Hempstead, NY - The start of the 2014-15 season for the Hofstra Men's Basketball team is just one week away. Check out our breakdown of the different positions over the next week and be sure to call (516) HOF-TIXX for ticket information. 

Now in year two of the Joe Mihalich era, the Hofstra Men's Basketball program will look to turn the corner and begin their march towards the top of the Colonial Athletic Association.

With a strong group of key returnees and a slew of talented transfers and newcomers now ready to suit up for the Pride in 2014-15, the future is bright for the squad as they set their sights on postseason play and returning the program to the NCAA Tournament. 

Head Coach Joe Mihalich will have a deep roster in 2014-15, one that features 10 student-athletes ready to compete for and represent the Hofstra University Men's Basketball program with "Pride" on a daily basis.

GUARDS

The deepest position on the roster this season will most certainly be the guard spot as there are four student-athletes who have the ability to be game-changers and ultimately put the Pride in winning situations.

Leading the way will be junior Juan'ya Green (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), a member of Coach Mihalich's Niagara team for two years before joining the Hofstra program a year ago. One of the top players in the entire Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) before becoming part of the Pride, Green averaged 16.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore after tallying 17.7 points, 4.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds as a freshman. A highly-decorated student-athlete, Green was a first team MAAC pick in 2012-13, along with being named a NABC All-District selection. In 2011-12 he was the MAAC Rookie of the Year and earned All-MAAC third team honors as well.

One of three New Yorkers on the roster, sophomore Brian Bernardi (Staten Island, New York) will look to make an immediate impact after spending his freshman campaign at SMU under Hall of Fame Coach Larry Brown. Bernardi appeared in 31 games for the Mustangs and his strong outside shooting ability saw him drain 23 three-pointers, while scoring 3.5 points and adding 31 rebounds in 2012-13. As a senior at Xavierian High School in Brooklyn, New York, he averaged 19 points per game and was an All-CHSAA first team honoree. 

Arguably the Pride's top returnee and the elder statesman of the squad, graduate Dion Nesmith (Union, New Jersey) returns to the Pride for his final campaign in a Hofstra uniform. A third team All-CAA selection a year ago, Nesmith averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds, while hitting 61 three-pointers. Nesmith will be called upon this season to be a calming influence on a roster that will showcase a multitude of players who have limited experience playing with each other. Last season, he played in 30 games and averaged nearly 35 minutes per game to rank second on the team in scoring and three-pointers and first in assists.

A very dynamic point guard who will excite the fan base, freshman Eliel Gonzalez (Cayey, Puerto Rico) is one of three foreigners on the roster as the staff's strong recruiting ability has allowed them to find talented student-athletes throughout the United States and the world. Gonzalez attended high school at Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, Florida where he earned second team all-state honors after averaging 11.6 points, 8.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game as a senior. His assists per game average ranked first in the entire state of Florida. Gonzalez participated in the 2012 Jordan Brand Classic International game and was also a 2012-13 All-Space Coast first team pick.