Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra Field Hockey team begins its 2016 regular season with two games on the road in upstate New York this weekend.

The Pride will travel to the Capital City on Friday, August 26 to face the ninth-ranked Great Danes of the University at Albany at Tom and Mary Casey Stadium. Game time is 3 p.m. Hofstra will continue with its season-opening two game road trip on Sunday, August 28 when they travel to Hamilton, New York to face the Raiders of Colgate University in a noon battle at Tyler's Field. Live video and stats of both games can be accessed on GoHofstra.com.

Hofstra Head Field Hockey Coach Kathy DeAngelis, who has a 179-175 career coaching record in Hempstead, will be starting her 19^th year with the Pride. Hofstra, which begins the season in the "also receiving votes" category in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I Preseason Poll that was released earlier this week, is coming off a 14-6 season, including a 4-2 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association, in 2015.

The Pride return 18 student-athletes including eight starters from last year's squad that recorded the second-most victories in a single season in school history. Leading the pack of returnees are the top two scorers in the CAA in 2015 in senior forwards Claudia Marin Samper (Terrassa, Spain) and Stella Schoen (Hamburg, Germany).

Marin Samper, a third team NFHCA All-American and first team All-CAA selection, recorded career-highs of 19 goals, 16 assists and 54 points last season. Schoen, a second team all-region pick and a first team all-conference selection, also posted career highs with 17 goals and seven assists for 41 points.

Senior co-captains Colby Hussong (Princeton Junction, NJ), who tallied six goals and five assists, and Emily Gallagher (North Wales, PA), who posted a goal and two assists in 2015, anchor the Pride midfield. Senior Carissa Witmer (Ephrata, PA), who has started all 59 games since arriving at Hofstra in 2013, and junior Taylor Mumley (Glen Rock, PA) lead the Pride defense.

Junior Carys Swan (Kelowna, BC, Canada) is the starting goalie for the Pride after recording a 2.50 goals against average with 64 saves and a .653 save percentage in 15 games last year.

The ninth-ranked Great Danes of Albany are coming off a 19-3 season, the America East Championship and the NCAA Championship first round in 2015. Like the Pride, Albany has eight starters returning led by senior midfielder Paula Heuser, the current NCAA career points leader (194). Heuser tallied 34 goals and 12 assists for 80 points in 22 games. Junior Anna Botino, a USA U21 Junior National Squad member last year, returns after posting 15 goals and 12 assists in 2015. NFHCA All-Region second team selection, senior goalie Maxi Primus also returns after recording a 1.69 goals against average with 64 saves and a .688 save percentage while playing every minute of the 2015 season. The Great Danes lead the series with Hofstra, 8-1 including a 1-0 win over the Pride in Hempstead last season.

The Raiders of Colgate, who open their season Friday night against Bryant University, are coming off a 0-15 season in 2015. Colgate returns 14 letterwinners including nine starters. The Raiders scored 11 goals and allowed 62 in 15 games last season. Junior Molly Klare scored a team-high three goals and one assist while seniors Whitney Jones and Emily Brash each added two goals. Junior goalie Maria Krull recorded a 4.09 goals against average and made 161 saves for a .752 save percentage. Hofstra and Colgate met last season in Hempstead with the Pride posting a 7-1 victory. Hofstra leads the all-time series with Colgate, 11-6.