Instead, Hofstra will potentially field one of the youngest and deepest teams it has ever had. Three returning senior starters figure to play key roles: forward Johannes Grahn, midfielder Steven Ehrichs, and defender Erik Rengifo, but the rest of the team will be unusually young. Only two juniors are on the roster, while six sophomores and many of its 13 freshmen will be in the mix for significant playing time.

With all of its depth, the Pride will have plenty of options with its formations and personnel, but it may take some time in the early part of the season to develop the chemistry needed to make a postseason run in November. The coaching staff is excited about the potential of this year's team, though, and hopes to build the foundation for another CAA championship contender this fall and beyond. 

Forward

Johannes Grahn is entering his final season with the Pride after tallying 20 goals in his firs three seasons, including tying for the team lead with six last season. A tall, strong target in the middle with good footwork and technical finishing ability, Grahn has all the tools to end his career with a big season and leave his name among the top goal scorers in school history.

Junior Brett Carrington earned All-CAA honors as a freshman in 2008 and the Pride coaching staff is looking for him to establish himself as one of the top scoring threats in the league. Carrington has tremendous speed when isolated in the open field, and also has a powerful strike. He could play alongside Grahn in a 4-4-2, or the two players could rotate at the forward position in a 4-5-1, keeping fresh legs on the field. Redshirt freshman Anton Maksuti will also battle for playing time up front.

Midfield

Hofstra has numerous options in the midfield, and it may rely on some new faces to provide some flair and offensive creativity. Steven Ehrichs is the most experienced midfielder on the roster, both with the Pride and with the Puerto Rico national team, and could provide the unit with some stability from his defensive midfielder role.

A pair of sophomores will factor heavily in the Pride's plans, with Stephan Barea and Mike Annarumma both penciled in as starters heading into preseason. Barea started as a freshman last year on the outside and tied for the team lead with six goals, earning a spot on the CAA All-Rookie team. A speedy, creative playmaker with explosive quickness, Barea has the potential to be a dominant force for the Pride. Annarumma, meanwhile, had a strong spring season after coming off the bench last year and has shown the ability to be a strong, attacking player in the middle.

Sophomore Idris Mashriqi also showed potential as a central midfielder last season before being sidetracked by an injury and should be in the hunt for minutes this season. Seniors Kevin Mira and Joseph Amendolare could both also play outside midfield or at outside back, while sophomore Gareth James will look to fight his way into the rotation as well.

The new freshmen in the midfield this year could go a long way to determining the Pride's success. Florian Popp is a dynamic, attacking central midfielder who has the potential to be one of the team's most creative offensive players. Lukas Ahman is a strong, technically sound player who could play either defensive midfield or come forward in more of an offensive role. Chris Griebsch is an intelligent, skilled attacking midfielder who is a strong candidate to play on the outside or move up to forward. Jon Watkin is an exceptionally quick player who sees the field well and can play either centrally or on the outside.

The Pride will also welcome freshmen Chris Grenzig, Ryan Dunne, and Daniel Christiansen, who can all play in the midfield or slide back to the defense if needed, giving the coaching staff some versatility.

Defense

Hofstra will have to restructure its back four after the loss of Defensive Player of the Year Richard Martinez and All-CAA outside back Jamal Neptune to graduation. Rengifo has started for the last two years as an outside back and should help stabilize the Pride's defense, while sophomore Thomas Bekas will almost certainly be in the opening day starting line-up.

The Pride coaching staff would like to use Bekas on the outside, where he can be a dangerous weapon serving crosses into the box, but they will need to find two players to emerge as central defenders in order to allow that move to take place. Sophomore A.J. Laza is a strong, physical defender at 6-1 and earned some playing time last year before being slowed by injury, but he could step up as a starting center back this year.

Two incoming freshmen have the potential to start right away in Shaun Foster of England and Tyler Botte of St. Anthony's High School on Long Island. Foster is a prototypical center back, with good size and strong technical skill, and the coaching staff hopes that he can step in right away. Botte, who led St. Anthony's to an undefeated season and a No. 2 national ranking as a junior before breaking his foot as a senior, could have an immediate impact due to his ability to consistently win headers.

If the coaching staff elects for a more experienced line-up, Bekas can slide into the central defense, and seniors Kevin Mira and Joseph Amendolare could move into the line-up on the outside, where they have both seen playing time over the last three years. Freshman Kevin Bocanegra, a two-year captain at Farmingdale High School on Long Island, is also a candidate for minutes as an outside. Freshman midfielders Chris Grenzig (6-2), Lukas Ahman (6-0) and Daniel Christiansen (5-11) all could move to the defensive unit as well, if the coaching staff looks to get more size in the back.

Goalie

Hofstra is in excellent shape at the goalkeeper position, as junior Greg Cumpstone is back for his third year as a starter with some quality depth behind him. Cumpstone had six shutouts in 11 CAA games last year, and already has 11 career shutouts, tied for third in school history after only two seasons.

Sophomore Adam Janowski is entering his third season in the program (including one red-shirt year) and will provide a quality back-up to Cumpstone. Incoming freshman Roberto Pellegrini, a native of Italy who plays for the Czech Republic Under 19 team, will also add to the Pride's talent at the goalkeeper position and could challenge for playing time right away.