Former Hofstra lacrosse players gear up for Long Island Lizards 2010 Shuart Stadium debut

This Saturday June 5 the Long Island Lizards will make its 2010 Shuart Stadium debut with several former Hofstra lacrosse players getting the chance to perform in familiar territory.

The Long Island Lizards, a Major League Lacrosse franchise founded in 2001, have four of its six home games in 2010 at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium. Saturday's matchup against the Denver Outlaws facing off at 7 p.m. will feature a half dozen former Hofstra players suiting up for the Lizards including defensemen Nicky Polanco, Brian Spallina , Julian Watts and John Orsen as well as midfielders Anthony Muscarella and Mike Unterstein. The visiting Denver Outlaws also boast some former Hofstra lacrosse players including midfielders Kevin Unterstein and Brian Langtry as well as defenseman Sean McCarthy.

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.

Pro football coming to Hofstra on Nov. 4

The upstart United Football League's Nov. 4 scheduled nationally televised game between the New York Sentinels and  Las Vegas Locomotives is being moved from Citi Field to Hofstra's Shuart Stadium, the league announced today, according to an article in this morning's Examiner.com. The decision to move the game from the 41,800 seat Citi Field in Flushing, Queens to 13,000 seat Shuart Stadium was explained by UFL commissioner Michael Huyghue, who stated in the Examiner article: 

"While Citi Field is a phenomenal facility and we look forward to playing a game there in the future, we feel Hofstra is a better fit for us right now as a football facility. Hofstra University has been receptive to handling logistics with us, including allowing our teams to practice there during game week."

This is great news for Hofstra as the 7 p.m. Wednesday night game will be shown nationally on Versus, giving people across the country a chance to see what an excellent facility Shuart Stadium is and generate positive publicity for the university. "It is always great when we can bring events to Hofstra that will be seen by a national audience," said Hofstra athletic director Jack Hayes in response to the New York Sentinel's decision to play its Nov. 4 nationally televised game at Hofstra.

The Nov. 4 prtimetime UFL game at Hofstra will also be a Big Apple area homecoming for Las Vegas head coach Jim Fassell, who coached the New York Giants from 1997-2003. The Sentinels are coached by former New York Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell.