Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra Pride Wrestling team, under fourth-year coach Dennis Papadatos, kicks off its 2017-18 season this Sunday, November 5 when the Pride host Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) opponent Franklin and Marshall at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. Match time is 4 p.m.
 
Pride Productions will provide live video of the match. Fans will also be able to follow stats for every match on TrackWrestling.com. Links for both video and stats can be found on this page as well as on GoHofstra.com.

Hofstra Head Wrestling Coach Dennis Papadatos starts his fourth season in charge of the Pride's fortunes and has a loaded line-up of 17 returnees. Hofstra has 10 starters returning from the 6-11, 2-7 squad in 2017-18, 11 if you include the return of red-shirt senior heavyweight and 2016 NCAA Championship qualifier Michael Hughes. Hughes, who was tied for the Division I lead with 41 victories during the 2015-16 season, was 29-2 during his red-shirt season last year and placed fifth at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga last January.

In the 2017-18 Preseason Division I 285-pound weight class rankings, Hughes is ranked eighth by both The Open Mat and Flo Wrestling, 11th by both Amateur Wrestling News and InterMat, and 12th by TrackWrestling.

Hofstra also has two sophomore starters returning who impressed during their rookie campaigns in Sage Heller and Vinny Vespa. Heller, who earned a bronze medal with Team USA at the Maccabiah Games this past summer, led the Pride with 23 victories at 174 pounds last year. He will be starting on Sunday at 165 pounds. Vespa, who posted 18 wins and placed fifth in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships at 133 pounds last season, returns to his starting role.

Junior Ryan Burkert, who posted a 20-14 record at 149 pounds last season, was second on the team in team points in dual matches. Red-shirt junior Nezar Haddad posted 15 victories at 197 pounds in his first season with the Pride after transferring from Drexel. He, too returns to a starting role at 197 pounds. Red-shirt junior Cory Damiana, who recorded a 14-21 record at 184 pounds in 2015-16 before red-shirting last season, returns to a starting role at 184. Red-shirt junior Bobby Fehr, who posted a 7-18 record as a starter at 165 pounds last season, moves up to start at 174 this season.

Red-shirt sophomore Connor Burkert, who was 9-18 at 141 pounds last season, returns to his starting role at 141 pounds. Sophomore Jacob Martin, who Papadatos said showed the greatest improvement over the off-season, posted a 14-22 record at 125 pounds as a true freshman last season and returns to his starting spot.

The only new face in the starting line-up for the Pride is red-shirt freshman Ricky Stamm at 157 pounds. Stamm, a Long Island native, posted a 29-11 record as a red-shirt last season.

While the official start to the Hofstra regular season is on Sunday, some of the Pride grapplers not wrestling on Sunday will compete tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 4) at the Princeton Tiger Open in Princeton, New Jersey.

Hofstra last faced Franklin and Marshall on February 4 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with the Pride posting a 22-21 victory. Here are the tentative starters for Sunday's match with the Diplomats of Franklin and Marshall:

125- Jacob Martin (Hofstra) vs. Edgar Garcia (F&M)
133- Vinny Vespa (Hofstra) vs. Wil Gil or Danny Martoccio (F&M)
141- Connor Burkert (Hofstra) vs. Brett Kulp (F&M)
149- Ryan Burkert (Hofstra) vs. Cole Aaron (F&M)
157- Ricky Stamm (Hofstra) vs. Emmett LiCastri (F&M)
165- Sage Heller (Hofstra) vs. Dylan Gumaer or Jake Connor (F&M)
174- Bobby Fehr (Hofstra) vs. Josh Young (F&M)
184- Cory Damiana (Hofstra) vs. Steven Mercadante (F&M)
197- Nezar Haddad (Hofstra) vs. Phil Robilotto (F&M)
285- #11 Michael Hughes (Hofstra) vs. Antonio Pelusi

InterMat Preseason Rankings