The Hofstra University men will play at the University of South Florida in the NCAA Division I tournament first round in Tampa Bay, Fla. on Thursday. Kick-off time has not been announced yet.

The Pride (14-3-3, 5-2-2) earned the Colonial Athletic Association’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, as the third-seeded Pride bested top-seeded Elon University, 2-1, to win the league championship for the second consecutive season and the sixth time overall. Oliver Svalander and Francesco Perinelli scored goals to give Hofstra its seventh NCAA Championship appearance in program history.

Hofstra, which is tied for second in the NCAA in victories, also qualified for the tournament in 1968, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2015 and 2021. Last season, the Pride advanced to the third round and has advanced past the first round on four occasions (2004, 2006, 2015, 2021). The Pride has a 5-6 record in NCAA tournament competition.

South Florida enters the competition at 8-6-4. The Bulls fell to FIU in the American Athletic Conference championship game, 2-0. South Florida will make its 22nd NCAA appearance in program history.

This will be the first meeting between the teams on the soccer field.

The winner will advance to the second round and play at top-seed Kentucky on Sunday.

 

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.