HOFSTRA ATHLE TICS 2011-12 ANNUAL REPORT A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ATHLE TICS Dear Friends of Hofstra Athletics: We are pleased to present this year’s Department of Athletics Annual Report. We thank you for your continued support of the student-athletes who proudly wear a Hofstra uniform. Since my arrival on campus in May, I have witnessed several very exciting moments of the 2011-12 season and I look forward to many more in the coming years. As I began my tenure, the softball team was beginning its incredible run in the NCAA Tournament. The team captivated the Hofstra community and the softball world with its play. I was extremely proud of the student-athletes and coaching staff with their representation of our University on-and-off the field. The baseball team qualified for the CAA Championship for the first time in seven years and set several school records in the process. The men’s lacrosse team represented the University on an international tour of Japan, where they enjoyed an outstanding educational and athletic experience while spreading the goodwill of Hofstra University throughout the Far East. Along wih these moments of the last few months, I have also immersed myself in learning about the academic and athletic achievements from this past year and I am extremely proud of the accomplishments that occurred prior to my arrival. In addition to the softball team, both the wrestling and women’s basketball teams participated in postseason play. The wrestling team placed 23rd at the NCAA Championships and saw two team members earn All-America accolades. The women’s basketball team was selected for the Women’s National Invitation Tournament for the second time in three years. Jeffrey A. Hathaway addresses those in Individually six Hofstra student-athletes earned All-America honors in 2011-12, attendance at his while 41 were selected to All-CAA teams. introductory press conference on May We all take great pride in Hofstra student-athletes succeeding in the classroom 15, 2012. with 24 student-athletes earning a 4.0 grade point average in at least one Hofstra President Stuart semester in 2011-12 and nearly 60-percent of our 313 student-athletes Rabinowitz and Jeffrey earning a 3.0 or better grade point average. A. Hathaway. Our student-athletes are also active in the community including activities at local elementary schools and soup kitchens, as well as taking part in events that benefit local charities. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the coaches and the staff members in the Department of Athletics. Their guidance helps develop our student-athletes into the outstanding leaders of tomorrow. Special thanks to President Stuart Rabinowitz for his support of the Department of Athletics and the student-athletes who wear the blue and gold, and for the leadership he has provided to the entire University community. This is a very exciting time for the entire campus, highlighted by the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine completing a successful first year of operation this past July and the new School of Engineering and Applied Science opening in September. In addition, there is a great deal of excitement for the Presidential Debate at Hofstra, which will take place on October 16 at the Mack Sports Complex. This is a great time to be a part of the Hofstra University community and once again I thank you for your continued support of Hofstra Athletics. Jamie Stuart of Please know that I am honored to serve as vice president and director of News 12 Long athletics at Hofstra University and I look forward to a very bright future for Island interviews the Department of Athletics. Jeffrey A. Hathaway at his introductory “Take Pride In Our Pride” press conference. Sincerely, Jeffrey A. Hathaway Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeffrey A. Hathaway and members of the Pride softball team at Citi Field. 2 2011-12 ANNUAL REPORT POSTSEASON TEAMS WRESTLING Colonial Athletic Association Champions Placed 23rd at NCAA Championships 12-3 Dual Record WOMEN’S BASKE TBALL 19-12 Record Women’s National Invitation Tournament SOF TBALL Colonial Athletic Association Champions NCAA Los Angeles Regional Champions First-Ever NCAA Super Regional Appearance 42-15 Record 2011-12 ANNUAL REPORT 3 2011-12 ATHLETICS YEAR IN REVIEW The softball team’s run to a NCAA Super Regional and the record-breaking season by the Pride baseball team capped off the 2011-12 Hofstra athletic year. The year was also highlighted by postseason appearances from the wrestling and women’s basketball teams, six All-America selections, the hiring of a new vice president and director of athletics, the largest individual gift in department history and the release of a book chronicling the history of Hofstra sports. The Hofstra softball team captivated fans of the team and the sport in general with a fantastic run in the postseason, led by junior pitcher Olivia Galati. The Pride, which won the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship, were one win from advancing to the Women’s College World Series after capturing the NCAA Los Angeles Regional with a perfect 3-0 record with wins over No. 12-seed UCLA and two wins over San Diego State before falling, two games to one, in the best-of-three Super Regional series against No. 19 South Florida. The Pride finished with a 42-15 record and was ranked 16th in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Poll of the season. The ranking was Hofstra’s best- ever finish in the national poll. Galati became Hofstra’s first softball first team All-American after compiling a 34-7 record, an NCAA-best 0.95 ERA and 378 strikeouts to go with a .345 batting average, four home runs and 37 RBIs. Her 34 wins are a school record, as are her 378 strikeouts. She also became Hofstra’s all-time leader in strikeouts with 1,018. In addition, Galati was the CAA Rachael Senatore Pitcher of the Year for the third straight season and was one of six players to earn All-CAA honors. Coach Bill Edwards was also honored as the CAA Coach of the Year for the fifth consecutive year, and the group of Edwards, Larissa Anderson, Courtney Oliver and Andrienne Clark were named the Regional Staff of the Year by the NFCA. The baseball program won a school record 34 games (34-22) in 2012, finished second in the CAA and qualified for the CAA Championship for the first time since 2005. The team was one of the top offensive squads in the nation and set new team records for runs (447), hits (669), doubles (145) and stolen bases (157). The Pride pitching staff set new team marks for strikeouts (349) and ERA (5.37), while the defense turned a program-record 65 double plays. The Pride placed a league-best five players on the All-CAA first team and had eight players in total receive all-conference honors. David Imes Senior outfielder Danny Poma, who was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 10th round of the Major League Baseball Draft, became the first Pride player to win the CAA Player of the Year Award and also became the first baseball first team All-American in program history. Poma batted .430 with a team record 102 hits, 32 doubles and 78 runs scored. He led the nation in doubles and runs, was second in batting and fifth in hits. In addition to Poma’s CAA Player of the Year Award, second baseman Matt Ford was the CAA Defensive Player of the Year. Kelsie Wills Brittain Altomare 4 2011-12 ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12 ATHLETICS YEAR IN REVIEW The Pride wrestling team also turned in a stellar Candace Bond season in 2011-12, winning the CAA Championship for the 10th time in 11 years, crowning four individual champions and sending six wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Hofstra placed 23rd at the NCAA Championships and saw two wrestlers – juniors Justin Accordino and Steve Bonanno – earn All-America honors for the first time in their careers. Accordino placed sixth at 149 pounds, while Bonanno was eighth at the 125-pound weight class. The team posted a 12-3 record in Head Coach Rob Anspach’s first year at the helm and started the dual season 10-0. The squad also was ranked as high as 22nd in the nation in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Poll. The women’s basketball team, led by junior All-American Shante Evans, posted a 19-12 record and went to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament for the fourth time in program history. Evans, a first team All-CAA selection, led Hofstra in scoring (19.2 ppg), rebounding (10.5 rpg), field goal percentage (48.9%) and blocked shots (28) en route to her second consecutive All-America selection. In addition to Evans, Candice Bellocchio earned All-CAA third team honors after leading the CAA in assists at 6.2 per game. The team won the New York Life Holiday Invitational with wins over Central Connecticut State and Marist, while Evans collected tournament MVP accolades. The Pride also set a new record for points in a game at the Division I level when the team scored 100 in a 100-97 win over William & Mary on January 8. The game was also the highest-scoring combined non-overtime affair in Hofstra and CAA history. Senior Genna Kovar was Hofstra’s sixth All-American in 2011-12 as she led the field hockey team to a Laura Greene 13-9 record and a semifinals berth in the CAA Championship, rewriting the Hofstra record book in the process.