BUFFALO, NY – The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) announced its annual outdoor track & field major awards today with Buffalo State's Ricky Curiel (East Amherst, NY/Clarence) being named the SUNYAC Track & Field Male Rookie of the Year. Curiel is the first to win the award since Xzavier Goodman back in 2024 and is just the third in program history on the men's outdoor side (Cody Sikora also earned the honor in 2017). Curiel also earned Rookie of the Year following the cross country season.
 
Curiel caps-off an impressive debut collegiate campaign for Buffalo State. At SUNYAC Championships, Curiel won the 10,000m run with a time of 32:05.69 and earned First Team All-SUNYAC honors. He also earned the Third Team All-SUNYAC honors following a third place finish in the 5,000m run with a time of 15:36.07 and was named the SUNYAC Male Rookie of the Championship Meet. Curiel also set the program record in both events; posting a time of 15:10.94 in the 5,000m and 31:24.81 in the 10,000m.