Suffolk County GOP Celebrates Hofstra, LIU NCAA Tournament Berths
Hofstra's Speedy Claxton was visibly emotional on court as the Pride clinched their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2001, with the Suffolk GOP cheering both them and LIU.
Two Long Island-area programs are heading to March Madness, and the Suffolk County Republican Committee wants the region to know it's paying attention. The committee publicly congratulated Hofstra Pride men's basketball and LIU Sharks men's basketball on earning NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament berths, framing the achievements as proof of "Long Island's athletic excellence and grit."
Hofstra's return carries the heavier emotional weight. The Pride, seeded 13th in the Colonial Athletic Association, are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001, when a then-young Jay Wright ran the program in Hempstead. The coach leading them back is Speedy Claxton, who once played for Wright at Hofstra. After the Pride clinched their berth, Claxton was visibly emotional on the court, celebrating the moment as he led his alma mater back to the national stage for the first time in 25 years.
The LIU Sharks bring a different kind of story to this year's field. Seeded 16th in the Northeast Conference, the Sharks technically secured an automatic tournament berth before the NEC championship game was even played, after the Mercyhurst Lakers were ruled ineligible during their NCAA reclassification period. Head coach Rod Strickland's squad refused to treat that as a consolation prize. LIU went out and won the NEC championship game on its home floor anyway, making a statement before heading into the national tournament. The victory sends the Sharks to the Big Dance for the first time since 2018. Worth noting for geography sticklers: despite its name, Long Island University is based in Brooklyn.
Together, Hofstra and LIU join St. John's Red Storm and Siena Saints in giving New York State a notably strong presence in this year's tournament field. For bracket watchers across Suffolk County, that means several familiar names scattered through the draw.
The Suffolk County Republican Committee's congratulations underscore how the tournament berths have resonated beyond campus boundaries, with local pride running high as both programs prepare to compete on the national stage.
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