Freshman Attacker Already Stepping Up Big For Hofstra Women's Lacrosse

 Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Hofstra freshman woman’s lacrosse attacker Lindsay McKinnon has not been playing like someone who is still adjusting to the collegiate level.

The Fairport, N.Y native, who is only a year removed from earning high school All-American honors, has registered seven points in the Hofstra’s last two victories over Notre Dame and Fairfield to help give the Pride (4-5) momentum heading into Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play. None of McKinnon’s points was any bigger than her free position goal with 7.8 seconds left against the 17th-ranked Fighting Irish that propelled Hofstra to a come-from-behind 9-8 win over a team the Pride had lost three games to by a combined four goals from 2008-2010. McKinnon’s heroics against Notre Dame earned her CAA Rookie of the Week accolades.

Olivia Galati Following Up Stellar Freshman Campaign With More Dominance in Circle

 Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

After a stellar freshman season that saw her garner Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Rookie of the Year Honors, Hofstra softball pitcher Olivia Galati has certainly not had a sophomore slump and instead has become an even more dominant force in the circle.

Galati earned her third CAA Softball Pitcher of Week honor this past Monday after recording two complete-game victories over Connecticut to help the Pride capture the Hyatt Place Invitational at Hofstra Softball Stadium last weekend. In her last six appearances Galati has been on fire with 56 strikeouts and no walks while helping to lead the Pride to wins over Michigan State, Purdue, Buffalo and Connecticut. Scoring has been hard to come by against Galati all season with the sophomore boasting a 1.36 earned run average (ERA) in 15 appearances on the mound.

Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. Notre Dame in-game blog

After three straight years of close heartbreaking defeats to Notre Dame, the Hofstra women’s lacrosse team will have another chance to finally break through the Fighting Irish hex this Sunday at Noon.

Hofstra (3-5) is seeking its second straight win after defeating Fairfield 15-6 last Saturday. Seventeenth-ranked Notre Dame  (3-4) enters Shuart Stadium  after dropping a tough 6-5 double overtime game to Cornell.  In three games against Notre Dame from 2008-2010, the Pride lost each of them by a combined four goals.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Notre Dame game 15 minutes before the opening draw Sunday at 11:45 a.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Drexel in-game blog

The Hofstra men’s lacrosse team hosts Drexel Saturday afternoon in a critical Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game for both teams.

Hofstra (6-1, 0-1 in CAA)  will look to even up its conference record after falling at Delaware 7-6 in the league opener last Saturday. Last year Hofstra fell at Drexel in a game that dropped it to 0-2 in the CAA and eventually led to the Pride missing the conference playoffs. Hofstra rebounded from its loss at Delaware with an 8-5 home win over St. John’s Tuesday night.

 Drexel  (5-3, 1-0 in CAA) arrives at Shuart Stadium  winners of four straight including  a 18-5 romp over Lafayette on Tuesday. Early in the season Drexel lost close games to nationally-ranked Virginia, Notre Dame and Villanova., The Dragons boast one of the top goalies in the nation in Mark Manos.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Drexel game 15 minutes before faceoff Saturday at 12:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. St. John's in-game blog

The eighth-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team will try and rebound from its first loss of the season this past Saturday against local Big East foe St. John’s Tuesday night.

The Pride (5-1) lost a narrow 7-6 game at Delaware in its Colonial Athletic Association opener. It will be only the second meeting between Hofstra and St. John’s, which are located just 20 miles from each other, since the Red Storm reinstated their program in 2004 and the first at Shuart Stadium. St. John's has lost five in a row since a season-opening 16-7 win at Holy Cross.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-St. John’s game 15 minutes before faceoff Tuesday evening at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

Saturday's Hofstra-Columbia Game To Feature Pride Softball Reunion

When the Hofstra softball team takes the field against Columbia Saturday morning for its home opener in the Hyatt Place Invitational, there will be two familiar faces in the opposing dugout.

The Columbia head coach is former Hofstra softball player Kayla Noonan, who was a four-year catcher for the then Flying Dutchwomen in the late 90’s. The Lion’s assistant coach Adrienne Clark is also familiar to Pride fans, as she was a key pitcher for Hofstra during its run to three straight NCAA Tournaments from 2003-2005.

Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. Fairfield in-game blog

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team will try and get back on the winning track in a home game against Fairfield Saturday afternoon.

Hofstra (2-5) has dropped four in a row including a heartbreaking 10-9 double-overtime loss at Rutgers last Saturday. The Pride have been led offensively by sophomore midfielder Jill Maier with 18 goals. A bright spot on defense has been sophomore goalie Jackie Pandolf, who has 83 saves in the Pride’s first seven games.

Fairfield (5-2) is coming off a come-from-behind 13-12 win at Lehigh in which the Stags rallied from an 11-6 second half deficit. Fairfield also gave 10th-ranked and future Hofstra opponent James Madison quite the scare in a narrow 13-10 loss on March 5.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Fairfield game 15 minutes before the opening draw Saturday at 11:45 a.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

Hofstra Softball Battle Tested for Start of Its Home and Conference Schedule

After a challenging first month of the season playing 18 games down south against some of the nation’s top softball programs, Hofstra head coach Bill Edwards said his team is very well prepared for a run at a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title and the start of its home schedule this weekend.

In addition to playing many top-notch teams, Hofstra was met with further challenges off the field to start the year including many flights and weather delays. Hofstra (10-8) capped its grueling first month of the season on the road winning four of five games at the Florida Atlantic Invitational over Middle Tennessee State, Michigan State, Purdue and Buffalo. The Pride’s early season non-conference slate also included impressive wins over Virginia and Florida State at the Seminole Kickoff Classic from Feb. 11-13.

“It was an exhausting tournament schedule to start the year off,” said Edwards, whose teams have traditionally opened the beginning of the season in warmer weather before starting the home schedule in late March. “They were very tiring and exhausting trips.”

Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Air Force live in-game blog

The Hofstra men’s lacrosse team will look to stay high atop the national rankings when it takes the field against Air Force Sunday afternoon.

The fourth-ranked Pride enter Sunday’s game at 4-0 with a chance to match its best start since 1997. Hofstra is coming off two wins against Ivy League opponents Princeton and Harvard.

Hofstra has a 7-0 record against Air Force but the programs have not met since 2000. Air Force lands on Long Island at 1-4 and coming off a 6-4 loss at Fairfield Friday night.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Air Force men’s lacrosse game 15 minutes before faceoff Sunday at 11:45 a.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

UNC Transfer Ian Braddish Finding Role in Hofstra Lacrosse Offense

 Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Four games into his Hofstra lacrosse career after transferring from the University of North Carolina (UNC), midfielder Ian Braddish is starting to find his role in the fourth-ranked Pride’s explosive offense.

Braddish had a breakout game during a 15-9 win against Harvard last Saturday scoring two goals in his only two shots of the contest. The 6’2 185 pound sophomore lefty midfielder said after his performance against Harvard that he feels very comfortable with his new scenery at Hofstra just 22 miles from his West Islip, N.Y. home.

“It has just been great since I got here,” said Braddish, who was a standout player at Long Island power West Islip High School prior to his collegiate career. “Everyone has welcomed me with open arms.”

Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. Penn in-game blog

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team has a chance for a major signature win Wednesday afternoon when it takes on fourth-ranked Penn.

Last season when Penn was ranked fourth in the nation the Pride gave the Quakers quite the scare in Philadelphia rallying from a 6-1 deficit before falling 6-5. Penn (2-0) enters Shuart Stadium hot to start the season after wins over Drexel and third-ranked North Carolina.

Hofstra (2-2) will try and rebound from a 13-8 loss at Albany Saturday. The Pride have been led offensively this season thus far by senior attacker Stephanie Rice’s 12 points on nine goals and three assists.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra’s quest to upset one of the top women’s college programs in the nation 15 minutes before the opening draw Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Harvard in-game blog

The fifth-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team is off to its first 3-0 start in 14 years and will look to continue the early-season momentum at home against Harvard Saturday afternoon.

Hofstra is coning off a 11-9 win over then eighth-ranked Princeton last Saturday. The Pride had five different goal scorers led by four tallies from senior attackman Jaime Lincoln, who garnered Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week honors. Harvard (1-0) enters Saturday’s game with Hofstra coming off a 9-7 home win over Canisius last week and is in the receiving votes section of the top 20 rankings.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Harvard men’s lacrosse game 15 minutes before faceoff Saturday at 12:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

New Hofstra Sports Fan Connection Facebook Page Making Waves

 Credit: Facebook.com

A new Hofstra sports fan facebook page has created an interactive platform for Pride supporters to interact, and less than a half a year into its launch is already making major waves.

The Hofstra Sports Fan Connection facebook page was created in the fall and in a short time has gained more than 700 followers and growing. The page, which was founded in September and started to become active in early November, is designed as a hub for Hofstra sports supporters to share their experiences with friends and other Pride fans. The page’s wall features numerous photos and commentary either provided by the group’s founder Chuck Steveskey or other Hofstra fans.