Where is Hofstra located? Explaining city and more to know about Pride basketball program

After a 24-10 season and a Coastal Athletic Association title, the Hofstra University Pride is headed to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. They are a No. 13 seed and will face No. 4 Alabama in the Round of 64.

This will be the school's fifth trip to March Madness, but the Pride is still vying for its first March Madness win.

The NCAA Tournament is a great way to learn about schools that aren’t household names, and Hofstra University is one of them. Here’s more information about Hofstra.

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Where is Hofstra University located?

Hofstra University is located in Hempstead, New York. The university lies east of Queens in Long Island. The school is around 30 miles from Manhattan. 

The university is a private research university that was founded in 1935 as an extension of New York University, according to The Conversation. As of fall 2024, the school had an undergraduate population of 6,581, per U.S. News and World Report. 

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What conference is Hofstra University in?

The Hofstra Pride, who have 17 varsity teams, compete in the NCAA's Coastal Athletic Association. The conference was founded in 1979 and is based in the Eastern region of the United States.

Hofstra joined the conference in 2001 and has been a member since. The CAA currently includes 13 teams, which are as follows:

• Campbell University
• College of Charleston
• Drexel University
• Elon University
• Hampton University
• Hofstra University
• Monmouth University
• North Carolina A&T State University
• Northeastern University
• Stony Brook University
• Towson University
• University of North Carolina Wilmington
• College of William & Mary

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Hofstra University name origin

Hofstra University is named after William Hofstra, who purchased the Van Wranken estate in Hempstead, New York, to head the Nassau Lumber Company in 1902, according to the school's website. Hofstra found great success with his company, which earned him the title of a millionaire.

Although Hofstra never intended to create a university, his estate eventually became a part of the Hofstra University campus posthumously. After William and his wife passed away, Howard Brower, a trustee of his estate, looked to create a tribute to the Hofstra family.

Truesdel Peck Calkins, the superintendent of public schools in the village of Hempstead, and Brower discussed creating a higher education institution, and Hofstra University was born.

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Hofstra University NCAA Tournament history

Hofstra University made the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in school history in 2026. The Pride qualified by winning the CAA Championship. Previously, the Pride earned bids to March Madness in 1976, 1977, 2000, and 2001, but are still searching for their first tournament win.

They entered the tournament as a No. 13 seed to face No. 4 Alabama in the Round of 64.