New Hofstra men's basketball era underway with hiring of Tim Welsh

 Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications
Hofstra University's national arboretum campus was in full bloom Thursday on a perfect spring day with hardly a cloud in the sky and temperatures in the 60's. The setting was just as sunny inside David S. Mack Hall when university officials kicked off a new era of Hofstra men's basketball with a press conference unveiling its new head coach Tim Welsh.

There was a feeling of immense optimism inside Mack Hall as the former Providence and Iona head coach was introduced to the Hofstra community for the first time just one week after longtime head coach Tom Pecora accepted a head coaching position at Fordham.  While coaching at the Big East level from 1998-2008 Welsh, 49, led Providence to two NCAA Tournament appearances and developed Ryan Golmes, who now plays for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves . The Massena, N.Y native and 1984 SUNY Potsdam graduate also had success in his three years as head coach at Iona leading the Gaels to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title and NCAA Tournament berth in 1998.

In addition to his 13 years of head coaching experience Welsh also gained valuable knowledge of what it takes to succeed as a college basketball program as an assistant at Syracuse from 1988-1991 under the legendary Jim Boeheim. "It is a great day for Hofstra athletics because this marks our hiring of Tim Welsh, who I truly believe will enable us to move our basketball success to the next level," said Hofstra University president Stuart Rabinowitz during the press conference.

Return of Jay Card aids Hofstra men's lacrosse blowout win over Army

One week after suffering an ankle injury during a 13-4 win at St. John’s, Hofstra junior attackman Jay Card had a triumphant return to the lacrosse field against Army. Card scored five goals and dished out eight assists to lead eighth ranked Hofstra to a 17-2 blowout over Army before a rain soaked crowd of 1,073 at Shuart Stadium.

“It’s a little sore but I give all the credit to our trainer Robert Sullivan,” said Card in the post game press conference of his recovery from last week’s injury. “He did a great job getting me back on the field in less than a week.”

Card’s return to the Hofstra offense came after missing last Saturday’s 11-9 loss at Massachusetts in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener. Having Card back into the offensive mix is critical for Hofstra (5-2) as it next faces a crucial CAA road game at 11th ranked Drexel on Saturday.

Hofstra women's lacrosse team staying focused after 6-2 start

The Hofstra women’s lacrosse is heading into its final non-conference game at Stanford this Wednesday 6-2 but despite the solid start which has included wins at Cornell and a triumph over then 19th ranked Rutgers, head coach Abby Morgan is not allowing herself to be satisfied.

“I do feel like we’re continuing to improve and we’re moving upwards… but you can’t get to a point where you’re OK, you can’t get to a point where you’re satisfied,” said Morgan. “As soon as you rest on your laurels a little bit you’re going to get beat.”

Hofstra’s two early season losses came by one goal to then eighth ranked Notre Dame 13-12 and fourth ranked Penn 7-6. Had Hofstra pulled off one of those games the Pride would be in prime position for an at large berth to the NCAA playoffs. If Hofstra can win at Stanford this Wednesday the Pride would be back in position for an at-large should it not be able to capture the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title, but Morgan is not allowing her team to think about playoff possibilities as conference season nears.

Pecora leaves behind proud era of Hofstra basketball

 Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

The Tom Pecora era at Hofstra drew to a close today when the longtime men's basketball coach accepted the head coaching position at Fordham. While this day is filled with much sadness from many Pride fans it is important to reflect on what Pecora has meant to Hofstra men's basketball and the university as a whole since first arriving in Hempstead 16 years ago.

When Pecora's stint began before the 1994/95 season as Jay Wright's top assistant the then Flying Dutchmen were ranked one of the lowest teams in Division I. Five years later thanks to tireless recruiting by Pecora to land future NBA players Craig "Speedy" Claxton and Norman Richardson, Hofstra made the national spotlight with back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament after capturing America East titles held before packed home crowds on ESPN in 2000 and 2001.

After the Pride's 2001 NCAA run that included a near upset of UCLA in the first round, Wright landed at Big East power Villanova and Pecora was handed the keys to the program that only returned one starter and was about to enter a more challenging conference in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Hofstra was under .500 the first three years of the Pecora era but by the 2004/2005 season the Pride were CAA contenders and made its first of three straight NIT appearances.   

Hofstra softball continues hot play in first home games of 2010

After playing its first 13 games on the road the Hofstra softball team was excited for some home cooking this weekend, especially freshman pitcher Olivia Galati, who attended many Pride games growing up in West Babylon. Galati did not disappoint her many friends and family who flocked to Hofstra Softball Stadium Saturday and Sunday as the St. John the Baptist product tossed 23 strikeouts in victories over Connecticut and Boston University to help the Pride improve to 13-4.

 “It is seriously like a dream come true" said Galati of her Hofstra Softball Stadium debut as a college player. "I’ve been looking to come here and I’ve been coming to games my whole life here and to actually step on the field and say this is my home field is really, really cool."

Galati’s efforts helped the Pride win three of four games in the Hofstra Invitational and remain hot in non-conference play. She earned Sunday’s 2-1 win over BU thanks to a walk-off home run from junior third baseman Sarah Michalowski in the bottom of the seventh after Michele DePasquale tied it in the sixth with an RBI double. Coming into the Hofstra Invitational the Pride were ranked 23rd in the Ultimate College Softball  top 25 poll after achieving several impressive wins at tournaments in Tampa, Fla, Columbus, Ga. and Louisville, Ky.

Hofstra men's lacrosse continues winning ways over Sacred Heart

Coming off an impressive 14-6 win over seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins last week the Hofstra men’s lacrosse came into Saturday afternoon’s home game with Sacred Heart focused on not looking past the Pioneers, who were 1-4 after a 17-7 loss to a first year Jacksonville program. Last year in similar circumstances Hofstra defeated third-ranked Princeton 9-7 but the following week squeaked by Sacred Heart 6-5 and head coach Seth Tierney tried to implore to his players how tough a game the Pioneers would bring to Shuart Stadium. 

Despite Coach Tierney’s message to take Sacred Heart seriously the Pride found themselves trailing 4-3 early in the second quarter before waking up with a 6-0 run to pull away for a 14-6 win. Sixth ranked Hofstra (3-1) has now won three in a row at home after dropping its season opener at Princeton 17-14.

“This is Division I lacrosse and if you don’t bring it everyday it is just not going to work for you,” said Tierney in the post game press conference of how strong of a team Sacred Heart is despite its 1-5 record. “They are a very well coached team.”

The win before 1,502 fans on a beautiful first day of spring at Shuart Stadium keeps Hofstra’s perfect record (9-0) intact against Sacred Heart but not before some barn burners over the years including a 10-9 overtime triumph in 2003 two days after the Pride had defeated seventh- ranked Syracuse.

Hofstra men's basketball season ends with first round CBI loss to IUPUI

Hofstra’s hot end to the 2009/2010 regular season that included winning 10 of 11 games before dropping a double overtime heartbreaker to Northeastern in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) quarterfinals fizzled Wednesday night in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) against IUPUI. The Pride were never able to recover from falling into an early 21-2 hole and saw its season end with a 74-60 loss in its first ever CBI game held before a tiny crowd of 952 fans at the Mack Sports Complex.

“I don’t know if we’ve ever come out that flat in all my time here,” said ninth year Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora. “Once the momentum is going in the other direction it’s hard to get it to stop.”

IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) held momentum for nearly the entire game with Hofstra (19-15) never getting any closer than six while shooting 36-percent including 2-19 from three-point range. The Pride were without the services of junior power forward Greg Washington due to an ankle injury.

IUPUI’s win over Hofstra moves the Jaguars onto the CBI quarterfinals to face Princeton on Monday March 22.

Hofstra baseball has positive outlook heading into home opener despite slow start

Despite an 0-9 start that has featured some close losses against stiff competition, the Hofstra baseball team has a positive mindset heading into its home opener against New York Tech at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

"We've been going through practice paying attention to detail with every little thing we have done," said second year Hofstra baseball head coach Patrick Anderson. "These kids are really hungry."

Hofstra's early schedule featured three game sweeps at second-ranked Florida State, Maryland and Troy University. Hofstra held leads in the fourth inning in three of those nine losses.

The New York Tech game was added to the schedule after the Pride had a three games in the Philadelphia area rained out last weekend against Villanova, Temple and St. Joseph's. "When we lose games we want to be able to pick up some games and prepare ourselves and play as much as possible," said Anderson.

Fans who attend Thursday afternoon's home opener at University Field will notice construction of a new grandstand that is expected to be completed in the next month. The new grandstand is scheduled to be officially dedicated on Sunday April 18 just prior to Hofstra's game against Virginia Commonwealth.

"The upgrade and the facelift is just going to help all the way around with the atmosphere," said Anderson. "It is going to look really nice."

Hofstra will continue its stretch of home games this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday against Fairfield starting at Noon both days. The Pride's Colonial Athletic Association opener is scheduled for April 2 at Northeastern.

Hofstra men's lacrosse wins convincingly over seventh ranked Johns Hopkins

In the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team's first two games against Princeton and Brown the Pride gave up a combined 29 goals leaving an unhappy taste in the mouth of head coach Seth Tierney.  Saturday night against seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins however saw a major defensive turnaround with the Pride holding the Blue Jays to only two goals in the first half in route to a dominant 14-6 victory at a rain-soaked Shuart Stadium.

“Sometimes you’ve got to skin your knee to know that it hurts when you fall and the first two games weren’t happy,” said Tierney in the post game press conference in reference to his team’s first two games that featured a 17-14 loss at Princeton and 15-12 home win over Brown. “[Against Johns Hopkins] we were locked in.”

Tenth ranked Hofstra (2-1) outshot Johns Hopkins (4-2)  34-19, forced 16 turnovers and five failed clears in the game played during tropical storm force winds and heavy rain before 1,245 fans. The winds were so heavy at the beginning of the game that it caused a power failure with the Shuart Stadium lights and a 14 minute delay in the first quarter with Hofstra leading 3-1. It was the third Hofstra-Johns Hopkins meeting at Shuart Stadium in the last 10 years where inclement weather impacted the game with the others coming in 2000 and 2008.

Hofstra to host 2011 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarterfinals

The NCAA announced today that Hofstra University's Shuart Stadium has been selected as one of two sites that will be hosting the 2011 Division I Men's Lacrosse Quarterfinals on Saturday May 21, 2011. This is outstanding news for Hofstra as well as the men's lacrosse program, which will have a team loaded with talent next year that will have a solid chance at playing on its home field for a shot to advance to the Final Four. On May 16, 2009 Hofstra hosted the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 after the administration was able to work out a logistical plan to hold the Spring graduation later in the afternoon the next day that same weekend. Hofstra previously hosted the quarterfinals from 1997-1999 and 2001-2002 and three times has drawn over 10,000 fans for  the event. Hofstra athletic director Jack Hayes and president Stuart Rabinowitz should be applauded for their commitment to returning this great college lacrosse event back to Hempstead on a regular basis.

Hofstra women's basketball team's upcoming CAA Tourney has special meaning for Nicole Capurso

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

The Hofstra women’s basketball team is preparing for its first round Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament game against William & Mary this Thursday, an event that will have a particular special meaning to sophomore guard Nicole Capurso, who was forced to miss last year’s postseason with a torn meniscus.

Last year Hofstra also matched up against William & Mary in its opening CAA tourney game and Capurso could only watch from the bench as the Pride let a lead 10 point lead slip away in a 63-62 loss in which the Tribe scored the game’s final 11 points. 

"It’s a do-over for our team so we’re going to take full advantage of that,” said Capurso of the Pride being matched against William & Mary for the second year in a row in the CAA Tournament first round. “We feel last year we didn’t give our best in the CAA Tournament and this year we can come back and do what we know we can do against William & Mary.”

Hofstra (18-12, 11-7 in the CAA) enters the postseason winners of eight of 10 but is coming off a 59-41 loss at Delaware that denied the Pride a chance of a first round bye and instead set them up as the number six seed.  “This is just one more hurdle we have to jump,” said Capurso of the Pride having to win four games rather than three to obtain the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament. 

New starting goalie helps Hofstra men's lacrosse beat Brown in home opener

One of the major uncertainties coming into the 2010 Hofstra men’s lacrosse season was who would start in goal and that question may have been answered in the Pride’s second game on Saturday afternoon against 19th-ranked Brown. In his first career start freshman Rob Bellairs posted seven saves to help 12th ranked Hofstra (1-1) to a 15-12 win over Brown (0-1) and head coach Seth Tierney is planning to start the Plainedge High School product in next week’s big matchup against Johns Hopkins.

“He earned the starting job in our coaching staff’s eyes,” said Tierney in the post game press conference following Hofstra’s home opener win over Brown before 2,234 fans at Shuart Stadium. “Barring anything crazy that happens this week Rob Bellairs will start against Hopkins.”

Bellairs, who earned All American honors his senior year of high school, has won the right to start in net early in the 2010 season over sophomore Andrew Gvozden, who as a freshman posted an 8.38 goals against average in 13 games. Against Brown Bellairs made some key early saves to help hold the Bears to only three goals in the first half.

Hofstra softball's hot start getting national attention

In its opening two weekends of the 2010 season the Hofstra softball program has made quite a splash on a national level. Against top-level competition at two tournaments in Florida and Georgia the Pride are off to 9-1 start that has catapulted them to 25th in the latest Ultimate College Softball top 25 poll.

Hofstra's hot start featured wins over North Dakota State, North Carolina State, Michigan State, Wright State, South Florida, Virginia Tech, Kent State and Mississippi State. The only loss came to 22nd ranked Florida State. The 9-1 start matches program's best since 1994, when Hofstra finished the season ranked 20th in the nation after going 39-16 but were snubbed of an NCAA Tournament bid.

Hofstra's nine wins have featured several close games with six of its nine victories coming by one run. "The big thing is that we are playing clutch," said Hofstra softball head coach Bill Edwards of his team's 9-1 start. "We're on a roll."

Hofstra women's basketball enhances chance at CAA tourney bye with win over Northeastern

When Hofstra women’s basketball seniors Sam Brigham and Jess Fuller were taken out in the final moments of Sunday afternoon’s game against Northeastern both showed signs of emotions knowing they had just finished their last regular season home contest. However their heralded Hofstra careers are far from over as the Pride’s 53-37 win over the Huskies keeps them very much alive for a top four Colonial Athletic Association finish that would earn a first round bye at the conference tournament that gets underway March 11.

Hofstra’s 53-37 win over Northeastern before 622 fans at the Mack Sports Complex puts the Pride (18-11, 11-6 in CAA) into a three-way tie for third place in the conference standings with Virginia Commonwealth and Drexel. Hofstra closes out the regular season this Wednesday evening at Delaware(18-10, 10-7 in CAA), who is just one game behind the Pride, and the winner of this game may very well end up with that all-important first round bye.

Hofstra men's basketball team stays hot heading into CAA Tourney with win over Georgia State

The Hofstra men’s basketball team’s 2-7 start to Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play last month seems like a distant memory after the Pride completed the regular season Saturday with its eighth win in nine games over Georgia State 87-74. Hofstra finished its red hot February with its fourth 80 plus performance of the month and enters next weekends CAA Tournament Richmond clicking on all cylinders.

Hofstra (18-13, 10-8 in CAA) will enter the CAA Tournament as the seventh seed and play Friday night at 6 p.m. versus Georgia State, with a win pitting the Pride against second-seeded Northeastern in the quarterfinals Saturday. In order for Hofstra to capture the CAA title and get the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001 it will need to win four games in four days, something that has never been done in the history of the conference.

“No one has ever won all four but hey, I’ve never had a team go nine out of 10 down the stretch before so maybe this is kismet,” said Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora after the Pride defeated Georgia State in front of 3,964 fans at the Mack Sports Complex.

Hofstra men's lacrosse gears up for season opener at Princeton

For the first time since 2004 the Hofstra men's lacrosse team will not be opening its season against longtime nemesis Massachusetts, but the 11th ranked Pride will continue its recent run of starting against a challenging opponent when it takes the field at ninth ranked Princeton this Saturday.

Saturday's nationally-televised Noon game on ESPNU at Princeton's Class of 52 Stadium begins a brutal three game stretch to start the season, with home games versus 16th ranked Brown and fourth ranked Johns Hopkins on tap the next two weeks. "I'm just excited to get going and hear that opening whistle," said Hofstra men's lacrosse head coach Seth Tierney.

After holding scrimmages the last three weekends against Syracuse, Le Moyne, Rutgers and Yale, Tierney and his coaching staff determined much of what his starting lineup will look like, but in an interview Thursday afternoon was not ready to announce who would be lining up in net. The battle for who will be starting goalie has been a spirited one between sophomore Andrew Gvozden, who posted an 8.38 goals against average in 12 games last season, and freshman Rob Bellairs.

"Every time we're about to make an answer we kind of talk ourselves out of it so we've got to kind of go with our gut," said Tierney. "We've got to just make the best decision for our team."

Hofstra men's basketball keeps momentum with Bracketbuster win over Rider in OT

The Hofstra men’s basketball team’s ESPN Bracketbuster game against Rider Saturday did not have any bearing on post-season implications as the Pride’s only path to March Madness will be winning the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, but picking up a 92-89 overtime win was still important to maintain the team’s recent momentum.

With Saturday’s hard fought overtime win Hofstra (16-13) has won seven of eight and is hot at the right time of season with only two games remaining before heading to Richmond for the CAA Tournament starting March 5. No matter what happens in the Pride’s final two conference games at Northeastern Tuesday and home versus Georgia State on Feb. 27, Hofstra (8-8 in the CAA) is locked into the seventh seed for its opening game at the Richmond Coliseum.

“Even though we might be locked in at that seven spot our goal is to go 10-8 in the conference and see if we could be in a three-way tie for fifth, sixth and seventh and play in the seven spot….. and then just have our mojo going, going into the tournament,” said Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora.

Hofstra women's lacrosse posts blowout over St. Mary's (Calif.) in tuneup for Notre Dame

         Despite having a highly anticipated matchup against eighth ranked Notre Dame this Tuesday the Hofstra women’s lacrosse team showed no signs of looking ahead to the Fighting Irish in its opening game Saturday against St. Mary’s (Calif.). After falling behind 2-0 the Pride scored 19 straight goals in route to a 21-3 win that head coach Abby Morgan hopes gets her team adequately prepared for a stiff test in just three days.
         When the Hofstra-Notre Dame game was initially conceived on the schedule the Fighting Irish wanted to make it as the Pride’s opener but Morgan made sure her team would at least have one game under their belt before taking on a top 10 program. Morgan is hopeful that Saturday’s St. Mary’s game, which featured 11 different Hofstra scorers, combined with scrimmages against Brown and Dartmouth last weekend will give the Pride the needed preparation to pull off an upset win against the Irish.
        “I think that we’re a little bit more prepared for playing Notre Dame,” said Morgan of how important it was to schedule two scrimmages and one game prior to Tuesday’s big showdown. “It is nice to have that confidence going in.”

Hofstra women's basketball wins close battle over George Mason

      On paper Thursday afternoon's Hofstra-George Mason women's basketball game looked like a mismatch after the Pride defeated the Patriots 72-39 in Fairfax, Va. just two weeks ago. However the last place team in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) gave Hofstra all they could handle before the Pride pulled away in the end for a 59-49 win in front of 1,016 fans during "Family Fun Day" at the Mack Sports Complex.
      Despite the Pride (15-11, 8-6 in CAA) having blown out George Mason on Feb. 4, Hofstra women's basketball head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey was not surprised that the result was much closer the second time around since the Patriots did not have starting point guard Brittany Poindexter in the first meeting. "Knowing that Brittany Poindexter did not play [in the first meeting] .... we knew had a pretty big task at hand," said Kilburn-Steveskey. "This team was a different team than we played last time."

Hofstra women's lacrosse eager for start of 2010 season this Saturday

     After barely missing out on the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) playoffs the last two years, the Hofstra women's lacrosse team is ramped up to hit the Shuart Stadium turf for its opener against St. Mary's College (Calif.) this Saturday. The motivation to make certain that 2010 does not end without post-season play will be especially on the minds of eight Pride seniors who got a taste of being in the NCAA Tournament as freshman in 2007.
    "It is interesting to think about the seniors of that 07 squad, their freshman year they didn't make the CAA Tournament, their sophomore and junior year they were in the championship game and lost," said fourth-year Hofstra women's lacrosse head coach Abby Morgan of how this years seniors much like the ones three years ago had experienced back-to-back years of major disappointment heading into the end of their college women's lacrosse careers.  "The third time hopefully is the charm for us to do what we're supposed to do in the CAA conference."
    Two returning veterans earned preseason All-CAA honors including senior midfielder Corrine Gandolfi and junior defender Katie Hertsch. Gandolfi is coming off a third-team All-America junior season that saw her score 45 goals and 25 assists while Hertsch recorded 36 ground balls and 30 draw controls.

Hofstra freshman Shante Evans showing why she is among CAA women's basketball elite

Picture Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications
Hofstra women’s basketball freshman forward Shante Evans is having a smash rookie season leading the Pride in both scoring (13.4 points per game) and rebounding (8.9 a game), and in normal circumstances would be a slam dunk for Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rookie of the year. However Evans happens to be a freshman the same season as Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne, who had previously committed to national powerhouse Connecticut as the number one-rated recruit in the nation, and in her first season with the Blue Hens is averaging 25.8 points a game.

While winning CAA rookie of the year is unlikely for Evans given how dominant a force Delle Donne has been in Newark, Del., what is certain is that the 6’0 forward from West Chester, Pa. is one of the the biggest recruits ever landed by the Hofstra women’s basketball program. She was ranked the 54th best player in the class of 2009 as well as the ninth best forward by ESPN/HoopGurlz, and has been living up the hype so far in her short Hofstra career. Following a 28-point performance in a 73-58 win over UNC-Wilmington on Super Bowl Sunday, longtime Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Mel Greenberg wrote about how Evans has made an immediate impact on the Hofstra program in her freshman season.

Play of injured Fuller inspires Hofstra women's basketball to win over first place VCU

Four days after Jess Fuller suffered a severe sprained ankle against UNC-Wilmington the senior center decided to play through the pain in Thursday's women’s basketball matinee against Virginia Commonwealth. The 6’4 Fuller only logged 15 minutes but provided a spark off the bench with 10 points and one block to help the Pride upset the first place team in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).

Thanks to the heroic effort from Fuller along with 19 points from sophomore guard Nicole Capurso, Hofstra defeated VCU 74-66 for its fourth win in five games. Sam Brigham also stepped up during the Pride's second of three weekday afternoon games this season with 17 points on 12-12 from the free throw line to help Hofstra improve to 14-10 and 7-5 in the CAA.

When Fuller first entered the game she blocked a shot with 1:46 left in the first half bringing the Hofstra bench to its feet. Her basket with 4:11 left in the second half game made it 63-56 Hofstra and gave the Pride some much-needed insurance after the Rams (16-8, 9-3 in CAA) had clawed their way back into the game after tailing by as many as 14.

Hofstra student section in full force to see Wednesday's blizzard win over Drexel

With the Long Island area blitzed by blizzard conditions the Mack Sports Complex was largely empty for Wednesday’s Hofstra-Drexel men’s basketball game, but the student section was still in full force creating a hostile road environment for the Pride’s longtime conference rival dating back to the days of the America East. The over 100 hundred Hofstra students that crawled across the Hempstead campus amidst the winter elements created a sixth man and aided Hofstra to a 75-64 victory for the Pride’s fourth win in five games.

"God bless the fans who came out,” said Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora of the few hundred supporters who found their way to the Mack Sports Complex during a blizzard that dumped over a foot of snow around much of the New York City region. “The students were good, they were noisy."

With the win Hofstra is now 13-13 and 6-8 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Official attendance was listed as 893 but the enthusiastic student section made it seem like a few thousand. “It was fun that the students came through the weather," said Hofstra junior forward Greg Washington. “The turnout was good.”

Hofstra women's basketball steps up after Fuller injury in win over UNC-Wilmington

Just over five minutes into Super Bowl Sunday’s Hofstra-UNC Wilmington women’s basketball game Pride head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey raced across the court toward the direction of senior center Jess Fuller, who lay on the floor grimacing with pain. Fuller was helped off the court by the training staff and suddenly Hofstra was left without its tallest payer , who just one game ago became the program’s all-time leader in blocked shots.

With Fuller missing the Pride stepped up their games in a 73-58 win to give Hofstra (13-10, 6-5 in Colonial Athletic Association) its third win in four games. The 6'4 Fuller has a severally sprained ankle and her status for the remainder of the season is uncertain.

“I saw their eyes a little bit when she went down so that is why I ran out there so quick, “said Coach Kilburn-Steveskey of her initial worries that Fuller’s injury would cause the rest of the team to panic. “All she was caring about was us getting that [win] and I think we rallied around that situation.”

Stepping up large in Fuller’s absence were freshman forward Shante Evans with 28 points and senior guard Sam Brigham, who tallied 16 on 6-9 shooting. Sophomore guard Nicole Capurso was also in double figures with 12 points on four three pointers. Red-shirt sophomore had a solid all-around game with nine points and nine assists.

“We just picked each other up,” said Brigham of how the Pride responded once Fuller went down. “I feel like we really stepped up as a team.”

Hofstra will try and continue its recent momentum with a home game against first place Virginia Commonwealth this Thursday with a special Noon tipoff in honor of “Family Fun Day.”

Hofstra offense hits 2nd half wall in home loss to Northeastern

As Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora stepped to the microphone for his post game press conference Saturday following a 75-55 home loss to Northeastern one would have expected much anger and frustration to be expressed after the Pride were outscored 45-23 in the second half. Instead the ninth year Hofstra head coach showed a relatively calm demeanor despite just watching his team shoot 25 percent to allow the Huskies to run away with an easy win on the Pride’s home floor.

“There are teams in the past I might ride real hard for two days but I think we’re too far down the line for that with this group,” said Pecora of why he does not plan to yell and scream at his players on the practice floor after they only scored 12 points in the first 16 minutes of the second half to quickly turn a 32-30 halftime lead into a rare blowout loss at the Mack Sports Complex. “They have to have some pride in the fact that somebody came in here and beat their tales pretty good.”

Hofstra men's lacrosse gears up for pre-season scrimmages without injured Kevin Ford

Coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances there are high expectations for the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team this year but the Pride offense will be faced with a tough challenge to start 2010 when it is without one of its key scorers during the first month of the season.

Junior attackman Kevin Ford, the Pride's third-leading scorer a year ago, broke his foot during pre-season conditioning and will be out until at least the end of March after having surgery in mid January.  Junior Stephen Bentz will fill in for Ford at attack during the beginning of the season and head coach Seth Tierney has been happy with how the Massapequa High School graduate, who tallied six goals last year, has stepped up to the challenge so far.   

Tierney will get a first chance to view Hofstra’s attack minus Ford in game action this Sunday when the Pride plays two scrimmages in the Carrier Dome against defending national champion Syracuse and Division II power Le Moyne. These two scrimmages along with pre-season tilts at Rutgers on Feb. 13 and home versus Yale on Feb. 20 will also allow star Canadian attackers Jay Card and University of Denver transfer Jamie Lincoln to start to gel into what Tierney hopes will be an explosive offense.

Hofstra athletic trainer heads to Haiti to help earthquake victims

Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

Last month's Haitian earthquake that has killed over 200,000 people touched many people on the Hofstra University campus but especially Pride assistant athletic trainer David Riviere, who lived in Haiti until he was 14 and has many family and friends still living in the now ravaged Caribbean country. The 2007 Hofstra graduate, who works as an athletic trainer primarily for the Pride's volleyball and baseball programs, recently returned from a 10-day visit to his native county volunteering at a a hospital that took in many of the injured victims from the Jan. 12 earthquake that measured 7.1 on the Richter Scale.

Riviere, who moved from Haiti to Somerville, Mass. when he was 14, traveled to the earthquake-plagued region on Jan. 18 to deliver much-needed supplies to his many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends whose homes were badly damaged from what is considered one of the world's worst natural disasters to ever strike. After Riviere dropped off more than two-weeks worth of food and other supplies to his family and friends, he spent the vast majority of the remainder of his trip at a nearby hospital as a medical volunteer.

"It was humbling," said Riviere of his 10 day visit to Haiti in the wake of the Jan. 12 earthquake. "There is a lot of people in need over there."

Many of the victims Riviere cared for suffered broken bones and needed to have surgery. He said the most difficult task was informing patients who were starving without food for a days that they could not eat before having a surgery procedure because of medical reasons. "They were starving beyond belief," he said.

Hofstra women's soccer star Diane Caldwell to play field hockey for Pride in 2010

Picture courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

On Nov. 6 when the Hofstra women’s soccer team’s 2009 season ended in heartbreaking fashion after a 2-1 overtime defeat to UNC-Wilmington it brought incredible heartache for senior defender Diane Caldwell, who suddenly saw her Pride career playing the sport she loved come to a close. The pain still lingers from that early November defeat on the turf of Northeastern’s Parsons Field but Caldwell’s Hofstra’s collegiate career is now being resurrected with a stick.

The Ireland native has earned a spot on Hofstra’s field hockey team and will play for head coach Kathy De Angelis in the 2010 season while she attends graduate school. Caldwell, who played field hockey for Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Balbriggan, Ireland, decided to workout with the Hofstra sticklers last spring and after impressing the coaches with her athletic play in the backfield has been added to the roster for the 2010 season.

“When my four years were up with soccer I was obviously a little disappointed because you don’t want it to end so soon but having [ a chance to play field hockey] gives me another year to enjoy and stay here at Hofstra,” said Caldwell, who played soccer for the Ireland National Team in 2008. “To go into a Division I program is not going to be easy by any means but it is a new challenge for me and I am just looking forward to it because it is these challenges that make life exciting.”

Delaware free throw struggles help aid Hofstra win

With 4:32 left in Saturday’s Hofstra-Delaware men’s basketball game and the Pride clinging to a 58-56 lead after leading by as many as 13 in the second half, the Blue Hen's Jamelle Hagins stepped to the foul line with a chance to knot the score. He would only make one his two attempts, which summed up Delaware’s day from the charity stripe that included 14 misses and was a huge factor in a 77-67 Pride victory.

Hofstra (11-12, 4-7 in Colonial Athletic Association) led wire to wire before a large crowd of 4,019 at the Mack Sports Complex but had Delaware shot better than 24-38 (63 percent) from the free throw line the game would have been far different. The Blue Hens (6-16, 2-9 in CAA) also struggled shooting from the floor (35 percent) but managed to stick around for much of the game before the Pride iced the game in the final minute from the free throw line to make the 77-67 final score a bit misleading. Hofstra allowed Delaware to stay in the game due in large part to shooting 43 percent from the floor and being outrebounded 41-36, including giving up 19 offensive boards.

“The longer you let teams hang around, you know they are going to come up with a run at some point,” said Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora of his team’s inability to put Delaware away earlier despite their shooting woes.

Hofstra men's basketball breaks out of slump with blowout of UNC-Wilmington

The Hofstra and UNC-Wilmington men’s basketball programs have played in several classics including at least one overtime game every year since the 2006/07 season.  Wednesday night at the Mack Sports Complex was not one of these memorable close games however as the Pride jumped out to as big as a 28 point first half lead and rolled to a 93-54 win to snap a five game losing streak.

“We haven’t had one of those in it feels like 100 years,” said Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora after the Pride picked up its first win since a 77-61 victory over Towson on Jan. 6 to improve to 10-7 and 3-7 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

After jumping to a 54-25 halftime lead Hofstra’s lead ballooned to as high as 42 in the second half with the Pride shooting 57 percent for the game. The 54 points in the game’s first 20 minutes was Hofstra’s highest scoring first half since Pecora took over as head coach in the 2001/02 season. 

Too much Delle Donne in Hofstra women's basketball loss to Delaware

Elena Delle Donne entered Sunday afternoon’s game with Hofstra as women’s college basketball’s fourth leading scorer and her versatile offensive skills were on full display for the 1,388 fans at the Mack Sports Complex. The 6’5 freshman sensation, who initially committed to national powerhouse Connecticut as the number one recruit in the country, scored 35 points including clutch back-to-back three pointers in the second half that paced the Blue Hens to a 71-65 win over the Pride.
 
“We were a little star struck for some reason,” said Hofstra women’s basketball head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey of how she felt her team responded to going up against someone of Delle Donne’s caliber.
 
With the loss to Colonial Athletic Association rival Delaware, the Pride drop into a three-way tie with William & Mary and Towson for sixth place in the conference standings.   

Hofstra wrestling falls to Missouri; Coach Shifflet hopes win by Bonilla-Bowman inspires team

In the midst of Friday night’s 34-7 loss to 17th ranked Missouri, Hofstra wrestling head coach Tom Shifflet is hoping his team got inspired by a dominant performance put in by one of his senior grapplers. Seventeen-ranked Jonny Bonilla-Bowman picked up one of Hofstra’s two wins on the Mack Sports Complex mats in a convincing fashion 21-10 over Tiger sophomore Patrick Wright, a performance Shifflet wants to see from his other grapplers as the home stretch of the 2009/10 season gets set to take shape.

“He took a top 20 guy and basically broke the kid by the third period where he was able to do whatever he wanted,” said Coach Shifflet of Bonilla-Bowman’s effort Friday night, which turned out to be one of only two Pride wins on the evening. “When these guys sit on the bench and watch him they see what he is doing and they need to follow in his foot steps quite honestly because that is the effort we want out of everybody. With guys showing up like that we’ll be back to where we used to be.”

Hofstra women's basketball offense wakes up in win over William & Mary

For the first 10:32 of Thursday night’s Hofstra-William & Mary women’s basketball game the Pride were shooting under 20 percent and only had six points but luckily for the Pride the visiting Tribe's shooting was not much better. After being able to withstand some early offensive woes, Hofstra found its shooting touch the remainder of the game to post a 68-51 victory for its third win in four games.

Thursday night’s win by Hofstra (10-8, 3-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association)  avenges a 55-48 loss at William & Mary 18 days ago in the conference opener where the Pride let a six point lead with 6:39 left slip away. In the rematch with the Tribe, Hofstra had three players in double-figures led by freshman power forward Shante Evans, who had her ninth career double-double with 18 points on 9-12 shooting and 18 rebounds. “

“[Evans] is just relentless,” said Hofstra women’s basketball head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey, who notched her 57th career victory Thursday to move into third place in the program’s all-time wins list in just her fourth season. “She is a special player because of so many attributes.”

Hofstra men's basketball team's defensive struggles continue in loss to George Mason

In a 73-66 loss at William & Mary on Saturday the Hofstra men’s basketball team were outscored 25-11 in the final 9:14. The defensive struggles continued for the Pride three nights later against George Mason with its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rival shooting 56 percent in a 90-72 win to send Hofstra further to the bottom of the standings near the midway part of the conference season.

With Tuesday night’s loss before 2,573 at the Mack Sports Complex., Hofstra (9-11, 2-6 in the CAA) has now lost six of seven games to start the new year and finds itself in10th place in the conference standings. “I obviously have not been getting through to these guys in regards to what I need them to do and the energy I need them to play with,” said Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora. “I will not sleep with a team giving up 90 points.”

In the first half George Mason was lights out from three point range nailing six of 10 from behind the arc (60 percent) to take a 38-30 lead into the locker room. In the second half the Patriots were hot from all areas of the floor shooting 67 percent. It was the first the Pride had given up 90 points in regulation at home since a 93-75 loss to Manhattan on Dec. 23, 2002.

Kelleher staying positive despite NCAA ruling

Despite the frustration of not getting cleared to play for the 2009/2010 season, Hofstra men's basketball shooting guard Brad Kelleher has been handling the news with class, Pride head coach Tom Pecora stated during Monday morning’s weekly Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Teleconference.

The NCAA declared Kelleher ineligible for the remainder of the season last week citing an application he signed with a professional team in his native Australia five years ago being equal to a contract. However despite the bad news that came down last week, the transfer from Midland College in Texas has been doing his best to keep a positive attitude in the midst of his frustration and confusion over the NCAA’s decision.

“He’s been tremendous,” said Coach Pecora during the weekly CAA Teleconference of Kelleher’s attitude in the wake of not getting cleared to play by the NCAA. “He is a class young guy.”

Prior to the start of the 2009/2010 season the 6’0 Kelleher was slated to start at shooting guard for the Pride and be a key offensive weapon on the perimeter. During his freshman season at Midland the 6’0 Kelleher was sixth in the nation in three-point shooting percentage, connecting on 44 percent from beyond the arc.

Former Hofstra lacrosse teammates to have "starring roles" in upcoming theater benefit

Two former Hofstra men's lacrosse teammates from the early 1980’s will have "starring roles" in an upcoming theater benefit performance for student scholarships that will feature some of the most memorable songs ever performed on Broadway.

On Feb. 6 a "Night of Broadway Stars" will be held at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse on Hofstra’s south campus with the evening’s honoree being TheaterMania.com co-founder Joseph Corcoran, who played lacrosse for the “blue and gold’ under head coach Harry Royle from 1979-1982. James C. Metzger, who was Corcoran’s lacrosse teammate at both Hofstra and Half Hollow Hills High School in Dix Hills, N.Y., is a platinum sponsor for the benefit event that will feature songs performed by veteran professional actors and actresses from hit Broadway shows like Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Jekyll & Hyde, Hair and Mamma Mia!

Both Corcoran and Metzger have excelled in the business world since their playing days at Hofstra. After deciding to leave a lucrative job with Wall Street giant Bear Stearns in 1988, Corcoran and his brother Dan acquired the worldwide rights to produce, license and authorize performances of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, which was originally conceived by 1981 Hofstra drama graduates Mark Nasser and Nancy Cassaro. He has since gone on to be a principal of Joe Corcoran Productions and co-founded TheaterMania.com, which has become a household name in theater news, listings, editorial works and ticketing systems.

VCU offense proves too much for shorthanded Hofstra men's basketball

Tuesday night concluded a grueling five-game in 10-day stretch to begin Colonial Athletic Association play for the Hofstra men’s basketball team and the task of defeating the defending conference champion Virginia Commonwealth was made even more challenging without the services of guard Chaz Williams and forward David Imes.

With only seven scholarship players available for Hofstra due to ankle injuries suffered by Williams and Imes in a loss at Old Dominion last Saturday, VCU’s up-tempo offense proved too much to handle in an 81-68 loss before 2,224 fans at the Mack Sports Complex. It was Hofstra’s fourth loss in five conference games to begin the new decade and drops the Pride to 9-9 and 2-4 in the CAA.

Despite playing so many games in a short period and being shorthanded, Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Tom Pecora said after the loss that those factors are no excuse for a performance that included committing 17 turnovers and only getting to the foul line 12 times.  “We’re beyond excuses,” said Pecora. “We are what we are right now. We’re a .500 team, we’re 2-4 in the conference and we better find a way to win the next one.”

Hofstra women's basketball picks up first CAA win with triumpth of Georgia State

Being in the midst of a four-game losing streak and facing the prospect of an 0-3 conference start, the Hofstra women’s basketball team came into its Jan. 10th home game against Georgia State with a sense of urgency and it showed on defense. After quickly falling behind 5-0 the Pride held the Panthers to only four field goals the remainder of the first half.

Hofstra’s ability to hold Georgia State’s offense at bay with only 30 percent shooting for the game helped the Pride (8-7, 1-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association) pick up a critical 58-49 win to avoid that dreaded 0-3 conference start.

“We’ve weathered a nice tornado, tsunami and we’re getting out of [the storm],” said Hofstra women’s basketball head coach Krista Kilburn- Steveskey of the Pride snapping its five-game losing streak.

Hofstra women's basketball sees perfect home record end in loss to Towson

Following three tough road losses in Texas and Southern Virginia the Hofstra women’s basketball team returned the friendly confines of the Mack Sports Complex for Thursday night’s Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) home opener against Towson. However despite the Pride coming into the game with a perfect 5-0 record in Hempstead, Hofstra’s home court proved much friendlier to Towson with the Tigers jumping out to an 18-point halftime lead and holding on for a 66-58 win.

Hofstra (7-7, 0-2 in CAA) dug itself a huge early hole thanks to a first half performance that included shooting 21 percent and committing 10 turnovers. Towson meanwhile shot 40 percent from the floor in the first half including five of eight from three-point range. Towson led by as many as 21 in the second half.

After defeating Stony Brook on Dec. 21 Hofstra has dropped four in a row including road defeats to Southern Methodist, Rice and William & Mary.

Hofstra women's basketball keeping positive even as close losses mount

The Hofstra women's basketball team has incurred much heartbreak early in the 2009/10 season with four of its six losses occurring when the Pride held leads late into the game and three of those coming by a single point. However even in the wake of Hofstra's latest setback at William & Mary 55-48 in which the Pride led 42-36 with 6:39 left before giving up a game-ending 19-6 run, head coach Krista Kliburn-Steveskey's players are keeping a positive attitude heading into their next game against Towson on Thursday.

Speaking during a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Coaches Media Teleconference call this afternoon," Coach Kilburn-Steveskey emphasized that the Pride are not letting the close losses get them down. "Demoralized isn't even in our vocabulary," said Kilburn-Steveskey of her team's mindset after the William & Mary loss Sunday. "We will fight through this."

Hofstra enters Thursday's CAA home opener against Towson 7-6 with three of those losses coming by one point to Clemson, Richmond and Southern Methodist. "It's been somewhat of an up and down struggle," said Kilburn-Steveskey of the Pride's rollercoaster season heading into the CAA schedule. "We are definitely going to get back on track hopefully with Towson on Thursday."

Towson enters Thursday's contest 7-5 including a 67-55 upset of Atlantic Coast Conference power Maryland on Dec. 10. Thursday's tipoff against Towson at the Mack Sports Complex is at 7 p.m.

Injury bug continues to bite Hofstra wrestling in loss to Ohio State

The injury bug that has bitten the Hofstra wrestling team so far in the 2009/10 season continued to wreak havoc during Sunday afternoon’s match against third ranked Ohio State. Three weeks after 125-pound sophomore Steve Bonanno suffered a season-ending arm injury against Lock Haven’s Nick Hyatt, freshman Jamie Franco injured his shoulder during Hofstra’s second match of the day at 133-pounds against the Buckeye’s Ian Paddock.

With Franco losing by a medical default and the Pride forced to forfeit its first match at 125 pound match because of Bonanno’s hampered arm, Ohio State (6-0) jumped out to an early 12-0 lead and rolled from there for a 32-6 win. The loss drops Hofstra to 2-2-3 as it prepares for a busy January that features nine more dual matches.

Even though Sunday’s loss comes to the third ranked team in the nation, Hofstra head wrestling coach Tom Shifflet was not satisfied with the way most of his grapplers competed. “We were outmatched today,” said Shifflet.

Hofstra men's basketball misses golden chance at signature win in heartbreaking loss to William & Mary

It is not everyday that one gets to chance to knock off a team ranked sixth in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index but that is just what Hofstra had in front of them Saturday afternoon against William & Mary. The Pride never trailed until the waning seconds off what would turn out to be a heartbreaking 48-47 loss in what was not only a key early-season Colonial Athletic Association game but also a major missed opportunity for a signature win that could have enhanced Hofstra’s post-season chances come March.

“It sure does sting because you only get so many opportunities in life and when you’re young sometimes you don’t realize that, but when you’re old like me you realize it,” said Hofstra head coach Tom Pecora of how his team had a chance to knock off a team as highly ranked as William & Mary.” You realize that when you get a chance to win a big game like this you better take advantage of it because they may not come along that often.”

Hofstra (8-6, 1-1 in CAA) never trailed until Kendrix Brown converted a three-point play with 17 seconds remaining for his only points of the game to give William & Mary a 48-47 lead. Hofstra had a chance to win on its final procession but Nathaniel Lester was unable to get a shot off in time when he pulled down a weak-side rebound from a missed long-range three pointer by Halil Kanacevic. Lester appeared to get fouled at the buzzer and Pecora screamed for a call but the referees instead said the game was over and so was Hofstra’s chance to knock off a top 10 RPI team.

Hofstra softball future looks bright entering new decade

Three weeks after his induction into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Hofstra head softball coach Bill Edwards still remains touched by the 24 current and former Pride players that attended the ceremony, and that is not the only reason for him to be beaming as a new decade dawns. The 21st-year Hofstra head coach is excited about the future of his program following the recent signings of three solid hitters and how his current team came together in the fall season in preparation for a 2010 campaign he hopes will end in the NCAA Tournament after missing out last year.

In his two decades in Hempstead Edwards has been able to recruit top notched talent that have helped turn Hofstra into a nationally recognized program that defeated number-one ranked UCLA in 2000, reached the NCAA regional finals three times and captured 11 straight conference titles from 1998-2008. Edwards is confident that the three players who comprise his 2011 recruiting class will help continue Hofstra's recent string of success. The trio of future Hofstra players includes a pair of infielders from New Jersey in Nicole Hagerty and Jessica Zeilman along with utility player Tori Rocha from Rehoboth, Mass.

"The three players who committed to us we have been tracking since the ninth or 10th grade," said Edwards. "Every time we see them play they are getting better."