Utica to host State Summer Games for Special Olympics N.Y. the next three years

UTICA, N.Y. — Utica will host the next three annual editions of the State Summer Games for Special Olympics New York between 2026 and 2028. Utica University will serve as the hub of State Summer Games, with Opening & Closing Ceremonies and most of the sports competitions held on site. The campus will also provide housing and meals for athletes and coaches. Additional venues scheduled to host State Summer Games events include Hamilton College (swimming), City of Utica (tennis) and Mohawk Valley Community College (volleyball). Special Olympics New York, Utica University, and community leaders on July 28 gathered at the Utica University Hudson Sports & Recreation Center at 1600 Burrstone Road in Utica to make the announcement. State Summer Games is the largest statewide competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics New York said in its announcement. The games will be offered each June for more than 1,200 athletes and coaches from across the state to compete in six sports: basketball, powerlifting, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Utica University and the surrounding communities to give our athletes a first-class State Summer Games where they will go for the gold in their favorite sports, reconnect with friends from all across New York, and meet new volunteers,” Stacey Hengsterman, president and CEO of Special Olympics New York, said in the announcement. “Making this three-year commitment to inclusion is a significant undertaking, and we are so grateful to our partners for their collaboration and support.” In addition to the sports competitions, State Summer Games also includes a signature Special Olympics Opening Ceremony. In the ceremony, participants and the community come together to celebrate inclusion; activities for aspiring young athletes from local elementary schools; and a victory dance. In addition, it includes a Healthy Athletes event where athletes receive free health screenings in several disciplines such as vision care, dental care, hearing, podiatry, nutrition, and mental health, per the announcement. “We’re excited to welcome more than 1,200 Special Olympics athletes and their coaches and families. With the support of the community, I know we’re going to make this a weekend to remember for everyone involved,” Utica University President Todd Pfannestiel said. “This is such a natural fit on so many levels, but in particular, the Special Olympics mission of providing opportunity aligns so closely with our own. We’re happy to have the Games back in Utica for three years and hopefully longer, and we cannot wait for next June to be here.”   “We are honored that the Special Olympics New York State Summer Games will be held in Oneida County for the next three years,” Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr., said. “This is more than a sporting event — it’s a celebration of courage, determination and inclusion. We look forward to welcoming these incredible athletes, their families and supporters and showing them the warmth, pride and spirit that define our community.”