University Hofstra University Athletic director Jeffrey A. Hathaway Varsity teams 17 | NCAA Division I Location Hempstead, New York | |
Conference Colonial Athletic Association
EIWA (Wrestling) | ||
The Hofstra Pride (formerly the Hofstra Flying Dutchmen until 2015) are composed of 17 teams representing Hofstra University in intercollegiate athletics, including men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis. Men's sports include baseball and wrestling. Women's sports include volleyball, field hockey, and softball. The Pride compete in the NCAA Division I and have been members of the Colonial Athletic Association in most sports since 2001. They were previously members of the American East Conference.
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Basketball
The men's basketball team experienced its most successful period in 2000 and 2001, winning back-to-back America East Men's Basketball Tournament titles and making their first appearances in the Division I championship for the first time since the 1970s.
Wrestling
The Hofstra University Pride Wrestling team competes in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
In 1977, Hofstra wrestler Nick Gallo won the NCAA National Championship in the 126 lb weight class and went on to become a member of the 1976 and 1980 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Wrestling teams, he was also given the title "Most Outstanding Wrestler" in the 1977 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
Dennis Papadatos, who became the 12th Head Wrestling Coach in Hofstra history on April 4, 2014, is in his 1st season as the head wrestling coach of the Pride in 2014-15. The Pride wrestling team competes on campus in the Mack Sports Complex. Former Pride wrestler Chris Weidman was a 2-time NCAA Division I All-American (6th in 2006 & 3rd in 2007, both at 197 lb) and is now the current UFC Middleweight Champion.
Hofstra's wrestling team was formerly a member of the CAA like all other Pride teams until the CAA ended sponsorship of wrestling in 2013.
Football
The school fielded a football team from 1937 to 2009, when the sport was cancelled due to costs and declining attendance. The team was an associate member of the Atlantic 10 Conference from 2001 until 2009.