Hempstead, NY – Meetings with four teams that earned NCAA Regional bids in 2015, including Super Regional participant Texas A&M highlight the 2016 Hofstra University Baseball Schedule, which was released today by Head Coach John Russo.
“I am really pleased with our 2016 schedule,” said Russo, who is entering his fifth season at the helm of the Pride program. “I think we have some challenging non-conference games, including great trips to Texas A&M and Ohio State, and a neutral site series against Missouri. I think these games will give us an idea of what type of team we have and will prepare us for the always-competitive Colonial Athletic Association slate that awaits us. We do play a good deal of road games (39), but we also have 15 of our 17 scheduled home games after April 7 so weather should not be much of an issue.”
Hofstra’s 25 opponents won a total of 581 games last season, led by Texas A&M’s 50 wins. The Pride will open the season in College Station, Texas, for a three-game series against the Aggies that begins Friday, February 19. Texas A&M won its home regional in 2015 before falling to TCU in a NCAA Super Regional. The Aggies were ranked 10th in the final USA Today Coaches Poll. The Pride will continue their season-opening road trip with a four-game neutral site series in Fort Myers, Florida, against the University of Missouri, which was 30-28 and finished third in the Southeastern Conference East Division. The series opens on Friday, February 26 at Terry Park and will include a Saturday doubleheader.
The Pride will also have road games a Coppin State (March 5-6), Army West Point (March 9), Longwood (March 12-13) and Fairleigh Dickinson (March 15) before opening up at home March 16 versus Fordham. That home game will be followed by a trip to Columbus, Ohio, for a three game series at Ohio State (March 18-20). The Buckeyes won 35 games in 2015. The Ohio State trip is followed by a road game at Manhattan on March 22. The Pride then host Monmouth on March 23 before hitting the road to open CAA play at William & Mary (March 25-27). Hofstra closes the month with road games at NYIT (March 29) and Fairfield (March 30).
April begins with a road trip to Towson (April 1-3) followed by a game at Saint Peter’s. The Pride hosts Delaware (April 8-10) in their CAA opener, beginning an eight-game home stand. Hofstra will host NYIT (April 12) and Manhattan (April 13) before welcoming NCAA Regional participant College of Charleston to University Field (April 15-17). The Cougars were the CAA runner-up in 2015, won 45 games and were ranked 20th in the final poll.
Hofstra will play at LIU Brooklyn (April 20) and Elon (April 22-24) before hosting Big East Champion and NCAA Regional participant St. John’s on April 26. The Red Storm was 41-16 in 2015. The Pride faces a second straight NCAA Regional participant and 41-win team when they travel to defending CAA champion UNCW (April 29-May 1).
The Pride plays at Villanova (May 3) before hosting Northeastern (May 6-8) in a CAA series. The Pride will then play Buffalo in a neutral site doubleheader on May 14 at Hudson Valley Stadium in Wappinger Falls, New York. Hofstra will wrap up its road schedule with a game at Monmouth (May 17) before closing out the home campaign with a three-game set against James Madison (May 19-21). The Colonial Athletic Association Championship will once again take place in Charleston, South Carolina, from May 25-28 with the winner receiving an automatic berth to NCAA Regionals.
