Inside the Pride

Hofstra Men's Lacrosse Has High Hopes For 5th Straight NCAA Appearance and More Next Year

2011-05-27T14:10:00.013-04:00

Hofstra men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney will be taking in the Final Four in Baltimore Saturday and after guiding the Pride to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances he hopes to soon to be coaching on Memorial Day weekend.

This season Tierney became the first Hofstra men’s lacrosse coach to lead the program to the NCAAs four straight years. Like the previous three attempts Hofstra, fell in the first round to a tough opponent on the road and Tierney is hopeful that going forward the Pride can continue its tourney streak and position themselves with a better opening draw perhaps in the comforts of Shuart Stadium.

“With one milestone becomes another goal that we would like to start to reach but one thing that has been a little bit difficult at times is the draw when we get in the tournament,” said Tierney. “Part of the formula to see if you can get to the next round is to get the highest possible seed going into the tournament itself.”

Hofstra’s four straight opening round tournament loss this year was a 12-5 setback at Johns Hopkins on May 14. The previous three NCAA Tournament losses were on the road to Maryland, Cornell and Johns Hopkins, all storied programs.

One aspect that could enhance Hofstra’s prospects of earning a more manageable first round NCAA Tournament game is boosting its strength of schedule, which should happen next year with the additions of powerhouse programs Notre Dame and North Carolina as non-conference opponents. Hofstra will also retain Princeton and Harvard on the schedule next year, both teams that will have strong potential for successful 2012 seasons.

In order to make a fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance the Pride will need do so without its entire starting attack unit of seniors Jay Card, Jaime Lincoln and Stephen Bentz. Hofstra also loses defensive midfielders Steven DeNapoli and Tim Holman along with defensemen Mike Skudin and Adam Mojica.

Tierney said he would explore utilizing midfielder Kevin Ford on attack next year along with Mike DeNapoli, Torin Varn and Adrian Sorichetti and Lance Yapor, who came on strong at the end of the 2011 season. Tierney is also hopeful that midfielder Ian Braddish can continue the rapid improvement he displayed throughout 2011 as a lethal dodger and a major focal point of the Pride offense. There is also some hope that graduate student and Lafayette transfer Steven Serling could be back in the midfield next year after suffering a season-ending spleen injury against Harvard

On the defensive end of the field Tierney will have the luxury next year of having a senior goalie for the first time since taking over at Hofstra five years ago when Andrew Gvozden patrols the cage after a stellar junior campaign.

“We’re excited for 2012 and what we’re going to look like,” said Tierney. “We’re going to look a little different but different can be good."

Coaches Laud Hofstra For Operations of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarterfinals

2011-05-22T19:48:00.007-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

ShuartStadium was packed for the 2011 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarterfinals.

Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium was showcased before a national audience Saturday during ESPN2’s coverage of the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Quarterfinals and the coaches involved raved about the atmosphere and how well the event was run.

The quarterfinal doubleheader, which featured Virginia defeating Cornell and Denver topping Johns Hopkins, drew a Shuart Stadium record 13,447 fans. The previous record was 12,292 in the 1999 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Quarterfinals when Johns Hopkins topped Hofstra and Georgetown downed Loyola.

Saturday was Denver head coach Bill Tierney’s sixth appearance at Hofstra in the quarterfinals going back to his days when he coached at Princeton.

“I’ve run [quarterfinals] at Princeton, I’ve been to them all over the country, when you come here you are treated special,” said Tierney, who had previously appeared with Princeton at Hofstra for the quarterfinals in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2009. “The people at Hofstra are unbelievable.”

Cornell head coach Ben DeLuca also appeared at Hofstra for the quarterfinals as an assistant coach with the Big Red in 2009 during its 6-3 win over Princeton. Despite just coming off a loss to Virginia that ended the Big Red’s season, Coach DeLuca was very complimentary during his press conference opening remarks of the way Hofstra ran the quarterfinals.

“I would like to thank [Hofstra Director of Athletics Jack Hayes] and the staff here at Hofstra University,” said Deluca. “They did a wonderful job of running a first class operation and hosting us here this weekend. It has been outstanding and we are very grateful for their hospitality.”

With Saturday’s quarterfinal victory Cornell, Virginia head coach Dom Starsia set an NCAA Division 1 record for wins with 327. It was Starsia’s second quarterfinal appearance at Hofstra with the other being a 17-14 loss to Syracuse in 1998. Ironically Starsia’s first game as a head coach with Brown in 1982 was at Hofstra and against Virginia when his Bears fell to the Cavaliers 10-6.

“Hofstra has done a great job,” said Starsia, who grew up less than 10 miles from Shuart Stadium in Valley Stream. “The folks here have just been tremendous. The atmosphere has just been tremendous.”

Plenty of Optimism for Another Successful Lacrosse Quarterfinals at Hofstra

2011-05-19T21:31:00.001-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Shuart Stadium during the 2009 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarterfinals.

While there is disappointment that Hofstra will not be taking part in this Saturday’s NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Quarterfinals at Shuart Stadium after dropping its first round game at third-seeded Johns Hopkins, there is still great optimism for the event and the exposure it will bring the university.

“We certainly wanted to play in it but once that wasn’t the case we continued to put every effort into making sure it is a great event,” said Hofstra Director of Athletics Jack Hayes. “We want to get it back as often as we can so we have done everything we can to promote it and we certainly have quality teams coming in with two great matchups.”

Both games of Saturday’s quarterfinal doubleheader featuring Cornell against Virginia and Johns Hopkins versus Denver will be televised nationally on ESPN2. As of the end of Thursday nearly 10,000 tickets had been sold and Hayes is hopeful that attendance will exceed two years ago when 11,259 packed Shuart Stadium to see a quarterfinal doubleheader featuring Syracuse against Maryland and Cornell versus Princeton.

“The numbers so far are very good” said Hayes, who added that the pace of ticket sales is ahead of two years ago. “We’re hoping we can have a crowd equal to or greater than two years ago.”

In addition to bringing a huge crowd to Shuart Stadium Hayes is also excited that a large national audience watching around the country on ESPN2 will get to see what Hofstra has to offer as a lacrosse venue. “That is the piece of it that is great for Hofstra, to be able to display our facility and our campus to a national audience,” said Hayes.

Hayes said going forward Hofstra will submit a bid to host the men’s lacrosse quarterfinals as often as possible. “Given our history in hosting the event and the size and the seating capacity of our facility I would think there would be continued interest in having it at Hofstra,” said Hayes.

With lights now installed at the Pride’s softball stadium, Hofstra also now has the ability to host the NCAA softball regionals, which typically take place the same weekend as the men’s lacrosse quarterfinals. However Hayes said Hofstra will not try and host both events the same weekend in order to assure that logistics for the games run as smoothly as possible.

“You don’t want to spread your staff so thin that you can’t do the best job possible for each event,” said Hayes. “On years that we don’t have the quarterfinals if we were to advance to the NCAA Tournament in softball we would put in a bid to host.”

This is the seventh time Hofstra has played host to the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Quarterfinals. The current record for attendance at the event at SAhuart Stadium was in 1999 when 12,292 saw Hofstra play Johns Hopkins and Georgetown battle Loyola.

The first quarterfinal game at Shuart Stadium Saturday between Cornell and Virginia gets underway at Noon. To order tickets online click here or call 516-463-TIXX(8499).
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Hofstra Softball's NCAA Chances Slim After Dropping CAA Championship to Georgia State

2011-05-13T19:01:00.001-04:00

The Hofstra softball team entered this afternoon’s Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament finals needing only one win over Georgia State to clinch its eighth trip to the NCAAs in nine years. Unfortunately for the Pride the CAA title hopes came crashing down with two close defeats to the Bulldogs and now their 2011 season is more than likely over as well.

Despite being 40-13, Hofstra head coach Bill Edwards said following the Pride’s 2-0 CAA title game loss to Georgia State that they likely don’t have the resume to receive an NCAA at-large bid due to not picking up enough quality non-conference wins. Hofstra entered the CAA Tournament ranked 54 in the RPI.

“I’d be very shocked,” said Coach Edwards of his team’s at-large chances following the CAA title game loss where Georgia State scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. “We had some games early that we had to win that we very competitive in but didn’t win.”

Some of the early-season losses that Hofstra nearly pulled off against quality competition that could have bolstered the Pride’s at-large resume were 5-4 to East Carolina on Feb. 21 and 1-0 in nine innings to LSU on March 4. The last time Hofstra received an NCAA at-large bid was 2003 when the Pride were 37-15 and won the CAA title when league did not have an automatic bid.

If the Pride do not receive an at-large bid then today marked the final time that first baseman Sara Michalowski, Trisha Dreslinski and catcher Laura Valentino will have worn a Hofstra uniform. “They are class people and they are very successful out in the real world,” said Edwards of his graduating seniors. “What they have left here in a legacy will be passed for many years.”

Hofstra Men's Lacrosse Looks To Make History at Johns Hopkins

2011-05-11T00:08:00.001-04:00

For the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team to reach its first Final Four in program history the Pride will need to start by doing something it has never done before; win at Homewood Field.

After a stressful few days following Hofstra’s 10-9 Colonial Athletic Association semifinal loss to Delaware last Wednesday finding out if they would receive an at-large bid to the 16-team NCAA Tournament, the Pride (13-2) drew third-seed Johns Hopkins when the selections were announced Sunday night. Hofstra has had some recent success with Johns Hopkins winning three of its last six meetings but has never won at the Blue Jays' home field in Baltimore. One of those losses at Johns Hopkins was a 10-4 setback in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament when key Hofstra seniors such as Jay Card, Mike Skudin and Steven DeNapoli were freshmen.

“It’s less about the field and more about the tradition and what Hopkins has done in the past,” said Hofstra men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney of the challenge opposing teams face at Homewood Field. “They have a lot of great traditions there.”

Tierney played at Johns Hopkins and served as an assistant coach at his alma mater from 2001-2006. He is also a former teammate of Johns Hopkins head coach Dave Pietramala, who decided this past summer to drop Hofstra from its schedule after the two teams had met 19 out of 20 years from 1991-2010.

Johns Hopkins (12-2) has been on a tear of late winning seven straight games. The Blue Jays have a balanced offense and is anchored defensively by sophomore goalie Pierce Bassett, who ranks among the national leaders with a 6.70 goals against average and a .586 save percentage. Hopkins also boasts the number one faceoff specialist in the nation with Matt Dolente winning 67 percent of his draws. Hofstra sophomore John Antoniades is the third highest rated faceoff man in the nation at 66 percent.

“They are a very, very talented lacrosse team and we need to come up with a game plan, follow that game plan and play our hearts out,” said Tierney.

Hofstra is making its fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament; the first time that feat has been accomplished in program history.

The Hofstra-Johns Hopkins game is scheduled for Noon Saturday on ESPN2. If Hofstra wins it will have a chance to return to its home field for a chance to reach the program’s first ever-Final Four the next Saturday when Shuart Stadium plays host to the NCAA Quarterfinals. Before that can happen the Pride will first have to make history at Johns Hopkins.

A Signature Win For Hofstra Baseball

2011-05-09T23:44:00.001-04:00

The Hofstra baseball team’s 5-0 upset of 14th-ranked Miami Sunday was a signature win for the program and one that head coach Patrick Anderson expects to carry some confidence into next season.

Hofstra’s shutout of the Hurricanes, a program that has captured four national titles, represented the highest ranked opponent the Pride had ever beaten, eclipsing a victory over 15th-ranked Old Dominion on April 7, 2006. Anderson, who has been Hofstra’s head baseball coach since 2009 and served as an assistant in Hempstead from 1998 to 2001, said the only other win he has experienced with the program that compares to the Miami triumph was a victory at Virginia Tech on April 8, 1999.

“This one is the best win we feel for this program,” said Anderson. “Hopefully it will do wonders and these kids will never forget it.”

Hofstra’s shutout win pitched by David D'Errico (six innings) and Jeff Guthridge (three innings) over Miami Sunday came after losing the first two games of the three game series 16-4 and 9-3. With Hofstra eliminated from contention for the four-team Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) playoffs, Anderson is happy to see how his team is competing late in the season and being rewarded with a win over a national power like Miami.

“The kids did a great job and it was awesome to watch,” said Anderson. “They keep battling.”

After traveling to Virginia Commonwealth for a three-game set starting Thursday, Hofstra (12-29, 9-15 in CAA) will close its 2011 season at home with a series against Old Dominion next weekend.

Hofstra Men's Lacrosse Has NCAA Fate Out Of Its Hands

2011-05-05T18:45:00.002-04:00

After falling to Delaware 10-9 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) semifinals Wednesday evening, the Hofstra men’ lacrosse team has left its NCAA Tournament hopes in the hands of others and will be crossing fingers for results in some key games this weekend to break their way leading into Selection Sunday.

Despite being 13-2, the Pride will be on the bubble in its bid to be apart of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year. On the positive side Hofstra is ranked 12th in the current RPI rankings compiled by laxpower.com, ahead of potential competing bubble teams such as North Carolina (13), Penn (14) and Loyola (15). Hofstra also currently has four wins over the RPI top 20 including UMass (16), Colgate (17), Princeton (18) and Penn State (20), according to laxpower. However one negative that could hurt Hofstra’s chances is having being rated 38th in strength of schedule, which one of the criteria the Selection Committee uses when determining who receives bids.

“We will be discussed,” said Hofstra men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney following Wednesday’s night’s setback to Delaware that ended the Pride’s hopes of leaving their tournament fate out of the NCAA committee hands by capturing the CAA automatic bid. “I think we probably need some teams to win their conferences so at that point in time it leaves that at large or two at-large spots open."

The next few days in games across the country will go a long way toward determining Hofstra’s NCAA fate. Some results that Hofstra fans will want to root for include:
•    Have Denver win the ECAC automatic bid: The Pioneers have a strong at-large resume and the conference is likely a one-bid league barring an upset. Denver faces Ohio State in the ECAC semifinals tonight at 9 pm.
•    Have Cornell or Penn win the Ivy League automatic bid: Cornell is safely an at-large team and the Quakers are likely in the tournament already given their strong opening season win over Duke. The best scenario for Hofstra would be for Harvard to beat Penn in the semifinals and lose to Cornell in the Ivy League title game Sunday since the Pride defeated the Crimson on March 5 and this would boost their resume and likely add another top 20 RPI win to the table. However should Harvard or Yale come away with the Ivy League trophy this would take away another at-large spot.
•    Have Johns Hopkins defeat Army Friday night: Army is currently rated low in the RPI at 26 but a win over fourth-ranked Johns Hopkins would give the Black Knights (9-5) a major bump in the rankings. Army would then have wins over Cornell and Johns Hopkins on their resume and would be very much in the at-large bid discussion. A loss by Army however all but eliminates them from contention.
•    Have North Carolina lose to Notre Dame Saturday afternoon:The Tar Heels are one of the bubble teams Hofstra could be contending with for one of the final bids depending what shakes out in the conference tournaments. A win over the Fighting Irish (second in the RPI) would likely solidify an NCAA bid for the Tar Heels.

Last year Hofstra received an NCAA Tournament at-large bid with a 9-4 record despite not qualifying for the four-team CAA playoffs. However last year the Pride had a top 10 RPI win on their resume (Johns Hopkins) and a stronger strength of schedule.

The pairings for the 2011 men’s lacrosse NCAA Tournament selection show are scheduled to be announced at 9 p.m. Sunday night on ESPNU. The next few days will certainly be some anxious ones for Hofstra men’s lacrosse as they can only sit back and wait to see if their season has already come to a close.

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

2011-05-03T18:03:00.000-04:00

The eighth-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team will try and move a step closer to a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title when it battles Delaware in the conference semifinals Wednesday evening.

Hofstra (13-1) suffered its only loss of the regular season at Delaware on March 19 7-6. The Pride are coming off a 9-4 win over Penn State Saturday night that clinched the top seed in the CAA Tournament. If Hofstra wins Wednesday it will host the winner of the other CAA semifinal between Penn State and UMass on Saturday.

Hofstra is looking for its first CAA title since 2008 when the Pride rallied from a two-goal deficit in the final two minutes to beat Drexel in double overtime. Delaware is the defending CAA champions as the Blue Hens upset top-seeded Towson 12-9 in last year’s league title game.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra’s quest to reach the CAA title game 15 minutes before faceoff Wednesay at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4e77b299b6" >Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Delaware</a>

Future Looks Bright for Hofstra Women's Lacrosse

2011-04-29T21:18:00.004-04:00

After finishing an overall disappointing 2011 season on a positive note with a come-from-behind 9-8 win over Drexel Thursday afternoon, Hofstra women’s lacrosse head coach Abby Morgan expressed optimism for 2012.

A major reason for Morgan’s positive outlook is the solid production of many of her younger players late in the season. During the win over Drexel in which Hofstra rallied from a 8-5 deficit to score the final four goals, 11 of the Pride’s 13 points came from freshmen and sophomores. The win over Drexel ended Hofstra’s season at 6-10 overall and 2-5 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

“Obviously we would have loved to have seen a couple more wins on the board but the future is bright for our program in these young players,” said Morgan. "I think we have a lot to look forward to."

Hofstra will return seven of its eight leading scorers from this season including Jill Maier, who led the 2011 Pride in goals with 37. On the defensive end Hofstra will return goalie Jackie Pandolf, who delivered a stellar sophomore season with 159 saves after sharing the netminder duties as a freshman.,

“There is a lot of talent within our team next year,” said Morgan.

While Morgan is excited for her returning players next year, she is also sad to see the careers of six Pride seniors come to a close. The six Hofstra seniors who played their final collegiate game Thursday included defenders Katie Hertsch, Bettina Mianulli, Alexandra Hannon and her twin sister Maddie along with midfielders Stephanie Rice, and Jennalee Trombley. Rice was second on the Pride in goals with 23 and ended her Hofstra career by scoring the game-winning goal against Drexel.

“This senior group was a good bunch of leaders,” said Morgan. “There is going to be some holes I think in leadership [next season] but I have faith in our younger players that they are going to step up.”

Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Penn State in-game blog

2011-04-28T22:08:00.001-04:00

The eighth-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team closes its 2011 regular season with a Saturday night home game against Penn State that could go a long way toward deciding the Pride’s postseason fate.

Hofstra (12-1) and 20th-ranked Penn State (7-5) enter Saturday’s regular season finale tied for second place in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) at 4-1. The winner of Saturday’s game will earn the number one seed and have home field advantage during the upcoming CAA Tournament. The Penn State game is also critical for Hofstra’s at-large NCAA Tournament chances as the Pride enter the weekend ranked 10th in the NCAA RPI.

Hofstra is riding a seven-game winning streak including a convincing 14-5 win over arch-rival UMass last Saturday in the ESPNU Warrior Classic at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. Penn State arrives at Shuart Stadium following an impressive 13-3 win at Delaware last Saturday. In last year’s meeting between Hofstra and Penn State the Nittany Lions rallies from a 7-2 deficit to post an 11-10 overtime win.

Saturday’s Hofstra-Penn State will be Senior Night. The Pride nine seniors who will be honored before the game include Stephen Bentz, Jay Card, Steven DeNapoli, Tim Holman, Jamie Lincoln, Adam Mojica, Steve Serling and Mike Skudin.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Penn State game 15 minutes before faceoff Saturday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=64d37b95e1" &amp;amp;gt;Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Penn State&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

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

2011-04-27T14:22:00.000-04:00

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team will look to end the 2011 season on a high note when the Pride battles Drexel in the season finale Thursday afternoon at Shuart Stadium.

In addition to trying to head into the offseason with smiles on their faces, the Pride will also be looking to spoil Drexel’s Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) playoff aspirations. The Dragons (9-6, 3-3 in CAA) are still alive in the hunt to receive one of the conference’s four playoff spots and are coming off a 9-3 win over George Mason this past Sunday. Hofstra (5-10, 1-5 in CAA) nearly pulled off an upset of 12th ranked James Mason on Saturday before falling 9-8.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra women’s lacrosse team’s final 2011 game 15 minutes before the opening draw Thursday at 3:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=d368e489d1" >Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. Drexel</a>

Hofstra Softball Fielding Among Tops In the Nation

2011-04-26T15:02:00.001-04:00

Hofstra softball head coach Bill Edwards always places a major emphasis on defense during pre-season practices and that sharp focus on the fundamentals of fielding is paying off to near perfection.

According to the latest NCAA statistics, Hofstra (31-10) is tied with Texas for first in the nation with a .984 fielding percentage. For the season Hofstra has only made 19 errors. Last year Hofstra was also tops in the country for fielding percentage before making two errors in a season-ending NCAA Tournament extra-inning loss to Arizona.

Edwards attributes the Pride’s fielding success to a combination of hard work and having a “constant repetition of fundamentals.” In addition concentrating heavily to the physical aspect of fielding, Edwards also institutes a system that enables each player to constantly be prepared mentally during each at bat of how to position themselves for a variety of situations.

”We work real hard on our fundamentals,” said Edwards, who is just three wins a row from reaching 800 for his career.

Having a near perfect fielding percentage is also important for the mindset of Pride pitchers Olivia Galati and Erin Wade, who know a solid defense is behind them when the ball is put in play. “You can tell your pitcher don’t be afraid to pitch to contact because if you keep the ball in the park we’re going to make plays,” said Edwards. “It really does give them the confidence to not be afraid to pitch to contact.”

Hofstra will be looking for its 23rd win in its last 25 games tonight when the Pride host St. John’s in the first ever home night game in program history at 7 p.m.

Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. James Madison in-game blog

2011-04-23T09:01:00.001-04:00

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team will look to knock off the Colonial Athletic Association’s (CAA) leading team when it hosts 12th-ranked James Madison on Sunday afternoon.

Hofstra (5-9, 1-4 in CAA) snapped a four-game losing streak to start league play Friday night with a 16-7 win over George Mason. James Madison (11-3, 5-1 in CAA) is coming off a dramatic 9-8 win at Drexel in which Casey Ancarrow scored the winning goal with just seven seconds remaining. The Dukes are coached by Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe, who was the head coach at Hofstra from 2002-2006.

Sunday’s game against James Madison will Senior Day. The six Pride seniors who will be honored before the game are Alexandra Hannon, Maddie Hannon, Katie Hertsch, Bettina Mianulli, Stephanie Rice and Jennalee Trombley.

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

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=55bf73988b" &amp;amp;gt;Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. James Madison&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

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

2011-04-21T22:32:00.002-04:00

The eighth-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team faces a critical test in its quest to make the NCAA Tournament for a fourth straight year when it faces 15th-ranked UMass Saturday as part of the ESPNU Warrior Classic at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn.

Hofstra (11-1) and UMass (8-3) are in a three way tie for second place in the Colonial Athletic Association at 3-1 and the winner of Saturday’s game will take a key step toward potentially having at least one home game in next month’s conference tournament. A victory over the Minutemen would also keep very much alive Hofstra’s chances at receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament should the Pride not capture the CAA’s automatic qualifier.

Hofstra and UMass have had an intense rivalry over the years with the Minutemen leading the all-time series 19-16. The most important game in the series that dates back to 1974 was UMass handing Hofstra a heartbreaking 11-10 overtime defeat in the 2006 NCAA Quarterfinals with the Minutemen rallying from a five goal deficit in the final eight minutes.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-UMass game 15 minutes before faceoff Saturday at 2:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=f56a756397" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. UMass&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

A Q & A With ESPN Lacrosse analyst Quint Kessenich on upcoming Hofstra-UMass men's lacrosse game

2011-04-21T19:35:00.005-04:00

The eighth-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team has a crucial game against 15th-ranked UMass (8-3) Saturday at 3 p.m. in the ESPNU Warrior Classic at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. that could decide he Pride’s postseason fate. ESPN lacrosse analyst Quint Kessenich, who will be providing color commentary for the game on ESPNU, spent some time with “Inside the Pride” to break down what to expect in this key Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) matchup and what it will mean in the bigger picture as the Pride (11-1) aim for its fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Kessenich was a standout goalie at Johns Hopkins University in the late 80’s and was a teammate of Hofstra men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney while playing for the Blue Jays.

Inside the Pride: With Rentschler Field being so close to the UMass campus do you expect Hofstra to be facing a hostile environment Saturday?

Quint Kessenich: Not really. What I find in these big stadiums is because they are so big it tends to kind of mute out the fans who are there. It makes 5,000 fans look small and it’s just not as overwhelming as when you are on a campus and there is maybe 2,000 fans there but it feels like you are at a college basketball game.

Inside the Pride: What stands out to you when looking at this Hofstra-UMass matchup?

Quint Kessenich: Faceoffs are big because both teams are really good in that department….. UMass is a terrific team with faceoffs and groundballs. They generate a lot of shots but if you look at their shooting percentage in their three losses that’s where they lost. They shot the ball horrifically. They have a pretty low shooting percentage in comparison to Hofstra. When I look at Hofstra I see a team that has great numbers across the board, good shooting percentage, good special teams, excellent goals against average, high faceoff percentage. I don’t know how much of that comes from playing against some lesser-tiered schools.

Inside the Pride: Are their any individual matchups that stick out in this game?

Quint Kessenich: The best players on the field for both teams are the attackmen. Hofstra’s attack with [Jay] Card, [Jaime] Lincoln and [Stephen] Bentz is a really nice group. Seth runs some pretty slick formations to get those guys and get the ball moving. UMass certainly has to control those three. UMass is all about Will Manny….He’s a lefthander and is really playing well lately and Art Kell, who is a big lumbering right-handed attackman who scores a lot of goals so you have to stop those two…..Steven DeNapoli, Seth [Tierney] calls him the team MVP… everything I have seen him of him in the past he is terrific. He has amazing feet. He is really a fierce competitor. I’m excited to watch him cover some of these UMass midfielders.

Inside the Pride: How important is this game for Hofstra in its hopes of receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament should it not win the CAA automatic qualifier?

Quint Kessenich: This is a big game for them because from an at-large standpoint you are looking at a low strength of schedule and a low RPI and it’s going to be a challenge. I think they either have to take the AQ or run the table and maybe lose in the CAA finals to get an at-large.

Inside the Pride: What do you think of the ESPNU Warrior Classic as an event going into its second year of existence?

Quint Kessenich: I like it. I just think it needs to be marketed and publicized. We’ve got to get the whole state of Connecticut behind it….I love the fact that the game can be played in some non traditional areas to expose it to people. I’d much rather play at a place like Columbus, Ohio or Atlanta or Orlando, Florida and expose the Division I game…. If I were the commissioner I’d make it mandatory that every top playing team had to play one neutral site game somewhere for the good of the game.

Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. George Mason in-game blog

2011-04-20T21:58:00.000-04:00

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team will be looking for it first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) win Friday night at home against George Mason.

Hofstra (4-9, 0-4 in CAA) is coming off a tough 6-4 loss at Old Dominion Sunday that likely ended any hopes of the Pride reaching the four-team conference playoffs next month. Friday night’s game against George Mason is the first of three straight home games Hofstra has to close the season. George Mason enters Shuart Stadium also looking for its first CAA victory at 0-5 in the conference and 3-12 overall.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-George Mason game 15 minutes before the opening draw Friday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=e5561d6054" >Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. George Mason</a>

Steven DeNapoli Honored To Play Senior Season For Nick Colleluori

2011-04-17T11:40:00.013-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

The determination displayed by Steven DeNapoli throughout his Pride men’s lacrosse career earned him a jersey number for his senior season that gives him a constant reminder of someone who showed major relentlessness in and out of his Hofstra uniform.

DeNapoli wore number 7 for the first three years of his Pride career and was honored when this past summer he was asked by the Hofstra coaching staff to change to number 27 for his senior year. Twenty seven was the number worn by former Hofstra men’s lacrosse defenseman Nick Colleluori, whose life was cut short at the young age of 21 when he died after a courageous 14-month battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on Nov. 28, 2006.

Hofstra began a tradition last year where each season a player is selected to wear number 27 that best exemplifies Colleluori’s character on and off the field. DeNaopli never had the opportunity to know Colleluori but he is fully aware of the toughness he lived by on and off the field, and tries to live by those qualities as best he can.

“Nick has meant so much to this program its just honor and privilege to be considered for wearing it so I jumped on it,” said DeNapoli, who has served as a Pride captain since last year after earning All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) second-team honors in 2009. “All I can do is play my hardest and try to represent what Nick believed in.”

DeNapoli has been a huge reason for eighth-ranked Hofstra’s 11-1 start often serving as the point man during crucial late-game clearing situations. DeNapoli also leads the Pride in caused turnovers with 12 and in many instances is charged with defending one of the opposing team’s top offensive weapons. DeNapoli’s determination has also been evident when possession is up for grabs as the Hewlett High School product is second on the team in groundballs with 48.

DeNapoli and Hofstra are next in action for a crucial CAA game against UMass this Saturday in the ESPNU Warrior Classic at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. DeNapoli and the other eight Pride seniors will then take the Shuart Stadium turf for their final regular season home game against Penn State on April 30 at 7 p.m.

Hofstra Women's Lacrosse Finds Itself in Unfamiliar Territory

2011-04-12T17:58:00.001-04:00

After dropping two tough Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) games to Delaware and Towson this past weekend to open the conference slate, the Hofstra women’s lacrosse team finds itself in some unchartered waters and will need to dig deep in order to be apart of postseason play come May.

Not since Hofstra’s first season of CAA play in 2002 have the Pride began conference play 0-2. In that year Hofstra actually began 0-3 in the conference but still managed to qualify for the then six-team CAA Tournament, where it fell to James Madison 13-4 in the quarterfinals. The CAA women’s lacrosse tournament now only consists of four teams however and at 0-2 the Pride will have very little room for error in its final five conference games.

“It’s tough being 0-2 in the CAA,” said Hofstra women’s lacrosse head coach Abby Morgan after the Pride’s 18-9 home loss to Towson Sunday afternoon in which the Pride were unable to hold onto an early 5-0 lead. “It’s not a good feeling, that’s for sure.”

Hofstra’s hope of turning around its CAA fortunes starts this weekend with crucial road games at William & Mary and Old Dominion. With a Southern Virginia sweep the Pride will be very much alive in the playoff race when it entertains George Mason and James Madison the following weekend. Winning four of its final five CAA games may be what is needed to earn one of those four CAA postseason spots, but the Pride learned the hard way in 2008 and 2009 that even a 4-3 record does not assure games in May.

“Everyone in that locker room knows that we have the potential to win games, beat great teams, play the way that we play because we’ve done it already,” said Morgan. “In the CAA you control your own destiny. You win you’re in.”

David D'Errico Shining as Hofstra Baseball's Number One Starter

2011-04-09T00:03:00.008-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

With his first season of collegiate baseball under his belt as well as a summer competing in the Western Major Baseball League in Canada, Hofstra sophomore pitcher David D'Errico has been riding high with confidence in 2011 in his second year as the ace of the Pride pitching staff.

In his first five Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) starts this year D'Errico has allowed only five earned runs with Hofstra going 4-1 in those key conference games. Thanks in large part to D'Errico Hofstra is very much alive midway through the CAA season to reach the four-team conference tournament in May.

“One year of experience pitching in college and a whole season of summer ball gives you a lot more confidence,” said D'Errico of the extra comfort level he feels in his second season taking the mound for the Pride. “I definitely feel a lot more comfortable this year than last year.”

Hofstra baseball head coach Patrick Anderson has also noticed a difference in D'Errico command as a sophomore going all the way back to the fall season. “He’s been more consistent in the strike zone and is just feeling confident about himself,” said Anderson. “He believes in his stuff and he believes in the guys behind him.”

D'Errico arrived at Hofstra after a distinguished baseball career at North Kingstown High School in Rhode Island where he was a First team All-Rhode Island selection as a junior and senior. He got thrown into the fire right away as a freshman at Hofstra becoming the Pride’s number one starter during the CAA schedule and earned a key win at Northeastern where he allowed just two runs in eight innings of work.

D’Errico arrived on Long Island with some familiarity thanks to his high school baseball and football teammate and “best friend” Cody Normand also deciding to select Hofstra for his collegiate career on the diamond. “Cody has actually been my best friend since like fourth grade so it was so ironic that we ended up going to the same college,” said D’Errico.

In his eight appearances this season D'Errico has recorded 26 strikeouts and given up only 14 walks. Prior to Friday’s game at Northeastern where he suffered a hard-luck 3-0 loss after giving up just two earned runs in eight innings of work, D'Errico was 3-0 with a 1.82 earned run average in his previous three starts. He tosses his first complete game in a 6-2 Hofstra win at William & Mary on April 1.

“He’s a hard worker and very humble,” said Anderson of D'Errico, who was also a star football player in high school earning Gatorade Rhode Island Football Player of the Year honors his senior season. “He’s a great teammate and the guys love him.”

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

2011-04-08T23:27:00.001-04:00

After a heartbreaking 7-6 loss at Delaware Friday night in its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener, the Hofstra women’s lacrosse team will be looking to even its conference record when it faces Towson in a critical game for both teams on Sunday afternoon at Shuart Stadium.

Sunday’s Hofstra-Towson game will be a rematch of last year’s CAA semifinals where the Pride came away with a 9-8 win. Towson dropped its last CAA game to Drexel 7-5 and is 7-3 on the season and 1-1 in conference play. The game will be crucial for both team’s chances of making the four-team CAA Tournament in May.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Towson game 15 minutes before the opening draw Sunday at 12:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=6c2a7591ff" &amp;amp;gt;Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. Towson&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Manhattan College live in-game blog

2011-04-04T13:00:00.001-04:00

The seventh-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team is aiming to keep its momentum following a crucial Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) win at Towson this past Saturday when the Pride battle local opponent Manhattan College Tuesday night.

Since suffering its only loss of the season in its CAA opener at Delaware, Hofstra (8-1) has put together a three-game winning steak with victories over St. John’s, Drexel and Towson. Manhattan (3-8) is coming off a 10-8 win over Jacksonville Saturday.

Last year in the first meeting between the schools, Hofstra crushed the Jaspers 18-2 with attackman Jaime Lincoln leading the Pride with four goals. Just 30 miles separate the two schools.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Manhattan game 15 minutes before faceoff Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=f2a4b5d37f" &amp;amp;gt;Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Manhattan&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Hofstra Men's Lacrosse Inspired By Youngest Member of Team

2011-04-03T18:51:00.005-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

In the midst of the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team’s successful 8-1 season, the Pride are finding inspiration from the newest and youngest members of the program.

Hofstra formerly adopted four-year old Dylan Beach as part of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ) prior to its March 26 game against Drexel. Beach battled a brain tumor and is currently in remission. The Pride sticklers decided to get involved with trying to add some joy into his life through the FOJ, an organization based in Quincy, Mass. that matches children in need of love, support and friendship with a college or high school sports team.

“He’s tougher than any guy we’ve got in the locker room,” said Hofstra men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney.

Since forming in 2005 the FOJ has completed over 230 adoptions in over 20 different sports and has over 1,000 schools on a waiting list. The Hofstra women's lacrosse and softball teams have also been involved with FOJ, which is named for Jaclyn Murphy, who at just nine-years old in March 2004 was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor called medulloblastoma. Jaclyn’s father Denis Murphy addressed the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team prior to the Drexel game about the joy this project brings to children like Beach who are battling a tough disease at such a young age.

On the day of the adoption, Beach and his family visited with the Pride players and coaching staff in the locker room with the four-year old youngster sporting spider man glasses while being provided some of his favorite snacks. Just prior to the opening faceoff of the Hofstra-Drexel game, a ceremony was held at midfield formally welcoming Beach into the Pride men’s lacrosse family.

“It touched me and I know it touched a lot of the guys,” said Hofstra senior star attackman Jay Card, who went onto to score two goals in the Pride’s crucial 11-6 win over the Dragons.

“I don’t know if he realizes the impact that he has on our guys,” said Tierney. “He is a celebrity in our locker room.”

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

2011-03-30T19:20:00.007-04:00

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.

“The speed of the game is a lot faster,” said McKinnon of her biggest adjustment playing college women’s lacrosse a year out of high school. “You have to make quicker decisions, you have to give one less cradle on a feed, but having girls above me like Steph Rice and Claire Bady really taking me under their wings and Claire helping me feed behind the crease has really helped welcome me and really give me that confidence as a freshman that you don’t always come in with.”

Points are certainly something McKinnon is accustomed to after registering 47 goals and 68 assists her senior season at Fairport High School, located just outside of Rochester. Through her first nine collegiate games McKinnon has 14 points on nine goals and five assists and is the Pride’s fourth-leading scorer.

McKinnon will try and continue the fast start to her collegiate career next weekend when Hofstra opens CAA play at Delaware Friday night and home against Towson Sunday afternoon. The continued progression of McKinnon could be key in Hofstra’s effort to make the CAA playoffs for the second straight year.

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

2011-03-26T01:45:00.004-04:00

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 softball head coach Bill Edwards said Galati worked extra hard in the offseason to improve both her change up and screwball and she continues to amaze him each time she enters the circle. “She has not only added pitches but she has added strength and endurance because she trained all offseason,” said Edwards. "She is in rare form."

Galati said the training she put in during the offseason with strength coach Scott Wilks combined with having a year of collegiate softball under her belt has made a big difference so far in 2011. The St. John’s the Baptist High School product has also had a great support system with fellow Pride pitcher Erin Wade.

“We are both very close,” said Galati of her relationship with Wade, who is also having a fine season in the circle so far with a 2.38 ERA. “We help each other out all the time.”

Galati will look to continue her sophomore success when the Pride play at Drexel in a three-game series to start Colonial Athletic Association play starting with a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m.

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

2011-03-24T12:04:00.004-04:00

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

2011-03-24T11:59:00.001-04:00

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.
&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=d7b9330dce" &amp;amp;gt;Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Drexel&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

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

2011-03-21T15:23:00.005-04:00

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.

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

2011-03-18T18:15:00.004-04:00

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.

Noonan and Clark are just two of many former Hofstra players in the college softball ranks including East Carolina associate head coach Natalie Koslowski (1992), Princeton assistant coach Alexis Alcantara (2004) and University of Hartford assistant coach Kayleigh Lotti (2009). In addition former Hofstra pitcher Courtney Oliver is in her first season as an assistant coach for her alma mater after spending the last two seasons coaching at Monmouth and Boston University.

“Any time that you can go against a former player or coach against a former player or coach against a former player I think it’s a great feather in our cap as far as Hofstra is concerned with the number of players we have out there coaching,” said the Pride's 22nd-year head coach Bill Edwards. “I’m so proud of [Noonan and Clark] and I’m so proud of all or our ambassadors that are out there coaching as part of the Hofstra program.”

Noonan is now in her ninth year as Columbia head coach and posted five straight 20-win seasons from 2003-2007. Clark is in her third season on the Columbia coaching staff after previously serving as an assistant at Delaware from 2006-2008.

Edwards said he is proud not just of Noonan and Clark’s accomplishments in the dugout but also the way they represent themselves off the field with their strong character. “I respect them tremendously not only as coaches and former players but these are just great people that are now passing on some of the things that hopefully they learned here,” said Edwards. “They are tremendous, wonderful people and I am just very, very proud of them.”

The Hofstra-Columbia game Saturday morning in the opening to Hyatt Place Invitational is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Hofstra will then face Columbia again on Sunday at 10 a.m. and also have two games this weekend against Connecticut.

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

2011-03-18T11:29:00.000-04:00

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.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4e3196505c" >Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. Fairfield</a>

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

2011-03-16T16:29:00.007-04:00

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.”

In many cases Hofstra would play multiple games and have to be in the batting cages at 7:30 a.m. that day for a 9 a.m. first pitch and then stay around the ballpark all day to take the field for an early evening contest. The Pride also often arrived back from road trips at 3 a.m.

Edwards said the hectic schedule the Pride faced on the road in February and early March will come in handy this weekend when Hofstra plays doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday in the Hyatt Place Invitational, but will have the luxury of being at home minus the travel headaches. When the CAA schedule begins on March 26 at Drexel, Hofstra will play just one doubleheader on Saturdays and one game on Sunday, a far cry from the multiple games at different hours the Pride were faced with in the four tournaments down south.

“Playing conference games for us will seem like a piece of cake because it’s a doubleheader and were out of there and then its one game and we’re out of there,” joked Edwards of the much more manageable schedule his squad will face in CAA play. “This weekend were home so we’re going to play two games on Saturday and two games on Sunday and it is going to seem like we didn’t even play because of what we went through.”

Hofstra’s home opener is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. in the opening game of the Hyatt Place Invitational. The Pride will then face Connecticut with a scheduled 12:30 p.m. first pitch.

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

2011-03-12T08:47:00.002-05:00

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.

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UNC Transfer Ian Braddish Finding Role in Hofstra Lacrosse Offense

2011-03-11T17:55:00.004-05:00

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.”

Before playing his one season at UNC, Braddish had a distinguished high school career West Islip where he was selected to play in the Under Armour North-South All-Star Game as a senior while leading the Lions to a state title. Braddish also played on two gold-medal winning teams for Long Island at the Empire State Games.

Braddish certainly has plenty of offensive support around him with Hofstra boasting six players who have 10 points or more through the Pride's first four games. "It makes life easy for people like me who like to dodge," said Braddish of the many scoring options opposing teams need to pay attention to on the Pride offense.

Braddish will try and continue his offensive momentum from last week’s game against Havard when the Pride aim for its first 5-0 start in 14 years versus Air Force on Sunday starting at Noon.

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

2011-03-08T09:04:00.002-05:00

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

2011-03-04T14:19:00.000-05:00

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.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=fbc3fedb78" >Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Harvard</a>

New Hofstra Sports Fan Connection Facebook Page Making Waves

2011-03-03T16:31:00.005-05:00

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.

“Almost everyday we are getting reactions and people are submitting their own photos from the games,” said Steveskey, whose wife is Hofstra women’s basketball head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey. “It is starting to do what it is really intended to do and that is be a page for fans.”

Steveskey, who has run an event marketing company since the mid 90’s, has worked on the facebook page in conjunction with the Hofstra athletics department. In addition to having over 700 fans on the page there has also been more than 100,000 page views.

“It’s amazing when you unleash this stuff how far reaching it can become,” said Steveskey, who has been a passionate supporter of all Hofstra athletic teams since his wife Krista became the Pride women’s basketball coach in 2006. “I think its been successful so far and hopefully it will continue.”

Many of the wall post comments on the page have been from Hofstra coaches, most notably men’s basketball head coach Mo Cassara. Steveskey has been happy with how much the page has grown in a short period of time and is hoping to cross the 1,000-fan plateau in the near future.

“People are enjoying it and having fun with it and if brings us some more fans that is really what it was about,” he said. “I’d love to make it even bigger and better for next year.”

Hofstra faceoff specialist a major "X factor" to Pride men's lacrosse 3-0 start

2011-02-27T13:54:00.003-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Faceoffs are a crucial part of the sport of lacrosse and the dominance displayed in the X early this season by sophomore John Antoniades is a major reason why Hofstra is off to a 3-0 start and on the cusp of being ranked among the top five teams in the nation.

Antoniades has won 69 percent (31-45) of his face-offs in the Pride’s first three games including going 16-22 during an 11-9 win over eighth-ranked Princeton yesterday afternoon. The 5’9 165 pound sophomore midfielder was especially clutch in the first quarter against Princeton game when he won 8 of 9 faceoffs to keep the Pride in the game after falling behind 5-2.

“John is a warrior,” said Hofstra men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney in the post game press conference following the seventh-ranked Pride's huge victory over Princeton. “He will do whatever it takes to get the ball.”

Antoniades has become a formidable faceoff specialist early in his sophomore campaign despite missing the entire pre-season with an injury. As a freshman last year he was thrust into the spotlight in the Pride’s season opening game at Princeton when senior Mike Vaccaro tore his ACL, and he proceeded to win 55 percent (180-329) in the faceoff X and was second on the team in ground balls with 47. The Hauppauge, N.Y. native won 83 percent of his faceoffs as a senior at St. Anthony’s High School and then spent one year playing at Loomis Chaffee Prep School in Windsor, Conn. before arriving at Hofstra.

Antoniades, who made the Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie team as a freshman, said the competition he faces everyday in practice from other capable faceoff specialists has made a huge difference in his sophomore progression. Other faceoff specialists Hofstra can deploy in addition to Antoniades include Quinnipiac transfer Zachary Pall, who was 58 percent from the X last year, Cullen Cassidy and Vaccaro.

“We have four or five guys that can all come in everyday, every game and do a great job,” said Antoniades, who was also recruited by Army, Navy and Virginia. “Going at it everyday with all the faceoff guys on the team just really helps me be prepared for games.”

Antoniades will try and continue his hot play to the season this Saturday when Hofstra hosts Harvard with a 1 p.m. first faceoff.

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

2011-02-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

The seventh-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team will take on eighth-ranked Princeton Saturday in a game that could have major postseason implications come May.

Princeton is the highest pre-season ranked team on the Pride’s schedule and a win over the Tigers Saturday would create a solid resume for Hofstra when NCAA Tournament selections and seedings are determined in May. Hofstra (2-0) enters Saturday’s game coming off wins over Colgate and Sacred Heart. It will be the opening game for Princeton, who returns six starters from last year’s Ivy League title team that fell to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Hofstra leads the all-time series with Princeton 12-11. In last year’s meeting the Tigers won an offensive shootout 17-14. The last time Hofstra and Princeton met at Shuart Stadium the Pride came away with a 9-7 upset of the then third-ranked Tigers.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team’s quest to earn a key signature win early in the season 15 minutes before faceoff Saturday at 11:15 a.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Princeton

Hofstra women's basketball vs. George Mason in-game blog

2011-02-23T13:58:00.001-05:00

No matter what the sport a Hofstra-George Mason game is always intense and on Thursday afternoon the Pride women’s basketball team faces the rival Patriots in a key Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tilt.

Hofstra (15-11, 7-8 in the CAA) is coming off a heartbreaking 79-77 loss to Old Dominion Sunday. The Pride come into Thursday’s matinee one game ahead of the Patriots (12-14, 6-9 in the CAA) for sixth place in the conference standings. In the team’s first meeting this season in Fairfax, Va., George Mason came away with a 76-70 win on Super Bowl Sunday.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra- George Mason game 15 minutes before tip-off Thursday at 1:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
Hofstra women's basketball vs. George Mason

Jackie Pandolf stepping up to the cage as Hofstra women's lacrosse starting goalie

2011-02-21T14:03:00.004-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

The healthy competition Hofstra women’s lacrosse goalie Jackie Pandolf faced for playing time last year with senior Mary Cuddidy is paying major dividends so far in 2011 for the junior netminder.

Pandolf stepped up huge for the Pride in Sunday’s dramatic 11-10 overtime win at Oregon with a career high 13 saves including two key stops in the extra session. The Sachem North High School product was also stellar in Hofstra’s season-opening 14-9 loss to 19th-ranked Boston College with 11 saves on 39 shots along with recording a team-high six ground balls.

After sharing playing time last year with Cuddihy, Hofstra women’s lacrosse head coach Abby Morgan was impressed with how Pandolf worked extra hard in the offseason to improve all facets of her play including clears and being a more vocal leader on defense. “Pandolf has fortified herself as a starter,” said Morgan just prior to the start of the 2011 season. “She really solidified her game.”

Last season while Cuddihy started 12 of the Pride’s 15 games, Pandolf still received plenty of time in the cage and posted a 8.26 goals against average with 56 saves. The Holbrook, N.Y. native also received solid preparation for her current starting role as a freshman in 2009 when she recorded 16 saves in 10 games.

Pandolf will try and continue her hot play to open the 2011 season when the Pride next take the field at home against Denver on Friday at 4 p.m.

Hofstra wrestling vs. Army in-match blog

2011-02-21T13:57:00.000-05:00

The Hofstra wrestling team hits the mats for the final time at home Tuesday evening against Army.

The Pride enter the Army match winners of nine of 10 including a 33-11 triumph at Princeton on Saturday to improve to 13-4-1 on the season. Army (7-8) is coming off a 24-9 loss to arch rival Navy this past Saturday.

Tuesday’s match against Army is a makeup from a Jan. 26 contest that was postponed because of snow. It will mark the final home match for Hofstra senior grapplers Lou Ruggirello, Ryan Patrovich and Jeff Rotella.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Rider match 15 minutes before the first bout Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-match blog.
Hofstra wrestling vs. Army

Hofstra women's basketball vs. Old Dominion in-game blog

2011-02-19T16:07:00.001-05:00

The Hofstra women’s basketball team kicks off a three-game homestand Sunday afternoon against longtime Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) power Old Dominion.

Old Dominion enters Sunday’s game at 17-8 and 11-3 in the CAA. Hofstra is 15-10 overall and 7-7 in the conference.

There should be a large crowd on hand at the Mack Sports Complex Sunday thanks to the Hofstra-Old Dominion game serving as the Pride’s annual “Pink Zone” contest as well as Girl Scout Day. Everyone in attendance is asked to wear pink to help raise awareness for breast cancer.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Old Dominion game 15 minutes before tip-off Sunday at 12:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
Hofstra women's basketball vs. Old Dominon

Hofstra wrestling vs. Rider in-match blog

2011-02-16T11:30:00.002-05:00

The 23rd-ranked Hofstra wrestling team will hit the mats with conference rival Rider Wednesday night in a match that could decide the seedlings for next month’s Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championships.

Hofstra (11-4-1, 4-1 in CAA) has won seven of eight matches and is coming off a 39-8 win at Harvard this past Saturday. Rider arrives on Long Island at 8-10 and 2-2 in the CAA.

The Hofstra-Rider match will help decide many of the seedlings in the CAA Championships scheduled for March 4 and 5. Six of the 10 weight classes for Wednesday’s match will feature the number one and two ranked wrestlers going head to head. The headliner bout will be at 174 pounds between number one conference-ranked Ryan Patrovich against number two-ranked
Rob Morrison of Rider.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Rider match 15 minutes before the first bout Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-match blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=e8633ce2b4" >Hofstra wrestling vs. Rider</a>

Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. Boston College in-game blog

2011-02-14T09:58:00.004-05:00

The 20th-ranked Hofstra women’s lacrosse team opens a challenging 2011 schedule in its season opener late Wednesday afternoon against 19th-ranked Boston College.

Wednesday’s opener with the Eagles is one of 10 games Hofstra has scheduled this season against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason top 20 poll.

The Pride lost six of its top nine scorers, including two-time All-American Corrine Gandolfi, from last year’s team that went 12-6 and fell in the Colonial Athletic Association title game to James Madison. Hofstra still returns plenty of senior talent however on the defensive end led by Kate Hertsch, who was selected to play on the U.S. Senior National Team, and on offense with Stephanie Rice, who scored 23 goals last year. Sophomore midfielder Jill Maier also showed she has the capability to be an offensive force scoring 22 goals during her freshman campaign.

Wednesday’s opener against Boston College will be Hofstra’s first against the Eagles since suffering an 8-7 double overtime loss in 2005. Boston College finished last year 3-12 but is expected to be much stronger in 2011 as evidenced by their preseason ranking of 19.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra women’s lacrosse season opener 15 minutes before the first draw Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4e04b6854d" >Hofstra women's lacrosse vs. Boston College</a>

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

2011-02-14T09:33:00.000-05:00

The ninth-ranked Hofstra men’s lacrosse team opens its 2011 campaign late Tuesday afternoon against Colgate in what will be the earliest start to a season in program history.

The Pride return 31 players, including eight starters, from last year's 9-5 team that reached the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. Among the returning starters are all three starting attackman in the Canadian duo of Jay Card and Jaime Lincoln along with Stephen Bentz, who all earned All-Colonial Athletic Association accolade in 2010. The Pride also boast a very deep midfield led by graduate student Steve Serling, who comes to Hofstra after a standout career at Lafayette College where he was Patriot League's Offensive Player of the Year last season. Hofstra also boasts a veteran defensive unit led by senior captains Steven DeNapoli and Mike Skudin that should provide plenty of support for junior goalie Andrew Gvozden.

Colgate, which is coming off a 3-10 season last year, was picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League behind Army, Navy and Bucknell. Tuesday's matinee against the Red Raiders will be just the third overall between Hofstra and Colgate and the first in 50 years.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra men’s lacrosse season opener 15 minutes before faceoff Tuesday at 3:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=55b25a398e" >Hofstra men's lacrosse vs. Colgate</a>

Hofstra women's lacrosse uses last year's disappointment as fuel for 2011 season

2011-02-10T15:14:00.003-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

As the Hofstra women’s lacrosse teams gears up for a new season, last year's disappointment of several close losses to ranked teams that all made the NCAA Tournament, which the Pride missed out on, still lingers and is serving as a key motivator for the 2011 campaign.

The 2010 NCAA Tournament bracket is plastered on the Pride’a locker room as a reminder of the team’s ultimate goal. Circled on the paper are all the tournament teams Hofstra lost close games to including (Penn, Notre Dame, Stanford and Towson). Hofstra finished 2010 12-6 with a 10-6 loss to James Madison in the Colonial Athletic Association title game and head coach Abby Morgan believes a win in any of the Pride’ many heart-breaking losses to ranked teams could have made the difference in her team reaching the NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection.

“They don’t forget it,” said Morgan, whose team returns four starters and is ranked 20th to open the season “We talk about it giving us fuel.”

Hofstra will have plenty of opportunities register signature wins against quality teams starting with this Wednesday’s opener against 19th ranked Boston College. In all Hofstra has 10 games scheduled against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason top 20 poll including home contests versus Notre Dame, Penn, James Madison and Towson.

Providing leadership for Hofstra in emphasizing the importance of every game and practice are senior captains Kate Hertsch (defender), Stephanie Rice (attacker), Jennalee Trombley (midfielder) and Bettina Mianulli (defender). Hertsch, who is a member of the U.S Women’s National Team, is especially expected to anchor a 2011 Hofstra squad filled with plenty of youth as the first team All-CAA selection is the Pride’s leading returner in ground balls (34), draw controls (31) and caused turnovers (18). Morgan is also hopeful that Rice will provide some offensive sparks in her final collegiate season after scoring 23 goals last year.

A freshman who had a major breakout season last year was Jill Maier, who tallied 22 goals along with 18 draw controls and 13 ground balls. Sophomore attacker Jacquely Ardolino also showed plenty of offensive punch as a freshman scoring 15 goals and Morgan is expecting continued progression from her this season.

Morgan expects the return of red-shirt sophomore midfielder Maryann Miller, who missed all of last year with an injury after scoring 12 goals as a freshman, to bring an extra offensive lift to the Pride. Sophomore defender Emily Corzel, who tore her ACL in the CAA semifinal win over Towson last year and sat out the entire fall season, is back healthy and expected to be a major component of the Pride defense.

Last year saw a rotation in net with neither senior goalie Mary Cuddihy or sophomore Jaclyn Pandolf able to supplant the starting spot. However after some solid offseason work Morgan is confident in Pandolf’s ability to hold down the starting goalie spot as a junior and be a key facet of the Pride’s defense.

“[Pandolf] has really solidified her game,” said Morgan. “She has become a vocal leader in the goalie cage.”

Two freshman that have been stepping up large and are expected to be contributors this season are midfielder Alex Mezzanotte and attacker Lindsay McKinnon.

Despite being loaded with talent Morgan emphasized that no starting positions are safe and every player needs to continue to work hard in order to assure being on the field. “Even our returning U.S player Kate Hertsch better bring it or she’s not out there,” said Morgan. “It is a matter of who is going to earn it in practice.”

Shemiye McLendon has clutch touch for Hofstra men's basketball

2011-02-07T18:41:00.008-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Hofstra men’s basketball freshman guard Shemiye McLendon has turned into quite the clutch player early in his collegiate career.

The Vero Beach, Fla. native played a crucial role in Saturday’s 78-75 comeback win over Northeastern in which the Pride scored the game’s final 10 points. McLendon calmly hit two free throws to put Hofstra up 76-76 with 1:56 left. The Vero Beach Academy graduate then helped the Pride seal the huge Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) victory when he connected on two additional free throws with six seconds left to give the Pride a 78-75 lead.

McLendon's clutch performance at the end of the Northeastern game was the fourth time he had knocked down pivotal free throws down the stretch to help the Pride win key conference games. In a 75-69 win at Drexel on Jan. 3 McLendon hit two free throws with 1:55 left to gave the Pride the lead to stay and on Jan. 22 the freshman guard connected on two foul shots with less than two seconds left to put Hofstra ahead by three in a victory at William & Mary on Jan. 22. On Jan. 24 in a dramatic 92-90 overtime win against James Madison, McLendon sank two foul shots with 17.2 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to the extra session.

"One thing about Shemiye…. is he doesn't change his demeanor whether it's snowing or sunny or we're up or down and that is one of the real good things about him,” said Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Mo Cassara after the Pride’s win over Northeastern Saturday. “He’s been able to step up and make some big shots for us.”

“I go over free throws everyday in practice and I just go to the line and knock it down,” said McLendon, who is shooting 78 percent (31-40) from the charity stripe this season.

McLendon’s poise as a freshman will be huge for Hofstra down the stretch as with five CAA games remaining the Pride have a one-game lead on Drexel for fourth place. Finishing in that top four is crucial since it would allow Hofstra to get a first round bye in next month’s CAA Tournament in Richmond, Va.

Hofstra is next in action at Georgia State on Wednesday starting at 7 p.m.

Hofstra men's basketball vs. Northeastern in-game blog

2011-02-04T15:08:00.000-05:00

The Hofstra men’s basketball team will look to snap a three-game losing streak in a pivotal Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game against Notheastern.

Despite dropping its last three games, Hofstra (14-9, 8-4 in CAA) is still very much in the mix to finish in the top four in the league in order to receive a crucial first round bye in the conference tournament next month. The Pride enter Saturday’s game in fourth place in the CAA one game up on James Madison and Drexel. Northeastern began the season 4-15 but has won four in a row including a shocking upset over first place Virginia Commonwealth on Thursday.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Northeastern game 15 minutes before tip-off Saturday at 3:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-match blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=cf4ce5a46f" >Hofstra men's basketball vs. Northeastern</a>

Hofstra wrestling vs. Cornell in-match blog

2011-02-04T14:36:00.000-05:00

The Hofstra wresting team will have the rare chance to knock off the number one team in the nation when it hits the mats with top-ranked Cornell Saturday afternoon in the Physical Education Building.

Saturday’s match against number-one ranked Cornell (7-1) will be the Hofstra’s first against the nation’s top team since November of 2006 when the Pride knocked off number-one ranked Minnesota at the Northeast Duals. Hofstra (9-3-1, 4-1 in Colonial Athletic Association) comes into Saturday’s bout winners of five dual matches in a row and has six wrestlers in the nation’s top 25 led by fourth ranked Lou Ruggirello at 133 pounds.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra’s attempt to knock off its second top-ranked team in program history 15 minutes before the first match Saturday at 12:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-match blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=10e8afa4ca" >Hofstra wrestling vs. Cornell</a>

Hofstra men's lacrosse gearing up for Spring success in height of winter

2011-02-02T19:10:00.005-05:00

In the two weeks since the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team began preseason practice on Jan. 20, the Shuart Stadium turf has been ice cold amidst the frigid winter temperatures that have hit the northeast. The Pride are hard at work preparing for the 2011 season that head coach Seth Tierney hopes will see Hofstra playing in a much warmer climate on May 21 at Shuart Stadium in the NCAA Quarterfinals.

While the long term goal is to see Hofstra men’s lacrosse playing in front of the home fans for a chance to reach the program’s first Final Four, Coach Tierney is not looking that far ahead as his team gears up for the 2011 season in the height of winter. “What takes place in April and May are way back of the burner of the stove deep in the kitchen,” said Tierney. “We can’t just say we want to play in the quarterfinal game. We would sign up for that right now if that was the case but you’ve got to go out and you’ve got to earn it.”

Expectations are sky high for Hofstra after making the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season last year before losing a hard-fought battle to Maryland 11-8 in the first round. The Pride returns eight starters including 10 of their top 11 scorers from a year ago. The Pride also adds midfielder Steve Serling, who was the Patriot League Player of the Year out of Lafayette last year, and is enrolled as a graduate student at Hofstra for his final year of college eligibility.

While Hofstra earned at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year in 2010 there is still a sting from the fact that the Pride failed to qualify for the four-team CAA playoffs after dropping three close road games to UMass, Drexel and Penn State. “We are certainly upset that we were not involved in [the CAA Tournament] last year,” said Tierney. “We are going to be a little more focused on that this year. I’m hopeful that they understand that they have to bring it every game and we cannot take a day off at all.”

Much of Hofstra’s starting lineup is set but Tierney said some of the midfield spots are still up for grabs heading into the first scrimmages this weekend against Le Moyne and Syracuse. One position that is set is at goalie where junior Andrew Gvozden has already been named the starter after battling hard for playing time last season with Rob Bellairs.

“We took the burden of [Gvozden] having to try out every day after the way he played versus Maryland and a couple games last year and certainly the way he has worked and prepared himself for the fall,” said Tierney.

Tierney said his expectations for the first scrimmages this weekend are to see his team develop solid chemistry and learn what needs to be improved prior to the start of the regular season. “We’re looking for a good film of great effort and hopefully just figure out what we need to get better on to go toward the next scrimmage and then tweak everything up for the first game,” he said.

Hofstra opens the 2011 season at home against Colgate on Feb. 15 at 4 p.m.

Jenkins credits man he broke for scoring mark to guiding his career

2011-01-30T13:18:00.001-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

In Saturday's 65-60 loss to Drexel Charles Jenkins became the all-time leading scorer in Hofstra men's basketball history and senior guard credits the man he passed for this milestone Antoine Agudio for helping to guide his heralded Pride career.

"He took me under his wing when I first got here," said Jenkins of Agudio, who he played with as a freshman during the 2007/08 season. "It means a lot me just to be mentioned in the same breath as him because I remember how much buzz he had when he was here."

After red-shirting during the 2006/07 season Jenkins began his Hofstra career the next year and saw Agudio break the 43-year old program scoring record that had been held by Steve Nisenson. The one year Jenkins and Aguido were teammates Hofstra endured a disappointing 12-18 season after having made three straight trips to the NIT, but three years later the Pride are in prime position to finish in the top four in the Colonial Athletic Association and make a run at a conference title. As much of an accomplishment as breaking the Hofstra scoring mark is Jenkins is only concerned with winning and getting the Pride to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade.

"The season is what is most important to me," said Jenkins. "When I leave Hofstra and I come back then this record will mean a lot to me but right now I've just got to worry about winning."

Hofstra women's basketball vs. Delaware in-game blog

2011-01-28T18:06:00.000-05:00

The Hofstra women’s basketball team will try to get back on the winning track against Delaware on Sunday afternoon at the Mack Spots Complex.

The Pride (11-8, 3-5 in Colonial Athletic Association), enter Sunday’s matinee with the Blue Hens on a two-game losing streak including a 65-42 defeat at UNC Wilmington Thursday. Delaware (11-8, 4-4 in CAA) is coming off a 52-48 home loss to George Mason on Thursday evening. The Blue Hens feature All-American Elena Delle Donne, who last played on Dec.19 against Penn State, but is expected to return to action on Sunday versus the Pride.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Delaware game starting 15 minutes before tip-off Sunday at 1:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=0a739d6834" >Hofstra women's basketball vs. Delaware</a>

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

2011-01-28T17:44:00.000-05:00

History is poised to be made during Saturday’s Hofstra-Drexel men’s basketball game at the Mack Sports Complex with Pride senior guard Charles Jenkins just 16 points away from becoming the program’s all-time scoring leader.

Jenkins enters Saturday’s game with 2,261 career points, the highest total for any active player in the nation. Jenkins is set to break the Hofstra record currently held by his former Pride teammate Antoine Agudio, who played from 2004-08.

The Hofstra-Drexel game is of crucial significance in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Hofstra (14-7, 8-2 ) enter the game coming off an 82-67 loss at Virginia Commonwealth Thursday that dropped the Pride a game behind the Rams for first place in the conference standings. Drexel (13-7, 5-5 in CAA) enters the Mack Sports Complex coming off a 60-52 loss to James Madison Wednesday.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Drexel game starting 15 minutes before tip-off Saturday at 3:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=f71bd1c9f3" >Hofstra men's basketball vs. Drexel</a>

Hofstra men's basketball vs. James Madison in-game blog

2011-01-23T23:19:00.002-05:00

The Hofstra men’s basketball team will look to keep its hold on first place in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) on Monday night at home against James Madison.

Hofstra (13-6, 7-1 in the CAA) enters Monday’s game coming off a hard-fought 67-64 road win at William & Mary Saturday and are tied with Virginia Commonwealth atop the CAA standings. James Madison (15-5,. 5-3 in the CAA) is coming off two straight losses including a defeat to George Mason on Saturday.

James Madison will present quite the challenge for Hofstra in the paint with its 6’10 offensive force Denzel Bowles coming into Monday averaging 17.3 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. As a team James Madison is averaging 73 points per game and is shooting 46.5 percent from the floor.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of this crucial CAA game starting 15 minutes before tip-off Monday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=30f3d29d9f" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hofstra men's basketball vs. James Madison&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Hofstra men's basketball vs. UNC Wilmington in-game blog

2011-01-18T20:47:00.000-05:00

The Hofstra men's basketball team will try and rebound from its first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) loss to Old Dominion this past Saturday and stay atop the conference standings in a home game against UNC Wilmington on Wednesday night.

Hofstra enters the UNC Wilmington game at 5-1 in the CAA and in a three-way tie for first place with James Madison and Virginia Commonwealth. UNC Wilmington enters play Wednesday 9-8 overall and 3-3 in the CAA.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-UNC Wilmington game 15 minutes before tip-off Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=8409d1da92" >Hofstra men's basketball vs. UNC Wilmington</a>

Annie Payton emerging as key contributor for Hofstra women's basketball

2011-01-17T09:49:00.003-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

A bright spot during the Hofstra women’s basketball team’s heartbreaking 70-66 loss to UNC Wilmington Sunday was the continued emergence of freshman guard Annie Payton.

The Camden, N.J. native scored 13 points on 5-10 shooting in just 21 minutes of action. Payton also showed her ability to hit from beyond the arc going 3-5 from three-point range. Payton’s performance against UNC Wilmington came on the heels of scoring 15 points in a 71-66 loss at Delaware on Jan. 2 and registering 13 points in a 65-63 defeat to Cincinnati on Dec. 30 in the Maggie Dixon Surf 'N Slam Classic.

“As a freshman I know I have a team of leaders, seniors and juniors, that I know I can rely on and that really support me and that want to give me the ball,” said Payton, who was an All-South Jersey first team and All-New Jersey Senior third team pick as a senior at Camden High School.

Payton’s play comes at crucial time for the Pride with freshman guard Kate Loper out with an injury and her return unknown.

“She’s chopping at the bit,” said Hofstra women’s basketball head coach Krista Kilburn-Stevesky of Payton’s desire to get out on the floor and help her team. “It’s good for Annie to get a chance to get back on the court.”

Hofstra women's basketball vs. UNC-Wilmington in-game blog

2011-01-14T14:45:00.002-05:00

The Hofstra women's basketball team will try and move above .500 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) when it takes on UNC-Wilmington on Sunday at Noon.

Hofstra (10-5, 2-2 in CAA) is coming off a 77-63 win over Northeastern on Thursday afternoon. The Pride's offense has been in high gear scoring 65 points or more all but once this season so far.

UNC-Wilmington (11-4, 3-1 in CAA) arrives on Long Island coming off a 67-51 triumph at George Mason Thursday. The Seahawks are guided by first-year coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, a former WNBA MVP who will be inducted into the James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. on Aug. 13.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of this key CAA tilt for Hofstra starting 15 minutes before tip-off Sunday at 11:45 a.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=a08871d137" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hofstra women's basketball vs. UNC-Wilmington&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Hofstra men's basketball vs. Old Dominion in-game blog

2011-01-14T14:18:00.004-05:00

The first place Hofstra men's basketball team has a huge opportunity Saturday before its home fans to put some distance between itself and the defending Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) champions and pre-season conference favorites Old Dominion.

Hofstra (11-5, 5-0 in CAA) has a two game edge on Old Dominion (12-4, 3-2 in CAA) in the conference standings and is looking for its first ever 6-0 start to conference play. A major reason for Hofstra's hot start to conference play is the play of guards Charles Jenkins and Mike Moore, who combined for 40 points in a 74-60 win at Towson on Wednesday.

Old Dominion is arriving on Long Island hungry after a 62-57 loss at Drexel on Thursday. The Monarchs are a veteran-laiden team with its top six scorers comprised of four seniors and two juniors. Leading the balanced scoring effort is senior forward Frank Hassell with 12.6 points per game.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's quest to take a three game lead on Old Dominion in the CAA standings 15 minutes before tip-off Saturday at 3:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=3179f7cc59" >Hofstra men's  </div>

Balanced scoring paces Hofstra women's basketball

2011-01-12T21:58:00.001-05:00

Through the Hofstra women’s basketball team’s first 14 games the Pride have had had many leading the pack on the offensive end of the floor.

When Amma Onyeuku led Hofstra in scoring with 14 points in a 84-70 loss at Georgia State Sunday she became the fifth Pride player to be at the top of the box score this season.

The top scorer mantle has been held down the majority of the Hofstra's first 14 games by Shante Evans (8) but other Pride scorers have also emerged throughout the season. Junior guard Nicole Capurso led Hofstra in scoring three times, including twice in the last three games, while backcourt teammate Kate Loper’s solid perimeter play has enabled the Idaho native to lead the Pride in points twice thus far. Sophomore guard Candice Bond has also added some offense to her already staunch defensive play and tied with Capurso as Hofstra’s leading scorer with 13 points in an 89-73 win over Fairfield on Dec. 5.

“We have a lot of offensive power,” said Hofstra women’s basketball head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey during a Colonial Athletic Association teleconference on Tuesday. “I love the balanced scoring.”

While Kilburn-Steveskey said it is a positive how many of her players have emerged as leading scorers this season, she also wants there to be a main go-to force or two to get the ball two in key situations down the stretch.

After an 8-1 start Hofstra has lost four of its last five and will try and get back on the winning track Thursday afternoon at home against Northeastern starting at Noon.

Hofstra wrestling vs. North Carolina in-match blog

2011-01-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

The Hofstra wrestling team will have its first dual match in nearly a month Saturday against the University of North Carolina (UNC) at the Mack Sports Complex starting at 1 p.m.

In Hofstra’s last dual match on Dec. 8 the Pride defeated Maryland 22-17 at the Physical Education Building. The Pride are coming off a ninth-place finish in the 34-team Southern Scuffle on December 29-30 at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center. Fifth-ranked Lou Ruggirello highlighted Hofstra’s showing in Greensboro with a second place finish at 133 pounds.

Against UNC the Pride will be without Justin Accordino at 149 pounds who is rehabbing an injury and was only able to complete one match at the Southern Scuffle before withdrawing from the tournament after taking a medical default in his second bout. UNC (4-2) also took part in the Southern Scuffle and finished in 16th place.

Hofstra and UNC wrestlers squared off three times during the Southern Scuffle with the Pride winning two of the three matches. The Hofstra victories over UNC included 125-pounder Steve Bonanno defeating Jake Corrill by fall in 4:31 and Ruggirello pinning Brock Livorio in 2:33 at 133 pounds. The one Tar Heel win over the Pride came with Danny Lopes pinning Hofstra sophomore Luke Vaith at 141 pounds in 1:21.

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

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=5110ec540c" >Hofstra wrestling vs. North Carolina</a>

Hofstra women's basketball looks to rebound after three heartbreaking losses

2011-01-04T21:30:00.002-05:00

The Hofstra women’s basketball team is all in all having a very successful 2010/11 season so far with an 8-4 record, but three straight tight heart-wrenching losses on the road in the past week create extra importance for Thursday’s Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener against Towson.

After winning eight straight following a season-opening loss to Virginia, Hofstra dropped back-to-back two point losses to San Diego and Cincinnati at the Maggie Dixon Surf ‘N Slam Classic and then lost a 16 point second half lead in a 71-66 defeat at Delaware in the CAA opener Sunday. Despite the three stinging defeats that occurred with some players sick and in the midst of constant travel, the Pride are in positive spirits heading into Thursday, according to head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey.

"We just hit a bit of a bump in the road and faced some adversity and we just have to re-group as a whole” said Coach Kilburn-Steveskey. “They know that we are doing some good things and we just have to put it all together.”

Kilburn-Steveskey said that Hofstra’s newly instituted fast-paced Paul Westhead style offense has taken a toll in the last few games as more teams decide to match up in a zone defense. “We’re back to square one a little bit going against a zone and now that is all we are going to focus on this week,” said Kilburn-Steveskey.

If Hofstra is going to make a run at its first NCAA Tournament it will need to do so without the services of junior center Marie Malone, who is set to have season-ending surgery on Jan. 13 after she suffered a leg injury in practice before the Pride’s Dec. 5 game against Fairfield. Coach Kilburn-Steveskey said she is hopeful that Malone, who already sat out one season two years ago after transferring from West Virginia, will be granted a medical red-shirt.

Another injury facing Hofstra is 5’10 freshman guard Jackie Michel. The Christ the King product has been hobbled by a torn meniscus suffered in the fall.

Hofstra was picked by coaches to finish fourth in the CAA and Coach Kilburn-Steveskey expects many hard battles the next two months in an effort to finish in the top four and receive a first round bye in the conference tournament. “We’re going to beating up on everyone every night,” she said. “We’ve just go learn enough through the course of this conference season to finish in that top four to give us a chance to compete for that tournament.”

Hofstra men's basketball vs. George Mason in-game blog

2011-01-04T15:18:00.003-05:00

The Hofstra-George Mason men's basketball rivalry will be taken up a notch Wednesday night at the Mack Sports Complex with both team's entering the early-season Colonial Athletic Association contest at 2-0 in the conference.

Hofstra and George Mason have had many fierce battles in the CAA during the last decade with the Patriots holding a 10-7 advantage in the series. What stands out most for Hofstra fans in this rivalry is 2006 when the Pride defeated George Mason twice in 10 days but it was the Patriots who instead earned an at-large NCAA Tournament berth on their way to a Cinderella run to the Final Four.

Hofstra (8-5) enters Wednesday's home tilt with George Mason fresh off an impressive 72-69 win at Drexel. George Mason (9-2) arrives on Long Island after a 75-66 win over Delaware, also on Monday evening.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of what should be a very competitive Hofstra-George Mason game starting 15 minutes before tip-off Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=3fe0d06c91" >Hofstra men's basketball vs. George Mason</a>

Former Hofstra men's lacrosse star attackman returns to NLL

2010-12-30T16:25:00.000-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Former Hofstra men's lacrosse star attackman Athan Iannucci has returned to the the indoor professional ranks after a one year absence due to a knee injury. The British Columbia native has signed a one year deal with the Philadelphia Wings, the same team the former Hofstra attackman set an NLL scoring record with in 2008 when he registered 71 goals.

In a recent article posted by Lacrosse Magazine Philadelphia Wings owner Michael French said the former Pride player "is in superior physical shape and looks like the Athan of old." Iannucci was a starting attackman for Hofstra from 2004-2006 and in his junior season tied teammate Chris Unterstein as the leading collegiate scorer in the nation with 62 goals and 18 assists while leading the Pride to a 17-2 season and an NCAA Quarterfinal appearance.

Iannucci, who was denied playing his senior season at Hofstra because of previously competing in a Canadian summer box lacrosse league, played three seasons with the Wings from 2007-2009 before missing all of last year with a knee injury. The former two-time All-Colonial Athletic Association player also had short stints with the Chicago Machine and Toronto Nationals of Major League Lacrosse in 2007 and 2009.

The Wings open their 2011 NLL season on Jan. 8 against the Boston Blazers.

Hofstra men's basketball vs. Holy Cross live-in game blog

2010-12-21T12:23:00.005-05:00

The Hofstra men's basketball team will look to enter the Christmas weekend on a high note when it takes on Holy Cross Wednesday night at the Mack Sports Complex.

Hofstra (6-4) enters the Holy Cross game winners of five of six including a 71-58 win at Manhattan this past Saturday where Charles Jenkins passed the 2,000-point plateau with 21. Holy Cross began the year 0-8 but picked up its first win at Marist on Sunday 75-57. Wednesday will mark the Crusader's first visit to Hofstra since an ESPN Bracketbuster game on Feb. 17, 2007 that the Pride won 65-64 on two Carlos Rivera free throws with two seconds remaining before a sellout crowd.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of the Hofstra-Holy Cross game starting 15 minutes before tip-off Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=8dfbcb922b" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hofstra men's basketball vs. Holy Cross&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Hofstra women's basketball vs. Hartford in-game blog

2010-12-21T12:05:00.004-05:00

As the end of December brings frigid weather to Long Island the Hofstra women's basketball team's play keeps getting hotter with seven straight wins entering a Dec. 22 home matinee with Hartford.

Playing especially hot in the month of December has been Hofstra red-shirt junior point guard Candice Bellocchio, who has tallied a double-double in three of the last four games including 13 points and 10 assists in the Pride's 90-60 win at Albany Monday night. Freshman guard Kate Loper has also begun to heat up and scored a career high 21 points in the Albany win.

Hartford under head coach Jen Rizzotti has been a power in the America East the last decade with five NCAA Tournament appearances in the past eight years. However the Hawks have been struggling this year and snapped a six-game losing streak with a 74-43 win over Dartmouth on Dec. 12.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's attempt to match its program-long winning streak of eight games starting 15 minutes before tip-off Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=d4980ec3c9" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hofstra women's basketball vs. Hartford&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Former Hofstra softball player hits the big screen

2010-12-17T21:17:00.008-05:00

Courtesy philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com

It has been one busy and exciting month of December for former Hofstra softball player Genevieve Haney. Not only was Haney voted in an online contest to be a Philadelphia Phillies Ballgirl next season but the 2008 Hofstra graduate is also appearing on the big screen in a new movie opening this weekend.

Haney has a part in the new love comedy that hit theaters Friday Dec. 17 called “How Do You Know” starring Reese Witherspoon as a United States Olympic softball All-Star that get’s cut from the team because she is considered too old. Haney plays the role of Ava Bands, Witherspoon’s USA Olympic softball teammate and friend.

“After hearing about the tryouts in New York I applied and after many interviews, I was fortunate enough to get offered this role,” said Haney, who works fulltime as coordinator of marketing for Villanova University in addition to her new roles as a Phillies Ballgirl and actress.

Many softball players received roles in the movie including members of the USA Olympic team. Haney had the chance to practice next to USA Olympians Crystal Bustos and Lovieanne Jung. She was also trained by former UCLA coach Sue Enquist, who ironically was in the dugout when Hofstra defeated the number one-ranked Bruins in February of 2000 in Hawaii, a game that was voted by Pride fans as the greatest game in school history two months ago.

“It is every softball player's dream to put on a USA jersey and play for your country, and I got to do it in this movie,” said Haney, a Levittown, Pa. native who was a utility infielder for Hofstra and was apart of Pride teams that captured four straight Colonial Athletic Association titles from 2005-2008 and won six NCAA Tournament games from 2005-2008.

During filming for “How Do You Know”, Haney got to know Witherspoon very well and has become an even greater fan of the actress because of how down to earth and friendly she was. “She is definitely one of my favorite actresses and after meeting her, she always will be,” said Haney.

Despite juggling many responsibilities between her marketing job at Villanova and being in a movie Haney has also found time to contribute to charitable causes in the Philadelphia area and she is hoping being a Phillies Ballgirl will only increase her platform of giving back. One Philadelphia area organization Haney has started to work closely with is the HEADstrong Foundation, which is aimed at raising research dollars to fight blood cancer and was founded in honor of former Hofstra men’s lacrosse player Nick Colleluori after he died from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 21.

[Being a Phillies Ballgirl] will only give me more opportunities to help out in the community and make me aware of groups and events that I may not have had the chance to be involved with,” said Haney. "I am looking forward to building relationships with the other girls as well as the fans and the people I meet along the way.”

Longtime college basketball head coach Mike Jarvis gives major praise to Charles Jenkins

2010-12-14T15:40:00.004-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

In his more than 20 years coaching college basketball at Boston University, George Washington, St. John’s and now Florida Atlantic Mike Jarvis has coached many talented players including some who wound up in the NBA, and he says Hofstra’s prolific guard Charles Jenkins would stand toe to toe with any of them.

The current Florida Atlantic head coach lauded Jenkins with major praise after the senior guard scored 32 points in a 63-59 Pride loss on Saturday. “He would have started for any one of my teams,” said Jarvis, who is most known for being the St. John’s head coach from 1998-2003.

Jarvis even went as far as to say that had Jenkins been in the backcourt at St. John’s in 1999 the Red Storm would have won the national title rather than get bounced by three points to Ohio State in the Elite Eight. “If we had him we would have won the national championship,” said Jarvis reflecting on that stacked 1999 St. John’s team that featured versatile guard Bootsie Thornton and future NBA players Ron Artest and Erick Barkley. “He would have been great with those players….He is really special.”

Jenkins, who has won the Haggerty Award given to top player in Metropolitan New York the last two seasons, is five points away from the 2,000 plateau for his career. The reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year is averaging 25.3 points per game in the Pride’s first nine games this season. Hofstra is next in action at Manhattan College this Saturday at 7 p.m.

Hofstra men's basketball vs. Florida Atlantic in-game blog

2010-12-09T23:17:00.000-05:00

The long awaited Hofstra debut of versatile guard Brad Kelleher will take place late Saturday afternoon at the Mack Sports Complex when the Pride battle Florida Atlantic.

Kelleher's debut with the Pride comes after having to sit out all of last season and the first eight games of the 2010-11 campaign while serving a penalty from the NCAA amateurism clearinghouse. The Victoria, Australia native transferred to Hofstra from Midland College in Texas, where he averaged 9.5 points and 3.3 assists per game during the 2008-09 season.

Kelleher will give Hofatra even more depth in its backcourt, which saw guards Charles Jenkins and Mike Moore explode for 40 and 28 points, respectively in Wednesday's 89-85 overtime win at Binghamton. Hofstra (5-3) will be looking for its fifth straight victory against Florida Atlantic (5-4), which has won two in a row against Mississippi State of the SEC and South Florida of the Big East. The game will be a New York City area homecoming for Florida Atlantic head coach Mike Jarvis, who coached St. John's from 1998-2003 and led the Red Storm to the Elite Eight in 1999.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Kelleher's debut with Hofstra and the Pride's attempt to win its fifth straight game 15 minutes before tipoff at 3:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=338944cc6c" >Hofstra men's basketball vs. Florida Atlantic</a>

Hofstra wrestling vs. Maryland live in-match blog

2010-12-09T19:43:00.000-05:00

The 18th-ranked Hofstra wrestling team will face Maryland in its home opener on Saturday afternoon Dec. 11 at the Physical Education Building (formerly Physical Fitness Center).

The Pride enters the Maryland match at 2-2-1 in dual matches including wins over Edinboro (26-8) and Lindenwood (35-12) and a tie with Oregon State (19-19) along with losses to Purdue (28-6) and Missouri (19-15). Hofstra is coming off a strong 11th-place finish at the 29th annual Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational last weekend, led by senior Lou Ruggirello, who placed third at 133 pounds in the prestigious tournament. Hofstra has six wrestlers ranked in the top 20 by various ranking agencies.

Maryland enters the Hofstra match at 5-2 with wins over McDaniel (40-3), Johns Hopkins (41-3), West Virginia (27-13), Pennsylvania (25-10) and Northern Iowa (19-16).

The Dec. 11 match is taking place at the Physical Education Building rather than the usual Mack Sports Complex because of the Hofstra men’s basketball game scheduled for 4 p.m. that day. Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's attempt to continue its climb in the national rankings 15 minutes before the first match Saturday at 1:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-match blog.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=463ccbd21b" >Hofstra wrestling vs. Maryland</a>

Candace Bond stepping up offensive game for Hofstra women's basketball

2010-12-09T01:15:00.003-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications
As a freshman last season Hofstra women’s basketball guard Candace Bond was known mainly for her intense defensive play but this year as a sophomore the Fort Washington, Md. native has developed into an offensive threat.

Bond, who averaged 2.7 points per game in 34 games off the bench last season, scored a career high 13 points in this past Sunday’s 89-73 win over Fairfield. Bond, who is averaging 6.2 points per game, said after Sunday’s Fairfield win that she has been working hard to refine her offensive game and even got kicked out of the gym once after spending extra time on shooting with teammate Candice Bellocchio.

“I think I’m really developing more of an offensive game.,” said Bond, who has cracked the starting line up early this season after coming off the bench as a freshman. “I’ve really been trying to work on my confidence offensively and then just repetition getting shots up.”

Bond's rock solid defense and improved offensive game has helped Hofstra win four straight after a season-opening loss to Virginia. The Pride will look for their fifth straight win tonight at Niagra starting at 7 p.m.

Cassara putting heavy emphasis on free throw shooting

2010-12-07T18:02:00.002-05:00

New Hofstra men's basketball head coach Mo Cassara constantly reminds his players about the importance of free throw shooting and how in each game it can be the difference between winning or losing. His players certainly for the message this past Saturday when the Pride shot a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe in a 74-62 win over Towson in the Colonial Athletic Association opener.

Saturday was the first time Hofstra was perfect from the free throw line since going 10-for-10 against St. John's on Dec. 29, 2006 in the Aeropostale Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden. "I talk about [the importance of free throws] all the time and they are sick of hearing me say it," joked Cassara in the post-game press conference after Saturday's win over Towson. "We've been working on it and working on it."

Coach Cassara would not doubt like to see the Pride's season free throw shooting average of 67 percent improve the remainder of the season, but Saturday's perfect showing in the start of conference play is certainly a start. Last season Hofstra shot 73 percent from the charity stripe.

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

2010-12-03T15:02:00.002-05:00

The Hofstra women's basketball team returns from a nearly two week layoff to face Fairfield Sunday afternoon at the Mack Sports Complex.

Sunday's home matinee against Fairfield will be the first for Hofstra (3-1) since winning 80-76 at Providence College on Nov. 22. Fairfield (4-2) is coming off a low scoring 30-29 loss at Villanova on Thursday. Hofstra sophomore guard Shante Evans will try and continue her recent hot play against Fairfield after scoring 26 points and pulling down 15 rebounds at Providence.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's attempt to win its fourth in a row starting 15 minutes before tip-off Sunday at 1:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=cfb1d5ec57" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hofstra women's basketball vs. Fairfield&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Hofstra men's basketball vs. Towson in-game blog

2010-12-03T12:05:00.000-05:00

The Hofstra men's basketball team will be looking for its third straight win late Saturday afternoon in its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener against Towson.

Hofstra (3-3) has rebounded nicely from an 0-3 trip in the Honda Puerto Rico Tip-Off, which included a heartbreaking loss to Western Kentucky where the Pride let a 14-point slip away in the last five minutes, with back-to-back wins over Wagner and Rider. Towson enters the Mack Sports Complex 2-3 but sky high after rallying from a 15-point deficit to defeat Western Michigan at the buzzer 75-73 on Wednesday night. Hofstra's newly implemented zone defense will be tested against Towson's front court of 6'8 Braxton Dupree and 6'7 Isaiah Philmore, who are both averaging double figures coming into Saturday's game.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's attempt to get off to a fast start in CAA play starting 15 minutes before tip-off Saturday at 3:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=489742e7a6" >Hofstra men's basketball vs. Towson</a>

Lou Ruggirello draws inspirtation from previous Hofstra wrestling great

2010-11-30T15:59:00.003-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications
When Hofstra wrestling red-shirt senior Lou Ruggirello looks up into the Mack Sports Complex rafters and sees the retired jersey of Nick Gallo he gets an extra reminder of his chief goal for his final season on the Pride mats. Gallo was Hofstra wrestling’s last and only national champion in 1977 and Ruggierello would like nothing better than to match that feat this coming March.

“Every time I think about it makes me want to push that much harder to get it done and join his company,” said Ruggierello, who has gotten to know Gallo in recent years and often terms to the former collegiate national champion for advice.

Ruggiello, a three-time Colonial Athletic Association champion and NCAA qualifier, is off to a 4-1 start this season and is ranked sixth in the nation at 133 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News and Division I College Wrestling. While red-shirting last season the Walden N.Y. native spent lots of time with freestyle wrestling and trying to improve his conditioning in preparation for a national title push.

In addition to his desire to grab an individual goal of capturing a national title, Ruggiello also wants to push the entire Hofstra team to advance as far as possible. Hofstra is 2-2-1 and ranked 25th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association/USA Today Division I Team Coaches Poll heading into the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational this weekend.

“A lot of young guys have a lot of potential,” said Ruggirello, whose younger brother Cody is a freshman on the team and is off to a 4-2 record at 141 pounds. “I definitely want to push the team to do as good as possible.”

Former Hofstra softball player makes pitch to be Phillies Ballgirl

2010-11-27T14:50:00.002-05:00

Courtesy philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com

A former Hofstra softball player is making a pitch to be a Philadelphia Phillies Ballgirl in 2011.

Genevieve Haney, who played softball at Hofstra from 2005-2008, is one of five finalists for the final Phillies Ballgirl spot open for the 2011 season, and the Major League Baseball team has decided to let fans decide who will earn this coveted job. Hofstra fans can cast their vote for Haney and view a video of the former Pride softball player making her case for the job on the Phillies website. Polls close on Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.

Haney, a native of Levittown, Pa., was a utility infielder for Hofstra and was apart of Pride teams that captured four straight Colonial Athletic Association titles and won six NCAA Tournament games.

Hofstra baseball excited for Spring season to bloom

2010-11-23T21:18:00.000-05:00

With the first pitch of the 2011 Hofstra baseball season about three months away third year head coach Patrick Anderson is excited about the state of his team with a solid nucleus of talented younger players and older veterans determined to bring the program to a new level.

Hofstra finished its fall season late last month and in two days of competition against Nassau Community College and Suffolk Community College scored over 40 runs. “It has been such a good positive experience in the fall,” said Anderson, whose team stayed right in contention for a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) playoff bid until the very end of the 2010 season. “The experience from last spring is just going to bring that confidence going into this spring as well.”

After losing graduating All-CAA players Matt Prokopowicz and Ethan Paquette, who was selected in the 35th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners, Anderson will look for new senior leadership in 2011 from pitcher Rob Kumbatovic, who red-shirted last year, outfielder Scott A’Hara and closer Jeff Guthridge. Anderson is also hoping to get some leadership on and off the field from San Diego State transfer T.J. Thomas, who was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 45th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft before deciding to play on the collegiate level. The Hicksville, Long Island native decided to return closer to home last year but had to sit out the 2010 season because of NCAA transfer rules.

“We feel he has a lot of leadership skills in terms of his ability and the way he goes about his business,” said Anderson of Thomas.

Among the many junior college transfers Anderson said have stood out in the fall are center fielder Danny Poma (Cuesta College), catcher/first baseman Dylan Nasiatka (Bakersfield College), first baseman/third baseman Joe Perez (College of the Sequoias) and relief pitcher Stephan Kungl (Cypress Community College). Highlighting Hofstra’s talented freshman class is infielder Logan Davis, a Scottsdale, Ariz. Native who was drafted in the 37th round of the MLD Draft by the Colorado Rockies out of high school. Davis’s father Mark Davis was the 1989 National League Cy Young Award winner for the San Diego Padres and coached with Anderson in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Other freshmen expected to contribute this spring include pitcher Bryan Verbitsky, who won back-to-back Diamond Awards as the best pitcher in Nassau County for Island Trees High School in Levittown, N.Y. and is already throwing in the low 90’s and can swing the bat as well, Anderson said. Another Long Island talent that decided to take his skills to Hofstra is catcher Matt Reistetter, who was a TPX All American out of Hauppauge High School.

Anderson said with so much young talent combined with some solid returning players there will be some stiff competition to enter that starting lineup come the spring. “We have so many guys now that are competing for positions,” he said.

For the next couple months Hofstra will be hard at work indoors lifting weights and conditioning in preparation for heading back out on the field in February. Anderson credited the baseball team’s strength and conditioning coach James Pendergast for the solid shape he has gotten the players in.

“It has been an awesome, awesome program he is putting them through,” said Anderson of Pendergast. “I can’t explain how excited we are going into the season.”

Hofstra soccer teams have magical runs in 2010

2010-11-18T15:01:00.002-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Midfielder Tiffany Yovino was a major reason for Hofstra's magical 2010 season.

The Hofstra women’s and men’s soccer teams saw their seasons draw to a close this past weekend but both teams will be able to look back on 2010 with their heads held high knowing great strides were made with bright futures lying ahead.

The Hofstra women’s soccer team broke a school-record with 18 wins in a row and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing a hard-fought battle to 18th-ranked Boston College 3-1. The Hofstra men’s soccer team rallied from being in 11th place in the conference standings at midseason to go unbeaten in seven straight games before falling to William & Mary 4-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association title game.

“I was proud of this team from the beginning all the way through to the end,” said Hofstra women’s soccer head coach Simon Riddiough, whose team finished the year ranked 23rd nationally. “The team came together fantastically."

After opening the season with a 5-0 loss at then seventh-ranked Boston College, the Lady Pride won its next 18 games before falling in the CAA title game to James Madison. Hofstra’s record-winning streak, which included an impressive Big Ten road sweep of Indiana and Purdue, helped deliver the program's first at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Pride received numerous contributions during its magical run including a dozen different goal scorers led by 12 apiece from seniors Salma Tarik and Tiffany Yovino, who was honored as the CAA Player of the Year.

“Even when you have a great team you never expect to have a winning streak like we did,” said Riddiough. “It is unbelievable that we got the winning streak we did.”

For the Hofstra men’s soccer team it was the uphill climb that made the 2010 season a memorable one for the program. After a loss to Northeastern on Oct. 13 dropped Hofstra to 3-6-3 and 1-3-1 in the CAA, the Pride had little room for error the remaining of the way. Hofstra responded by going 4-0-2 to close the regular season and only gave up one goal in that six game stretch.

The Pride were keyed by many freshmen in 2010 including defenseman Shaun Foster, who was named CAA Defender of the Year. Hofstra men's soccer head coach Richard Nuttall expects the clutch play down the stretch of his young team to carry through into 2011.

“If you really think about we’ve had eight playoff games,” said Nuttall referring to the last six regular season contests and CAA Tournament. “That is great deal of experience in our lockers and hopefully we can pull on that next year.”

Both Hofstra soccer coaches are excited about incoming recruits and the schedules being finalized for next year. After book-ending its 2010 season with losses to Boston College, the Lady Pride will be kickoff 2010 against the Eagles at Hofstra University Soccer Stadium on August 27. The Lady Pride will also have challenging road games scheduled at Texas Tech, Texas Christian University and Harvard.

“It is exciting times around Hofstra,” said Riddiough “Hopefully we can springboard off of this season.”

Hofstra women's basketball vs. Saint Peter's in-game blog

2010-11-14T19:34:00.005-05:00

The Hofstra women's basketball team will look to rebound from its hard fought season-opening loss last Friday to Virginia when it takes in Saint Peter's College at the Mack Sports Complex on Monday evening.

Hofstra hung tough with Virginia and was tied with the Atlantic Coast Conference power at 47-47 with 11 minutes remaining before the Cavaliers pulled away for an 82-66 win. Saint Peter's is also coming off a season-opening loss falling at Sacred Heart 65-48 on Friday. Hofstra and Saint Peter's last met on Dec. 30, 2008 in Jersey City, N.J. with the Pride coming away with a 64-57 overtime win.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's attempt for its first win of the 2010-11 season starting 15 minutes before tip-off Monday at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=0dc7816820" >Hofstra women's basketball vs. Saint Peter's</a>

Freshman defender leads Hofstra men's soccer's surge into CAA Tourney

2010-11-11T23:20:00.000-05:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications
The Hofstra men’s soccer team has achieved quite the turnaround in 2010 from being in 11th place midway through the season to going unbeaten in its last six games to quality for the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. In that final six game stretch where Hofstra went 4-0-2 the Pride only gave up one goal and the Pride’s staunch defensive play has been keyed in large part by freshman Shaun Foster, who has quickly become a leader on and off the field in his year of collegiate soccer.

Foster was recognized for his solid backline play by earning both the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and the Rookie of the Year honors, becoming the fort freshman to accomplish either feat. The England native is the first player in CAA Men's Soccer history to win two major awards in the same season.

“He has been our leader defensively,” said Hofstra men's soccer head coach Richard Nuttall, who was told about Foster’s talents from friends in his native Great Britain. “He has been our emotional leader.”

Foster’s leadership qualities were ingrained in him while playing soccer in England where there is a major emphasis on communication. “In England communication is a much bigger thing than it is out here,” said Foster. “I try and be vocal as much as I can.”

Hofstra’s defense led by Foster was stout the entire season and was the only team in the CAA to average less than a goal per game. Foster has also shown some offensive skills scoring game-winning goals against Georgia State on Oct. 2 and James Madison on Nov. 6, which clinched a CAA Tournament berth as the third seed.

Hofstra will try and complete its late-season surge with two more wins in the CAA Tournament, which gets underway with a semifinal game against Virginia Commonwealth Friday at 5 p.m. Foster said playing must-win games since mid October when it got off to a 1-3-1 start in conference served as solid preparation for the Pride’s conquest to claim the CAA’s automatic bid to the College Cup.

“We have played well under pressure,” he said. “Every game has been like a playoff.”

Hofstra women's basketball vs. Virginia in-game blog

2010-11-11T11:51:00.001-05:00

The Hofstra women’s basketball team is opening its 2010-11 season in grand style Friday night with a home game against Atlantic Coast Conference power Virginia.

Hofstra enters the new season with high expectations thank to returning eight starters from last year’s 20-14 team that advanced to the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. Virginia finished last year 21-10 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers will be the first ACC team to visit the Mack Sports Complex since Georgia Tech narrowly defeated Hofstra 77-74 during the 2000-01 season.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's quest to start off the 2010-11 season with a signature win starting 15 minutes before tip-off Friday night at 6:45 p.m. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=24b7c47349" &amp;amp;gt;Hofstra women's basketball vs. Virginia&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Hofstra women's soccer vs. JMU in-game blog

2010-11-05T23:43:00.000-04:00

The 18th-ranked Hofstra women's soccer team will try and make it 19 wins in a row against James Madison University (JMU) in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title game Sunday afternoon and at the same time clinch an automatic bid to the College Cup.

The Pride (18-1) reached the conference title game with a convincing 3-0 win over Georgia State in the CAA semifinals Friday night. A win over the Dukes could put Hofstra in strong position to be a host site for the first and second rounds of the College Cup next weekend. Hofstra last faced JMU in the CAA opener on Sept. 24 with the Pride winning 1-0 on a direct kick goal by defender Amy Turner.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's quest to clinch its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007 starting 15 minutes before kickoff Sunday afternoon. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=78454cc428" >Hofstra women's soccer vs. JMU CAA Title Game</a>

Hofstra women's soccer vs. Georgia State in-game blog

2010-11-03T13:59:00.004-04:00

The 18th-ranked Hofstra women's soccer team enters Friday night's Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament semifinal game at home against Georgia State winners of a national-best 17 in a row and are two wins away from punching an automatic bid to the College Cup.

The Pride (17-1) are ranked 13th in the latest ratings percentage index released by the NCAA and should be in prime position for an at-large College Cup bid should it fail to capture the CAA's automatic bid this weekend. However head coach Simon Riddiough would love nothing better than to take the decision on of the NCAA Selection Committee's hands by winning the CAA Tournament this weekend, something the Pride last accomplished in 2007. This is the first time Hofstra has hosted the CAA Tournament since 2003 when the Pride fell in 1-0 in the semifinals to William & Mary.

Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's quest to extend its winning streak to 18 games starting 15 minutes before kickoff Friday night. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4ab988fd31" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hofstra Women's Soccer CAA Semifinal game vs. Georgia State&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Hofstra women's lacrosse holds fundraiser for program featuring numerous youth teams

2010-11-02T18:53:00.005-04:00

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse team hosted its second of two 2010 fall festivals this past Halloween weekend featuring numerous youth girls lacrosse teams from the New York City region who picked up their sticks to raise money for the Pride program.

For the last decade the Hofstra women’s lacrosse program has been holding fall festivals as fundraisers featuring seven-on-seven games of players from both youth and high schools teams from throughout the metropolitan area. The participation fees paid by each player for the festivals, which this year were held on the weekends of Sept. 18 and 19 and Oct. 30 and 31, goes to benefit the Hofstra women’s lacrosse program. Hofstra women’s lacrosse head coach Abby Morgan said for each weekend festival there are about 600 players who participate.

“It is really great because everyone just has a great time,” said Hofstra women’s lacrosse head coach Abby Morgan. “It is always a great event.”

Pride women’s lacrosse players took part in officiating the many games that were held on Hofstra's north campus intramural fields. Hofstra players also held a clinics as part of the festivities.

Morgan said in addition to raising money for her program the fall festivals are also a great chance to expose Hofstra to some of the area’s top players, which can prove to be advantageous when it comes to recruiting. Each player who participated in the fall festivals received a Hofstra women’s lacrosse t-shirt.

“It is great to have the local high schools on campus and the club teams and they all get to see what Hofstra is all about,” said Morgan. “It is good exposure for us as a school.”

Hofstra lacrosse teams continue to honor Nick Colleluori through fall events

2010-10-29T09:43:00.001-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

The Hofstra women's lacrosse team with the Colleluori family.

The Hofstra men’s and women’s lacrosse teams continued their efforts of keeping the memory of the late Nick Colleluori alive in two separate fall events that raised more than a quarter million dollars for blood cancer research.

The fourth annual Nick Colleluori Classic at Ridley High School in suburban Philadelphia, which featured 20 men’s lacrosse teams including Hofstra, is estimated to have raised around $250,000. The second annual Nick Colleluori Women’s Lacrosse Classic held on Sept. 25 at Hofstra raised over $42,000. Both of these charity events are aimed at raising money for blood cancer research and to keep alive the memory alive of Colleluori, a former Hofstra men’s lacrosse defenseman who passed away from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on Nov. 28, 2006 at the age of 21 after a courageous 14-month battle with the disease.

“It is great for our players to see what they can do and how lacrosse can change things outside of just the lacrosse world,” said Hofstra women’s lacrosse head coach Abby Morgan.
“It was a wonderfully run event and we’re proud to be a part of it,” said Hofstra men's lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney. “The Colleluori family has taken this to an unbelievable level and I am so proud of what they have done.”

None of the current Hofstra men’s lacrosse players had the chance to be teammates with Colleluori when he played as a freshman in 2005, but what he meant to the program is still very much instilled in everyone on the roster. On the morning of the fundraiser the team went to the cemetery where Colleluori was laid to rest to rest with every player and coach placing a rose on his headstone. Emotional remarks on Colleluori at the cemetery were also delivered by Hofstra assistant coach Joe Amplo and a movie tribute was also played on the bus to Ridley High School.

“After we went to the cemetery and listened to Coach Amplo and watched a video on the bus and played in his honor I think that everybody feels that Nick was his teammate,” said Tierney.

A new tradition was also started last year where one Hofstra player who best exemplified Colleluori’s character on and off the field would wear his number 27. Last year defenseman Adam Swarsen had the honor of wearing Colleluori’s number and for the 2011 season it will be senior short-stick defensive midfielder Steven DeNapoli.

“Steven most exemplifies the relentless effort on the field that Nick showcased whenever he played in any sport,” said Tierney.

Maren Crowley leading improved Hofstra women's program straight out of college

2010-10-25T17:34:00.002-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Three years ago when Maren Crowley was competing as a senior for the Hofstra women’s golf team the finance major had no vision that one day she would be coaching the sport she loves on the collegiate level. However soon after graduating Hofstra in May 2008 the unique opportunity of Crowley coaching her alma mater presented itself after the retirement of head coach Bob Schwalb, and she is sure glad of the decision to re-shift career paths.

Despite being fresh out of college Crowley was approached for the Hofstra women’s golf head coaching position because of her experience working for the Metropolitan PGA as an assistant manager on the Long Island Junior Golf Tour since 2004. “My name just got thrown in the mix after my coach left and they approached me about it and I jumped all over it because it was a great opportunity,” said Crowley, a Savyille High School graduate who posted four top-20 finishes during her four-year Hofstra golf career.

Taking over a Hofstra women’s golf program in her early 20’s and coaching players she was teammates with just a year earlier certainly presented its challenges for Crowley. However she has quickly adjusted to her new role and in her short stint as head coach has helped make Hofstra competitive in the challenging Colonial Athletic Association, which features many schools that have the advantage of warm-weather climates. She has also worked hard to raise money and market the Hofstra women’s golf program, including starting a facebook fan page.

“Every college sports coach has a lot on his or her plate and for someone like Maren - fresh out of college to take us on and do a wonderful job is a true testament to her work ethic and devotion to Hofstra athletics,” said Pride senior golfer Morgan Heyrman, who was teammates with Crowley as a freshman. “Our program has evolved and improved because of what she has done to ensure our teams success.”

In addition to the improved performance of her golfers, Crowley is also proud of the hard work they display off the course, including maintaining high grade point averages while also participating in many extra-curricular activities. She said what makes their academic achievements even more remarkable is the fact that they are often on road trips for nearly an entire week and playing 36 holes for almost an entire day during tournaments.

“I’m very proud of my girls for not only growing as a team athletically but they have always maintained a very, very strong academic schedule and their GPAs are through the roof,” said Crowley, whose team closes the fall season Oct. 26 at the Hofstra Invitational in Wading River. “I am very proud of them in that regard that they are able to balance both the athletic side and the academic and I think it says a lot about them as a team.”

Hofstra women's soccer vs. UNC Wilmington in-game blog

2010-10-23T13:29:00.008-04:00

Tune into "Inside the Pride" starting at 12:45 p.m. Sunday for a live blog of the 22nd-ranked Hofstra women's soccer team taking on UNC Wilmington. Hofstra enters Sunday afternoon's 1 p.m. game coming off a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Georgia State Friday night to clinch the regular season Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title. The Pride have won 15 in a row and will try and maintain its national ranking with a victory over the Seahawks, who enter Sunday's game at third place in the CAA standings. Check in with "Inside the Pride" for live updates of Hofstra's second-to-last regular season game of the 2010 season starting 15 minutes before kickoff Sunday. Comments and questions are also welcome and encouraged during the live in-game blog.

Hofstra women's soccer vs. UNC Wilmington

Hofstra men's lacrosse concludes fall season with high hopes for 2011

2010-10-20T19:17:00.004-04:00

The Hofstra men’s lacrosse team has concluded its fall season and is gearing up for a 2011 campaign that will be filled with lofty expectations thanks to a deep roster of several returning starters combined with the addition of experienced Division I transfers.

“This is the deepest team that we’ve had since I’ve been associated with Hofstra lacrosse both as an assistant and as a head coach,” said fifth-year Hofstra men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney, who also served as an assistant coach with the program from 1995-2000.

Among the Division I transfers that worked this fall to get acclimated into the Hofstra system were midfielders Ian Braddish (North Carolina), Steve Serling (Lafayette) and faceoff specialist Zachary Pall (Quinnipiac). Tierney said the transfer who impressed the most in fall ball was Serling, who graduated from Lafayette last year but is using his fourth year of college eligibility at Hofstra as a graduate student.

“He’s got great poise, makes good decisions with the ball, is athletic and gets to the goal,” said Tierney of the 6’0 Serling, who led Lafayette in scoring last year with 37 goals and 12 assists.

Hofstra’s biggest strength going into 2011 will likely be its attack unit, which returns senior starters Jay Card, Jaime Lincoln and Stephen Bentz, who all earned All-Colonial Athletic Association accolades last year after combining for 147 points. The Hofstra defense is expected to be anchored by senior Mike Skudin, who was forced to sit out the fall season because of a wrist injury suffered in the summer. The midfield is also stacked after only losing Dan Stein to graduation.

In goal Hofstra will continue to have a battle for the starting spot between junior Andrew Gvozden and sophomore Rob Bellairs, who both started during periods of last season 9-5 team, which reached the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. Tierney said at the moment Gvozden has the edge to start as long as he continues to work hard.

The Pride will also have depth at the faceoff x. Sophomore John Antoniades, who took the vast majority of last year’s faceoffs, returns as does red-shirt senior Mike Vaccaro, who is still recovering from an ACL injury suffered in the season opener at Princeton last year. Others who could potentially line up at the x for the Pride include Pall, who won 58% of his faceoffs for Quinnipiac last year, sophomore Cullen Cassidy and freshman James Ravaret.

Tierney pointed out several freshmen who showed promise in the fall and could make an impact in the spring, most notably attackmen Torin Varn and Lance Yapor as well as midfielder Steve DiGiovanni.

Hofstra will have five captains leading the Pride in 2011 including Steven DeNapoli, Tim Holman, Card, Skudin and Bentz. “We decided to go with more than less,” said Tierney of the high number of Hofstra players that will have a "C" on their jerseys in 2011. “We just had a better feeling about that.”

Hofstra got some game experience this fall playing Cornell and Mount St. Mary’s at the fourth Annual Nick Colleluori Classic at Ridley High School in Folsom, Pa. Hofstra opens the 2011 season on Feb. 15 at home against Colgate.

Hofstra women's soccer defensive midfielder adds some offensive punch to aide national ranking

2010-10-16T11:31:00.002-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications
The 23rd ranked Hofstra women’s soccer has received many contributions during its current 13-game winning streak on both offense and defense. One Pride player aiding on both ends of the field during Hofstra’s magical run has been versatile red-shirt junior defensive midfielder Brittany Butts, who after two years of rock solid defensive play has added some offensive punch to her game

Butts scored her first career goal in a 3-1 win at Big Ten power Indiana on Sept. 12 and added her second tally in a 4-1 triumph over Towson on Oct. 8. “Everyone makes fun of me because I’m always the one to never score, never shoot so hopefully I’m turning that around,” said Butts. “It feels nice to finally get some goals in the back of the net.”

Butts arrived at Hofstra in 2007 after a stellar career at nearby Massapequa High School, where she led the Chiefs to two state championships and earned all-state honors as a junior. After taking a medical red-shirt in 2007, Butts was named to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) All-Rookie team in 2008. Hofstra women’s soccer head coach Simon Riddiough said Butts came into the 2010 season with much higher confidence than her first two years with the Pride.

“This year it is all coming together for her,” said Riddiough. “She is recognizing that she can be big time for us and when she does that she very, very dangerous, very effective and she makes a huge difference to the team.”

“I have a different perspective now as I’m a little less nervous,” said Butts of her increased confidence this season. “I’ve been around for awhile and I just want to have fun and play well and do my best and having that different perspective helps you relax and just be a little bit better on the ball.”

After losing overtime heartbreakers the last two years in the CAA Tournament, Butts said she and her Pride teammates have been driven all year long to reach the coveted NCAA Women’s College Cup. When Hofstra last reached the NCAAs in 2007 Butts was on the sidelines during her medical red-shirt season and having the chance to play in soccer’s postseason showcase would mean the world to the versatile midfielder.

“[Reaching the NCAA Tournament] would be absolutely incredible,” said Butts. “Everyone has been working so hard and wants it so bad.”

Hofstra women's soccer team reflects on record winning streak

2010-10-10T19:56:00.002-04:00

The Hofstra women’s soccer team’s magical 2010 season hit new heights Friday night when the Pride broke a program record with its 11th straight victory over Towson. The streak, which hit 12 games after Sunday’s 5-0 win over George Mason, has special meaning to both head coach Simon Riddiough and his players, who are hoping the winning ways continues all the way to an NCAA Tournament berth.

“It’s a milestone,” said Coach Riddiough of the winning streak, which broke a Hofstra women’s soccer record previously set in 2005. “You always want to build tradition and the more records we break with winning streaks, the more likelihood we start to get recognized as a standout program.”

When Hofstra won 10 games in a row in 2005 Riddiough was in his last year as an assistant coach with the program before taking over as head coach the next season following the retirement of JoAnne Russell. He said what sets the 2010 winning streak apart is the grueling schedule the Pride have been faced with including road games at Big Ten powers Indiana and Purdue as well as facing Colonial Athletic Association contenders James Madison and George Mason.

“The best thing about this win streak is we’ve played some very quality programs and we’ve still been able to come away with wins,” said Riddiough. “This team has got a special chemistry,”

“It’s a surreal feeling,” said Hofstra junior midfielder Brittany Butts of being a part of a team that set a winning streak record. “It is going to take awhile for it to set in.”

Despite going unbeaten since a season-opening loss to current second ranked Boston College, Hofstra has been just missing out on cracking the weekly National Soccer Coaches Association of America top 25 poll, but was ranked 16th in the first ratings percentage index released by the NCAA last week. Coach Riddiough said not receiving the national respect his program deserves is something he is used to, and is serving as an even greater motivator for the team.

“If Georgia had our record they’d be a top 10 team, if Tennessee had our record they’d be a top 15 team,” said Riddiough. “It is just the way of life and is something we have to deal with and we’ll just move on and concentrate on what we have to do.”

Hofstra will try and extends its program record winning streak to 13 this Friday night at William & Mary.

Hofstra field hockey looks to continue home success against national power Old Dominion

2010-10-08T18:33:00.001-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

It has been a tale of home and away for Hofstra field hockey so far in 2010 with the Pride a perfect 6-0 on the friendly turf of Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium but a winless 0-7 on the road. After winning a must-win game over William & Mary 3-0 on Friday afternoon to keep its postseason hopes alive, Hofstra (6-7, 1-3 in Colonial Athletic Association) will look to keep the home magic cooking this Sunday with another crucial contest against 19th ranked Old Dominion.

“Knowing that we know this turf and we play on it every day it definitely helps our confidence level,” said Hofstra junior goalkeeper Amanda Heyde (pictured), who recorded her second shutout of the season with an eight save performance against William & Mary on Friday.

Heyde will be tested Sunday against Old Dominion, a longtime field hockey power with nine national titles, who last year the Pride shocked 6-5 after rallying from a four goal second half deficit. Hofstra field hockey head coach Kathy De Angelis said Heyde’s solid play in net has helped solidify the Pride’s defense, and she will need to continue to step up big on Sunday if the Pride are to knock off Old Dominion for a second year in a row.

“Her consistency has been fantastic and that is really what has been able to keep our defense steady,” said De Angelis of Heyde. “If she can continue this, which I know she can, it is going to be a huge, huge impact for us against Old Dominion.”

Hofstra women's soccer defender Amy Turner keys Pride winning streak

2010-10-04T17:11:00.004-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

The Hofstra women’s soccer team is in the midst of a 10-game winning streak and a major reason for the Pride’s success has been the play of sophomore defender Amy Turner, who has anchored a back line that has recorded five shutouts in its last six games.

After playing every game at center back last season, Turner has stepped into more of a leadership role on defense in 2010 following the graduation of All-Colonial Athletic Association defender Diane Caldwell. “It is a big responsibility in that back four,” said Turner of being a key catalyst to the Pride’s successful defense this season. “We are really strong back there.”

In addition to stepping up large on defense, the Stocksbridge, England native played a key role on offense registering two game-winning goals on free kicks in a week span against Columbia and James Madison last month. “They were really the first free kicks I had ever taken,” said Turner, who has been playing soccer since the age of seven. “[Making those kicks] was a big lift."

As a freshman last year Turner was named to the CAA All-Rookie team. She spent much of the off-season working on enhancing her speed and head coach Simon Riddiough has noticed improvements in many facets of her game as well as being more vocal on the field. “She has been big time,” said Riddiough. “She has improved confidence wise.”

With Turner's solid play on defense and clutch free kicks on offense, Hofstra is riding a 10-game winning streak since a season-opening loss to current second-ranked Boston College. Hofstra will next be in action on Friday at home against Towson at 7 p.m., and with a win will break a program record for consecutive wins, previously set in 2005.

Former Hofstra star lacrosse player Nicky Polanco to appear on hit MTV series

2010-09-29T00:23:00.000-04:00

Former Hofstra men's lacrosse star defenseman Nicky Polanco will get some national exposure this week when he makes an appearance on the hit MTV series “Made.”

In the episode that premiers on Sept. 29 at 4 p.m., Polanco, a 2002 Hofstra graduate and current Long Island Lizards defenseman, serves as a coach for a Long Island teenager who wanted to make her high school lacrosse team. A sneak peak of Polanco’s MTV appearance can be found on the network’s website.

Polanco, who helped lead Hofstra to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2001, has played in Major League Lacrosse the last nine years including the past six seasons with the Lizards. The Rockville Centre native and Oceanside High School product was named to the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) 10-Year Anniversary Team in August.

Longtime Hofstra athletics administrator Cindy Lewis proud to see growth of women's sports since her playing days

2010-09-27T01:23:00.006-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications
In the mid to late 1970’s when Hofstra’s Senior Associate Director of Athletics Cindy Lewis played field hockey and lacrosse at Berner High School in Massapequa, N.Y. and then for Hofstra, the climate of female sports was a very different story from where it is today. Lewis’s playing career came in the midst of America’s groundbreaking Title IX legislation being implemented, to ensure that female athletes had the same opportunities as their male counterparts, and the longtime Hofstra athletics administrator recalls how slow a process this was.

Today Lewis is happy to see that female athletics is thriving at Hofstra and throughout the country, and that the early days of Title IX’s implementation are becoming more and more distant. On Sept. 20 Lewis was honored at the 22nd annual Hofstra Pride Golf Classic and Auction for her 30 years of dedicated service to Hofstra’s athletics program, which has included helping to position the women’s sports programs to be able to compete at the highest level. The golf classic is Hofstra’s signature fundraising event for the university’s athletics department, and this year in honor of Lewis the proceeds were used to benefit the school’s Women’s Athletic Fund.

“Our whole society has evolved for women sports,” said Lewis, who was one of the first recipients of a field hockey athletic grant at Hofstra. “Our female athletes today don’t even know that Title IX is and that is a good thing.”

After graduating from Hofstra in 1979 Lewis earned a master’s in physical education from the University of New Hampshire the next year before returning to her alma mater in 1981 to serve as head coach of the field hockey and women’s lacrosse programs for five and three seasons, respectively. The Massapequa native then began her long administrative career at Hofstra and in that time has been a major catalyst in the growth and advancement of the university’s women’s athletics programs.

“Cindy Lewis’ tenure at Hofstra has always been marked by a concern for student-athletes,” said Hofstra's Director of Athletics Jack Hayes. “She is a competitor and has always worked to do what’s in the best interest of the athletics program. Her experiences at Hofstra - as a student-athlete, coach, and administrator – have been invaluable to our department.”

To be able to work for many years at a place she played and coached two sports has meant a great deal to Lewis, who is proud of the great strides Hofstra has made since she was a student athlete both athletically and academically. “It has been a love affair with Hofstra,” said Lewis. “Hofstra has always been good to me.”

Nikki Kinnier battles back from injury to be key leader of Hofstra volleyball team

2010-09-22T23:49:00.001-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications
After suffering a season-ending stress facture injury last year only six matches into her college volleyball career, Hofstra freshman outside hitter Nikki Kinnier immediately became determined to return to the court. Following many months of extensive rehab Kinnier is back in full force this fall and as only a red-shirt freshman has become one of Hofstra volleyball’s key leaders on and off the court.

In four of Hofstra’s first 16 matches Kinnier has posted double digits in both kills and digs. In the Pride’s three-game sweep of Fairfield on Wednesday night Sept. 22 at the Mack Sports complex, Kinnier recorded 13 kills and 12 digs.

“She keeps trying to get better and trying to take on this bigger role and bigger responsibility,” said Hofstra volleyball head coach Kristina Hernandez. “She is a tough competitor."

Kinnier spent much of last fall in a boot and was not able to start pushing hard at volleyball practice until spring workouts. The Elkton, Md. native then spent nearly the entire summer on Hofstra’s campus taking classes and getting in shape for the 2010 season. Despite the pain suffered recovering from last year's injury, Kinnier looks at the situation as a positive in that the experience has driven her to work even harder.

“It definitely made me a lot more tougher this year because it was just driving me more and more to want to stay healthy and be able to play throughout this whole season,” said Kinnier, a graduate of St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington, Del. who was the 2008 Gatorade Player of the Year in Delaware. “[The injury] definitely was a drive in preparing me more mentally and physically for this season.”

In addition to Kinnier’s athleticism on the volleyball court she has proven to be just as solid in the classroom, receiving a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Commissioner's Academic Award last season. Kinnier, who is planning to attend medical school after graduation, balanced her summer workouts at Hofstra with a grueling chemistry class.

"She is really focused with what her goals are and what she wants to do academically and with her career here," said Hernandez. "She has shown a lot of dedication."

Hofstra opens its CAA schedule on Friday at William & Mary and Kinnier along with her Pride teammates are determined to be one of the four teams that reaches the conference playoffs in November after missing out on the postseason last year. “That is our main drive,” said Kinnier of the the Pride's desire to reach the CAA Championships. “We work for it everyday.”

Hofstra field hockey team confident heading into CAA play

2010-09-20T19:54:00.001-04:00

Fresh off a 6-0 romp of Siena Sunday, the Hofstra field hockey team is sky high with confidence as it gets sets for Friday afternoon's Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener at 14th ranked Drexel.

After losing the first two games to Boston University and Albany, the Pride (5-3) have won five of six including back-to-back shutouts of Fairfield and Siena this past weekend. "Our confidence is very high right now," said Hofstra field hockey head coach Kathy De Angelis. "We do know that we are coming to a team [Drexel] that is one of the top teams in the country and we feel that our performance in the past eight games has prepared us for this coming day."

With All-CAA midfielder Amy-Lee Levey red-shirting this year due to injury, other Pride players have stepped up on offense led by junior Genna Kovar (22 points), Krizia Layne (16 points) and Arielle Williams (13 points). "We're all stepping up and coming together as a team," said Kovar, who earned third-team All-American accolades last year.

Hofstra’s CAA opener at Drexel starts at 4 p.m. Friday Sept. 24 followed by a Sunday road tilt at Ivy League power Yale. Following conference road games next weekend at 17th ranked James Madison and Virginia Commonwealth, the Pride return to the friendly confines of Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium versus William & Mary and Old Dominion on Oct. 8 and 10th.

A time to reflect on greatest teams, games and individuals in Hofstra athletics history

2010-09-18T15:10:00.002-04:00

As Hofstra celebrates its 75th anniversary starting this coming weekend, the Pride athletics program is urging people to vote on the top 25 teams, players and games in the university's history.

Since being founded in 1935 Hofstra has enjoyed stellar success in a variety of men's and women’s sports, and pinpointing the top games, teams and individuals is certainly no easy task. I have been following Hofstra sports very closely since first becoming a member of the university family as a freshman in the fall of 1998, and have included just a tiny portion of my choices in this voting and reasons behind these decisions. I limited my choices to the 12 years I have been following Hofstra sports, but obviously there are many more from prior years that also needs to be supported by fans before voting concludes on Sept. 23.

Greatest Team Category:

2000 and 2001 men's basketball: Both these teams, who captured the American East title and automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, are no brainers. Hofstra had a backcourt of two future NBA players in Craig "Speedy" Claxton and Norman Richardson on the 2000 team and in both years the American East title was won at home before a live ESPN audience
2004 softball: The 2004 Hofstra softball team (38-21) did not dominate the regular season record wise but more than made up for this in the post-season with a magical NCAA Tournament run that left the Pride just one win shy of reaching the College World Series.
1999 men's lacrosse: The 1999 men's lacrosse (13-3) team showed plenty of toughness on and off the field rebounding from an 0-2 start to win 13 in a row on the way to the NCAA Quarterfinals. Two weeks after pulling off a dramatic comeback win over second ranked Johns Hopkins, Hofstra battled that same Blue Jays team hard before falling 11-7 before a Shuart Stadium record crowd of 12,222 in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
2007 women's soccer: Led defensively by All-American defender Sue Weber the Pride won its first NCAA Tournament game over Ohio State before falling in an overtime heartbreaker to the Penn State in the second round.
1999 football: With eventual second round NFL pick Giovanni Carmazzi guiding the blue and gold's dynamic run- and-shoot offense Hofstra went 11-1 in the regular season and won its first Division IAA playoff game over Lehigh before falling in the quarterfinals the next week to Illinois State.

The link to vote in this category can be found here.

Greatest Game Category:

Men's lacrosse team's 15-14 overtime win over Virginia in first round of 2001 NCAA Tournament: I call this game "the Mother's Day Miracle" as Hofstra rallied from a 14-9 deficit midway through the fourth quarter to score five straight goals and stun Virginia in overtime when Tommy Kessler rolled from behind the net and scored from a tough angle. The dramatic comeback on Mothers Day 2001 in West Point has special meaning for me since I was doing color commentary for it on WRHU in the Miche Stadium press box. The win advanced Hofstra to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second time in three years where the Pride lost a hard-fought battle to number one-ranked Syracuse 18-13 before 10,555 at Hofstra Stadium.
Women's lacrosse team's 7-6 overtime win over Boston University in 2001 America East title game: Hofstra appeared all but dead with Boston University nursing a 6-5 lead and running out the clock before Kathleen McPike came to the rescue intercepting a Terrier pass and racing all the way down to the other end of the field to knot the score. The hard-fought overtime win stamped the Hofstra women's lacrosse team's first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Softball team's 3-2 20 inning win over Delaware in the America East Tournament. In a game that seemed like it would never end Hofstra ace pitcher Alicia Smith gutted out an incredible 20-inning complete game effort. The marathon triumph enabled Hofstra to advance in the America East Tournament, which it captured over Boston University in the championship game.
Men's lacrosse team's 10-9 overtime win at Drexel in 2008 CAA title game: Hofstra punched a dramatic appearance to the NCAA Tournament rallying from a 9-7 deficit with under two minutes left and winning a few seconds into overtime on a Tommy Dooley goal.

The link to vote in this category can be found here.

Greatest Individuals Category:

Craig "Speedy" Claxton: Brought the men's basketball program to new heights in the late 90's capped by an America East title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2000. Also put Hofstra on the map in NBA circles with a solid professional career that including helping to lead the San Antonio Spurs to the 2003 championship.

Bill Edwards: In his two decades guiding the Hoftra softball team Edwards has captured 766 wins and was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame last December. He has enabled Hofstra to compete on a national level in a sport typically dominated by western and southern teams, and has been a class act on and off the field.
Doug Shanahan: Was a two-sport athlete in lacrosse and football. In 2001 with his combination of offensive skills and faceoff dominance Shanahan captured the inaugural Tewaaraton Award given to the top lacrosse player in the nation while leading the Pride to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
Sue Weber: After transferring from the University of Georgia this eventual All-American defender brought the Hofstra women’s soccer program to new levels with NCAA Tournament appearances in 2005 and 2007.
Marques Colston: After first bursting onto the Division IAA football scene in 2001 to lead the Pride to the Atlantic 10 title, Colston has gone onto be one of the NFL’s top wide receivers and helped lead the New Orleans Saints to the Super Bowl title last season.
Fran Kalafer: Coached the Hofstra volleyball program for 25 years in which she reached five NCAA Tournaments and became one of the winningest head coaches in the sport.
Jay Wright: In his seven years as Hofstra men’s basketball head coach brought national attention to the school with NCAA Tournament appearances in 2000 and 2001.

The link to vote in this category can be found here.

Hofstra women's soccer Big Ten Sweep could play major dividends come November

2010-09-13T19:42:00.001-04:00

Fresh off a Big Ten road sweep of Purdue and Indiana this past weekend, Hofstra women’s soccer head coach Simon Riddiough is hopeful that these two signature wins will play major dividends toward the Pride’s goals of reaching the NCAA Tournament.

Hofstra earned a pair of 3-1 wins over the Big Ten powers Friday and Saturday night, which will give the Pride a major boost in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) rankings, an important factor used to determine who received at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament in November. Riddiough expects both Indiana and Purdue to be in the top 50 RPI this season and feels wins over both of these teams will go a long way toward boosting Hofstra’s NCAA Tournament at-large resume should the Pride not capture the Colonial Athletic Association’s (CAA) automatic bid.

Riddiough described this past weekend as the biggest regular season moment for the Hofstra women’s soccer program, which started in 1992. “From a national perspective, from a tradition perspective, from a reputation perspective I think it is the best weekend we have ever had,” said Riddiough. “The girls put everything into it emotionally and physically."

While jubilant on the plane ride back to New York over what the Pride had accomplished, many of the players were also exhausted both physically and mentally, according to Riddiough. He gave them Monday off and work will now begin on preparation for Hofstra’s next game at Columbia this Friday night. Riddiough does not expect there to be a letdown

“Fortunately this is a local rivalry,” said Riddiough. “Hopefully that is enough to get us motivated.”

Former Hofstra men's lacrosse All American James Metzger to be honored for his charitable contributions

2010-09-07T22:30:00.003-04:00

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

In recent years former standout Hofstra men’s lacrosse player James Metzger has made significant contributions to Pride athletics including gifts that enabled locker room facility enhancements and the creation of The Hallway Traditions Project in Margiotta Hall. The former NCAA All American attackman will be recognized for his charitable work beyond Hofstra later this month when he will be one of two honorees at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island (BBBSLI) 2010 Presidential Gala.

Metzger, who is chief executive officer of The Whitmore Group in Garden City, N.Y., was first introduced to BBBSLI by former Hofstra men’s lacrosse players E. David Woycik and Mark Cox, the chief development officer for the charitable organization. Metzger along with fellow Hofstra alumnus Andrew F. Corrado, who is market president for Capital One Bank in Nassau County, will be honorees at the BBBSLI’s Presidential Gala on Sept. 23 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, N.Y. BBBSLI provides volunteer mentors to children who are in need of an additional positive, caring adult in their lives.

“Long Island has given me so much and I felt it was time that I give back,” said Metzger, a graduate of Half Hollow Hills High School in Dix Hills, N.Y. and a 1983 Hofstra alumnus, of his decision to become involved with BBBSLI. “It is compelling for me to be involved with this charity.”

Metzger now lives in Manhattan but Long Island has remained a huge cornerstone of his life, and running a company in Garden City has enabled convenient access to his passion for Hofstra athletics and the university as a whole. In addition to his contributions to Pride athletics Metzger also has funded a summer internship within the university's Center for Civic Engagement in honor of longtime Hofstra History Professor Michael D’Innocenzo. Metzger was also a platinum sponsor for an event this past February that raised funds for Hofstra student scholarships called “Night of the Broadway Stars”, which honored his former high school and college lacrosse teammate Joseph Corcoran, co-founder of TheaterMania.com.

“My time at Hofstra was invaluable,” said Metzger of why he has chosen to give so much back to his alma mater. “I attribute a great deal of my success in business to my athletic background, particularly the time I spent playing lacrosse at Hofstra.”

“Jim Metzger’s leadership and generosity have been instrumental to our athletics program,” said Hofstra Athletic Director Jack Hayes. “He cares about the student-athletes and he knows that athletic success is an important public relations tool for promoting the University.”

One major regret Metzger has is that he only played two years of lacrosse at Hofstra. After his All-American sophomore season in 1980, where he scored 21 goals and tallied 28 assists in just 10 games, Metzger decided to end his lacrosse career. As the years went on Metzger wished he had played his final two years at Hofstra and often speaks to young athletes about how they should make the most of their opportunities when they are young.

“As a 50-year old guy I’d love to have that eligibility back,” he said.

After giving up the sport he grew up with following the 1980 season, Metzger went the next 25 years without even watching a lacrosse game of any kind. He then got brought back into following the sport thanks to the resurgence of his nephew Rob Pannell, who was an All American at Smithtown West High School and is now a star attackman at Cornell. Metzger is now an avid follower of both the Hofstra men's and women's lacrosse programs and attends nearly every home game.

Since becoming heavily involved supporting his alma mater Metzger has developed close relationships with Hayes and Hofstra men’s lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney, who will both be attending the Sept. 23 BBBSLI event honoring him. Metzger is proud of the recent accomplishments Hofstra has seen both on and off the field and is excited to see even greater strides in the coming years.

“I look forward to the continued growth of the university and the continued enhancement of the brand,” said Metzger. “I’m a proud alumnus and I’ll continue to support the university in a number of ways.”

Hofstra volleyball head coach has grown to love the "City By the Sea."

2010-08-30T16:05:00.007-04:00

Since moving to Long Island to become head Hofstra volleyball coach in 2008 from Loyola (Md.) College, Kristina Hernandez has called Long Beach home and living in the "City By the Sea" is an enjoyable experience for the Texas native.

Hernandez's love of Long Beach both for what the Nassau County South Shore city offers in terms of being located by the ocean as well as the many volleyball leagues available in the area, was featured today in Long Beach Patch. Hernandez is coming off a summer in which she got to serve as head coach of the USA Volleyball Women's Junior Continental Team.

Hofstra volleyball's next home match is scheduled for this Wednesday evening Sept. 1 against Iona College starting at 7 p.m. in the Physical Education Building.