Canton, NY – Roughly 70 Special Olympians accompanied by nearly 100 SUNY Canton student-athletes and volunteers took part in the 2025 New York State Special Olympics Summer Games on Sunday, April 13th on SUNY Canton's campus.

This was the 10th year the institution hosted Special Olympics and the third since 2019 as the event had been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The day featured events in a variety of sports that the Special Olympians took part in assisted by the Roos student-athletes. Those events included but were not limited to track and field events, throwing competitions and basketball.

SUNY Canton would like to give a special thank you to its student-athletes, coaches and members of the athletics department, the SUNY Canton Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Janet Parcell and her students from the Health and Fitness Promotion major, Deborah Molnar, Jennifer McDonald and her students from the Physical Therapist Assistant major, Danielle Armstrong and Erik Kromer and all of the Special Olympics volunteers and coaches. 
 
 
"Hosting the Special Olympics is always a tremendous experience for our campus and community as a whole," Athletic Director Randy B. Sieminski said. "I am extremely proud of the participation of our student-athletes, faculty, staff and volunteers. This is our 10th year hosting the event and the day always stands out as one of the best for our student-athletes and all involved. Our student-athletes look back fondly and remember the bonds they have created with the Olympians years later."
   

Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college's career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 25 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the SUNYAC. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.