreign policy. The revocation of the records does not necessarily mean the next step is deportation; however, it is a step in that direction as the student no longer has the legal records to protect against removal proceedings.

Stony Brook University has over 3,000 international students bringing valuable skills and unique perspectives to the Stony Brook community. Their experiences and perspectives prove valuable to the classroom and the broader community; the breadth of cultures and backgrounds produce well-rounded, empathetic and curious professionals. 

Once it the government became more aggressive with visa terminations, some students across the U.S. began “self-deporting”, saying they no longer felt safe here. Thankfully, none of the 11 students who had their visas revoked left the country. With the support of the school and their classmates, they kept going to classes. They kept learning. 

The visas have been restored and imminent risk of deportation has been abated, but the uncertainty lingers. The federal government reversed itself while under pressure from lawsuits that argued due process was neglected. As ICE hone their criteria and protocols for visa termination, it is unclear whether these students will again be at risk. The school that admitted these students and the local politicians who represent people in the area remain ready to assist these international students as they become a part of the country’s ongoing experiment with democracy.

By Daniel Dunaief

The federal government took them away and has, for now, returned them.

Amid a national crackdown on international students throughout the country, the federal government’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program removed the visas of 11 international students at Stony Brook University on April 10, without providing any public information about the reasons for the decisions or the process that would follow.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine

Early this week, the downtstate flagship university announced that the student visas, which are necessary for work and, in some cases, to remain in the United States, were reinstated.

“We are delighted to share that all 11 Stony Brook students whose immigration status was terminated by the federal government several weeks ago had had their status reinstated,” Provost Carl Lejuez, Vice Provost for Graduate Educate Celia Marshik and Senior Associate Provost for Global Affairs Lindsi Walker announced in an email to faculty, staff and students.

The 11 Stony Brook students were among the 1,500 students nationwide whose visa status was terminated. Most of those students have also had their visas restored, although the government indicated that it was creating a new system to review and terminate student visas.

At the University of North Texas, 28 international students had their visas restored on Tuesday, while Rutgers students also had their visas restored this week.

Judges in numerous juridsictions had temporarily restored student record amid lawsuits challenging the decision by Immigration and Customs Enforcement about the Student and Exchange Visitor Information Program (SEVIS) withdrawals.

District Judge Ana Reyes in the District of Columbia on Tuesday called the withdrawals “arbitrary and capricious” and suggested that the terminations “showed a lack of concern for human individuals,” according to ABC News.

In their joint email, Stony Brook officials expressed appreciation for the community support for these students.

“Stony Brook is deeply enriched by the perspectives and contributions of our global community, and we are proud to learn, teach and conduct research alongside exceptional international students and scholars,” the officials wrote in their email.

The reversal comes as litigation against the federal government mounts, with student arguing that the revocations were unconstitutional.

After Stony Brook University announced the visas had originally been removed, students gathered to express their support for the students affected and to urge the university to help defend against deportation and the loss of any work study efforts.

Stony Brook officials indicated that students had continued with their academic pursuits amid the shifting visa process.

“We are not aware of students missing classes as a result of their status being revoked,” Lejuez explained in a written message, “and now, with this restoration, they are able to simply continue in their studies without further distractions.”

Political support

Local politicians from both parties welcomed the administration’s decision to allow these students to continue with their educational programs.

“I am pleased that the visas of the international students at Stony Brook were restored,” County Executive Ed Romaine (R) explained in a written message. “Educating international students in the U.S. helps those around the world better understand our country and apprecaite the many good things and freedoms we enjoy.”

New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay

Democratic State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, whose district includes Stony Brook, Setauket, Port Jefferson, Port Jeffferson Station, Mount Sinai and Coram, appreciated the support of the university and of the office of Sen. Charles Schumer (D).

As soon as she learned that these student visas were revoked, Kassay connected with Stony Brook University’s Associate Vice President for Government Relations Carl Mills and with Schumer’s office.

Once the students had legal representation, Schumer’s office was able to ensure that the appeals process proceeded fairly, Kassay said.

At the time, and as a part of her ongoing responsibility to the district, Kassay urged anyone with concerns to reach out to her office to “make sure you are getting the calls back” from any of the various entities involved in the process, she said.

Kassay suggested that her staff works to make sure constituents are getting service from all levels of government.

Kassay recognized that this visa issue could return for international students in the area.

“We stand at the ready to help navigate whatever might come about with issues resulting from federal executive orders or policies,” Kassay added.

To be sure, Kassay suggested that students on visas don’t have the freedom to break laws or to violate the terms of their time in the country.

“If individuals are found to have a criminal background, or to have cause for removal from our country and that is proven by due process, then so be it,” she said. “We all deserve due process. Now is the time to make that clear.”

Kassay suggested that she felt sympathetic to students who didn’t face any public charges and whose futures had suddenly become uncertain.

“My heart goes out to the individuals and their families,” Kassay said.

Eleven students who had their visas revoked, thereby preventing them from working and making them vulnerable to deportation, have now had their records restored. 

Last month the students were informed by SBU’s department of Global Affairs that their Student Exchange and Visitor Information System records were revoked. They were among thousands of international students nationwide to receive the message. 

On Friday, the Department of Justice started restoring some of the over 1,800 visas that were terminated. 

“This change means on-campus employment can be restored, and allows these students to return their full attention to their academic pursuits,” Provost Carl W. Lejuez, Vice Provost for Graduate Education Celia Marshik and Senior Associate Provost for Global Affairs Lindsi Walker wrote in an email sent to SBU faculty and students.

The reversal comes as litigation against the federal government mounts, with students arguing that the revocations were unconstitutional. 

After Stony Brook University announced the terminations on April 10, students gathered in following days to express their solidarity with the students affected and to urge the university to help defend against deportation. 

“Stony Brook is deeply enriched by the perspectives and contributions of our global community,” the letter from Lejuez, Marshik and Walker reads, “and we are proud to learn, teach, and conduct research alongside our exceptional international students and scholars. 

Reportedly, the students were still attending classes during the period where their visas were inactive.

#3 Riley McDonald and #33 Courtney MacLay celebrate Saturday's victory. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

The No. 20 Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team defeated Hofstra, 15-5, in the Battle of Long Island on April 26 to close out the 2025 regular season. With the win, the Seawolves clinched their third consecutive CAA Regular Season Championship title and the No. 1 seed in the CAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament.

By securing the CAA Regular Season Championship, Stony Brook clinched its 12th straight conference regular season title (three CAA Regular Season Championships & nine America East Regular Season Championships). With earning the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, the Seawolves will play in the semifinals on Thursday, May 1, at noon against the No. 4 seed, Elon.

Stony Brook was paced by nine different goal scorers, four of which recorded multi-goals games. Casey Colbert and Isabella Caporuscio each tallied hat tricks while Alexandra Fusco and Courtney Maclay notched a pair.

Defensively, Avery Hines collected a team-high four caused turnovers as Caporuscio grabbed six ground balls. In net, Natalia Altebrando had another dominant outing, making eight saves on a .615 save percentage.

The Seawolves took control of the game early and never looked back. Stony Brook scored the game’s first five goals and closed out the first quarter with a commanding, 7-1 advantage. Colbert notched her second hat trick this season in the opening frame, while Maclay tallied both of her goals in the first 15 minutes of play.

Hofstra answered back with a pair of goals to start the second quarter before the Seawolves tacked onto its dominant lead with another four goals to take an 11-3 lead into the break courtesy of Riley McDonald, Caporuscio, Kylie Budke, and Molly Laforge.

Hofstra’s leading scorer, Nikki Mennella, netted the Pride’s first goal of the second half just one minute into play before Stony Brook responded with another four goals. Caporuscio would register her ninth hat trick of the season after finding the back of the net in consecutive possessions.

The fourth quarter would level out between the Seawolves and Pride, both scoring one goal. Stony Brook emerged victorious, 15-5, to earn their third straight CAA Regular Season title after another undefeated season in conference play.

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook men’s lacrosse set a program record with 28 goals in a senior day victory over Hampton on April 26 at LaValle Stadium. Justin Bonacci led the way offensively with a career-high eight points (two goals, six assists) and Jamison MacLachlan made five saves to earn his seventh win of the season.

Five different goal scorers helped Stony Brook open a 6-0 lead less than nine minutes into play. The Seawolves added four more goals, including a pair of man-up tallies, taking a 10-1 lead into the second quarter.

Hampton and Stony Brook traded goals back and forth before an 8-0 Stony Brook run to close the first half. The Seawolves carried a 19-2 advantage into the intermission.

A quiet third quarter saw each side score twice. Stony Brook outscored Hampton 7-2 in the fourth quarter, scoring the final six goals of the contest, cruising to a 28-6 victory on senior day. 

“Proud of the guys for sending the seniors off the right way. That’s what we focused on all week. We were disappointed how the one-goal games ended, that put us in the position where we knew this was going to be our last time together as a team. We cherished it all week and the guys played hard and played disciplined, which was the focus. We made sure to send those four seniors off the right way,” said head coach Anthony Gilardi.

Mila Charles during last Saturday's match. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook tennis team ended the regular season in style, defeating Queens College 5-2 on Senior Day, April 19, to extend its win streak to six straight matches.

Two out of three set wins secured the doubles point for the Seawolves, as Lorin Tilipman and Elena Lobo-Corral took set one, followed by a hard-fought set three win by Cornelia Bruu-Syversen and Sara Medved.

In singles play, Stony Brook took four of the six matches with wins from Lobo-Corral, Palladino, Mila Charles, and Medved.

DOUBLES RESULTS

— Tilipman/Lobo-Corral (SBU) def. Berggren/Makal (QC), 6-0

— Rivoal/Lamy (QC) def. Palladino/Boro (SBU), 6-1

— Bruu-Syversen/Medved (SBU) def. Bergmann/Saito (QC), 6-4

SINGLES RESULTS

— Lobo-Corral (SBU) def. Makal (QC), 6-2, 6-0

— Palladino (SBU) def. Fawzy (QC), 6-0, 6-3

—Lamy (QC) def. Tilipman (SBU), 6-1, 5-7, [10-7]

— Berggren (QC) def. Bruu-Syversen (SBU), 6-4, 4-6, [10-8]

— Charles (SBU) def. Bergmann (QC), 6-3, 6-3

— Medved (SBU) def. Saito (QC), 6-1, 6-1

Up next, the team now turns their attention to the CAA tournament, which beginson May 2. Stony Brook’s opponent will be announced in the coming days as the bracket finalizes.

Susan Lane, MD, MACP. Jeanne Neville, Stony Brook Medicine

The program is dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in academic medicine

Susan LaneMD, MACP, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and Professor of Medicine in the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) at Stony Brook University, has been named to the 2025-26 Class of Fellows for the Hedwig van Amerigen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program. An initiative at Drexel University College of Medicine, the program is dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in schools of medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy.

According to Drexel, the ELAM program is specially developed for senior women faculty at the associate or full professorship level who demonstrate the greatest potential for assuming executive leadership positions at academic health centers within the next five years. To be accepted into the program, each fellow much be nominated and supported by the dean or another senior official at their institution. Dr. Lane received multiple senior level nominations and support.

ELAM centers on developing both the professional and personal skills for women to lead and manage in a complex healthcare environment, with a particular focus on the unique challenges of women in leadership positions.

“I am honored to be selected to this 2025-26 Class of ELAM Fellows, and during my career at Stony Brook Medicine I have endeavored to support women in their individual academic journeys and pave the way for them to serve in educational leadership positions,” says Dr. Lane, also Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Medicine and Associate Dean for Clinical Faculty Development for the RSOM.

Work for the incoming class of ELAM fellows begins in June 2025 with online assignments and community-building activities. Each fellow will be expected to develop an Institutional Action Project. A symposium in 2026 will feature the various projects completed from around the nation.

A resident of East Setauket, Dr. Lane, a RSOM faculty member since 2000, says she hopes to create a longitudinal development program for junior faculty at Stony Brook Medicine during their pivotal transition from the role of trainee to faculty member, with the goal to help them thrive as they juggle professional and personal responsibilities.

The effectiveness of ELAM’s distinctive approach to leadership preparation is broadly recognized within the academic health community. ELAM alumnae number more than 1,600 and serve in leadership positions at some 300 academic health centers worldwide.

Tara Huston, MD, Professor of Surgery and Dermatology in the RSOM’s Department of Surgery, is a current ELAM fellow.

For more about the ELAM and its curriculum, see this link.