Hofstra and Elon to Compete in First Round of 2025 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament
Ben Kane
INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 17, 2025) – For the first time since 2022, two CAA programs will compete in the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship, with Elon and Hofstra set for first-round action.
Elon will travel to UNC Greensboro for a 5 p.m. battle on Thursday while Hofstra will hit the road to take on Syracuse one hour later. Both games will stream on ESPN+.
Less than 24 hours ago, Elon won its first CAA Men’s Soccer Championship in program history, defeating Stony Brook 3-0. The Tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer, Martin Kozak, has been hot as of late, tallying eight points in his previous two appearances.
Elon also boasts one of the most in-form defenses in the nation with a program-record 11 shutouts, which puts its shutout percentage (.611) third in the country.
Hofstra saw its season come to an end in the semifinals of the conference tournament at the hands of Stony Brook. Currently ranked No. 27 in the nation’s RPI, the Pride spent a good portion of the regular season in the United Soccer Coaches national rankings, reaching as high as 22nd just two weeks prior.
CAA Player and Midfielder of the Year Laurie Goddard has been superb for Richard Nuttall, scoring a team-high 11 goals and chipping in with five assists.
Elon makes its fifth all-time appearance in the tournament, and third since joining the CAA (2015, 2022). The Phoenix’s last tournament appearance saw a 1-0 first-round exit at the hands of Marshall on Nov. 17, 2022.
This will be the Pride’s 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and fifth in a row. After receiving a first-round bye in the tournament last season, Hofstra fell out in the second round 1-0 to eventual champions Vermont.
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