Boyds, Md. -- Just three days after its season-opening draw against two-time defending WAC champions California Baptist, the American University men's soccer team will host the No. 17-ranked team in the country, the Hofstra Pride, at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Sunday, August 25, at 6:00 p.m.

QUICK INFO

When: Sunday, August 25; 6:00 p.m.
Where: Maryland SoccerPlex (Boyds, Md.)
How to watch: ESPN+

INSIDE THE SERIES

• American leads the all-time series, 14-2-1.
• The two teams last played in 2015, but before that, their last matchup was in 1992.
• When the two programs met in 2015, Hofstra was ranked 17th in the country, as they will be on Sunday. American won that fixture, 2-0, at Reeves Field.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT AMERICAN

• In its season opener against California Baptist, American played the two-time defending WAC champions to a 0-0 tie. Junior goalkeeper Matthew Tibbetts recorded his fourth career clean sheet, with two critical saves.
• Preseason All-Patriot League selection Zemi Rodriguez exited the game with an injury in just the 10th minute. Rodriguez has seven career goals and nine assists with the Eagles.
• Freshman Rex-Emmanuel Cobbina earned a starting nod in his collegiate debut, contributing 54 minutes for the back line that did not allow a goal.
• Freshmen Chris Sullivan, Oliver Snowdon and Patryk Rojek also saw playing time in their collegiate debuts, with Sullivan recording two shots.
• Four Eagles were selected to the Preseason All-Patriot League team: Rodriguez, graduate student Ethan Boyle, graduate student Cooper Nunn and senior Sam Hershey, with Boyle being selected as the League's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
• Thoughts from Coach Samol on the opening game: "We had some adversity we had to deal with ... I think when you look at the end of the game, and the second half in general ... I think we looked like a team that was going to get in the goal. I'm happy with that."

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT HOFSTRA

• Hofstra enters Sunday's game ranked 17th in the country, riding three straight conference championships in the CAA.
• The Pride are led by Richard Nuttall, who enters his 36th season at Hofstra. He has led the program to seven CAA championships, and he has coached Hofstra to a .500 record or better in 14 of the last 15 years.
• The Pride are coming off a 14-3-5 campaign in 2023 that saw the team earn the No. 14 seed in the NCAA Championship and advance to the third round.
• Hofstra returns 12 players from the 2023 team, including All-America defender Pierce Infuso, who was named Preseason CAA Player of the Year.
• Fifth-year midfielder Roc Carles, an Honorable Mention Preseason All-CAA pick, also returns along with fellow starters Gabriel Pacheco and Teddy Baker.
• The Pride added 18 newcomers to the team this season.
• In their opening game of the season, Hofstra played Fordham to a 0-0 tie, the first scoreless tie for the Pride since September 14, 2022.

KEEP UP WITH US

• For the latest on American University Men's Soccer, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_MSoccer) and Instagram (@au.msoccer).