Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra University men's soccer team, under the direction of 33rd-year Coach Richard Nuttall, begins the 2021 season Thursday night at the University of Rhode Island. Kickoff from Kingston, Rhode Island is set for 7 p.m.

Live statistics will be available for the contest and can be accessed at the link on this page or via the men's soccer schedule page on GoHofstra.com.

Hofstra returns 20 student-athletes, including 10 starters, from last season's squad that went 5-2-3, won the Colonial Athletic Association's North Division, and advanced to the finals of the CAA Championship. Included in the 10 returning starters are a foursome of Preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association selections in Matthew Vowinkel, George O'Malley, Storm Strongin, and Wessel Speel. Vowinkel, O'Malley, and Strongin were each named to the Preseason All-CAA team while Speel was an honorable mention selection.

After leading the team in scoring with six goals and five assists, Vowinkel returns for one final season as he looks to climb the Hofstra record books where he ranks sixth in career goals with 29 and ninth in points with 65. He is also the sixth leading active goal scorer in NCAA Division I. O'Malley anchors the Hofstra defensive unit and is in his third season as a team captain. The Englishman also notched a goal and two assists last season. Strongin has been one of the top assist men in the CAA for the past two seasons and tallied three in the abbreviated 2020 season. His 15 career assists rank 10th all-time at Hofstra. Speel played every minute in goal for the Pride as a freshman last season and ranked second in the CAA with 43 saves. He posted a 1.21 goals against average and added three shutouts. 

Rhode Island is coming off a 2-3-1 season this past spring but were an NCAA Tournament team in 2019 with a 14-4-3 record. The Rams welcome back a pair of Atlantic 10 All-Conference performers Edvin Akselsen and Stefan Schmidt who opted out of last season as well as 2020 leading scorer Patrick Agyemang. 

Thursday's game marks the first-ever meeting between Hofstra and Rhode Island. 

Hofstra will return to action Monday, August 30, at Stony Brook in the second of four consecutive road games to start the season. Game time is at 6 p.m.