Hofstra Pride men's basketball
Basketball team of Hofstra University
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The Hofstra Pride men's basketball team, known until 2000 as the Hofstra Flying Dutchmen, is the basketball team that represents Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, United States. Hofstra played its first game in 1936, and currently competes in the Coastal Athletic Association.[2] Hofstra has appeared five times in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, most recently in 2026.
(capacity: 5,142)
| Hofstra Pride men's basketball | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
 | |||||||
| University | Hofstra University | ||||||
| Head coach | Speedy Claxton (5th season) | ||||||
| Location | Hempstead, New York | ||||||
| Arena | David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex (capacity: 5,142) | ||||||
| Conference | Coastal Athletic Association | ||||||
| Nickname | Pride | ||||||
| Colors | Blue, white, and gold[1] | ||||||
| Student section | The Lion’s Den | ||||||
| NCAA Division I tournament Elite Eight | |||||||
| 1964* | |||||||
| |||||||
| Conference tournament champions | |||||||
| East Coast: 1976, 1977, 1994 America East: 2000, 2001 CAA: 2020, 2026 | |||||||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||||||
| 1977, 1983, 1990, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023 | |||||||
| Uniforms | |||||||
| |||||||
* at Division II level | |||||||
Arenas
The Hofstra Pride play their games at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. They have played many games at Madison Square Garden, winning the Holiday Festival in 1998, 1999, and 2006. Hofstra is 10–9 all-time at the Garden.[2]
Hofstra has also played various games at Barclays Center and the Nassau Coliseum throughout its history.[2]
Coaching History
| No. | Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1965–1972 | Paul Lynner | 7 | 93–82 | .531 |
| 2 | 1972–1979 | Roger Gaeckler | 7 | 84–102 | .452 |
| 3 | 1979–1980 | Joe Harrington | 1 | 14–14 | .500 |
| 4 | 1980–1988 | Dirk Berg | 8 | 102–122 | .455 |
| 5 | 1988–1994 | Butch van Breda Kolff | 6 | 79–91 | .465 |
| 6 | 1994–2001 | Jay Wright | 7 | 122–85 | .589 |
| 7 | 2001–2010 | Tom Pecora^ | 9 | 155–126 | .552 |
| 8 | 2010–2013 | Mo Cassara | 3 | 38–59 | .392 |
| 9 | 2013–2021 | Joe Mihalich | 8 | 154–102 | .602 |
| 10 | 2021–present | Speedy Claxton*^ | 5 | 105–62 | .629 |
| Totals | 10 coaches | 62 seasons | 961–852 | .530 | |
| Records updated through end of 2023–24 season Source[3] *Alum ^Promoted from assistant to head coach | |||||
Pride in the NBA
6 former Hofstra Pride players have played at least one game in the NBA.
| Name | Draft Year | Draft Team |
|---|---|---|
| Speedy Claxton | 2000 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Charles Jenkins | 2011 | Golden State Warriors |
| Rich Laurel | 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Norm Richardson | 2001 | Undrafted |
| Bill Thieben | 1956 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| Justin Wright-Foreman | 2019 | Utah Jazz |
Pride in international leagues
Team records
Longest win streaks
| Years(s) | Streak | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1959–60/1960–61 | 23 |
| 2 | 2000–01 | 18 |
| 3 | 2018–19 | 16 |
| 4 | 1961–62 | 14 |
| 5 | 1955–56 | 12 |
Source: Hofstra Record Book[2]
Notable victories
| Opponent | Year | Score |
|---|---|---|
| vs. George Mason (#25) | 2006 | 77–66 |
| at UCLA | 2019 | 88–78 |
| at Richmond (#23) | 2020 | 76–71 |
| at Arkansas (#24) | 2021 | 89–81 |
| at Rutgers | 2023 | 88–86 OT |
Single-game records
- Most points (game): 118 vs. Wagner (1971–72)
- Most 3-pointers (game): 20 vs. James Madison (2019–20)
Single-season records
- Most points (season): 2,919 in 2018–19
- Most 3-pointers (season): 308 in 2018–19
Rivalries
Besides in-conference rivalries, Hofstra has a local rivalry with SUNY Stony Brook. Hofstra and Stony Brook are the only two NCAA Division I programs on Long Island outside of New York City (there are two universities with Division I programs in the New York City portion of Long Island: LIU in Brooklyn and St. John's in Queens). This rivalry is often referred to as the Battle of Long Island, in reference to the historical Battle of Long Island in 1776. Hofstra leads the rivalry 20–4 all time.[4]
Postseason results
NCAA Division I tournament results
The Pride have appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament five times. Their combined record is 0–5.
The team earned an automatic berth to the 2020 NCAA tournament by winning the CAA conference tournament, but that year's NCAA tournament was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
NCAA Division II tournament results
The Pride have appeared in the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament three times. Their combined record is 5–4.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals | Wesleyan (CT) American | W 67–48 L 65–66 |
| 1962 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals | C.W. Post Mount St. Mary's | W 56–55 L 54–66 |
| 1963 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals | Philadelphia Textile Mount St. Mary's | L 50–55 W 78–71 |
| 1964 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | Catholic Elizabethtown Akron | W 92–91 2OT W 74–61 L 58–77 |
NIT results
The Pride have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) seven times. Their combined record is 3–7.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | First round | Rutgers | L 45–58 |
| 2005 | Opening round | Saint Joseph's | L 44–53 |
| 2006 | First round Second round Quarterfinals | Nebraska Saint Joseph's Old Dominion | W 73–62 W 77–75 L 51–61 |
| 2007 | First round | DePaul | L 71–83 |
| 2016 | First round | George Washington | L 80–82 |
| 2019 | First round | NC State | L 78–84 |
| 2023 | First round Second round | Rutgers Cincinnati | W 88–86OT L 65–79 |
CBI results
The Pride have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) three times. Their combined record is 0–3.
Players
Retired numbers
Hofstra has retired five numbers in program history. In 2011, Charles Jenkins became the first to have his retired while still active.[5]
| Hofstra Pride retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Years | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Speedy Claxton | 1996–2000 | ||
| 13 | Steve Nisenson | 1962–1965 | ||
| 21 | Rich Laurel | 1973–1977 | ||
| 22 | Charles Jenkins | 2007–2011 | ||
| 93 | Bill Thieben | 1953–1956 | ||
