The emotions of winning in March were on full display in the Coastal Athletic Association on Monday.
As time wound down inside Washington D.C.’s CareFirstArena, the CBS Sports Network broadcast caught Hofstra men’s basketball coach Speedy Claxton crying into the shoulders of one of his assistant coaches, as the three-seeded Pride defeated No. 4 Monmouth in the CAA Tournament Championship Game to punch their ticket to March Madness.
It marked the NCAA Tournament appearance over two decades for Claxton’s alma mater, and the first he’s led them to in his five years at the helm of the program.
The first time Hofstra was included in the 68-team NCAA Tournament bracket came in 2000, when Claxton was a player for the Pride, and Jay Wright was in his sixth season as a college basketball coach, before he became a two-time national championship coach at Villanova. That was also the first of back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the Pride.
Claxton played for Hofstra from 1996 to 2000 under Wright, and remains the program’s all-time leader in assists and steals. He now has them in the Big Dance. Talk about an awesome full circle moment in March.
‘I’m excited they get to share this moment with each other because this is going to last a lifetime. I won championships on a high school level, college level, and professional level, and my collegiate championship meant the most to me,’ Claxton said on CBS Sports Network on the significance of the Pride’s win.
The Pride looked to be on their way to a potential NCAA Tournament berth in 2020 after they won the CAA regular season and tournament crowns, but the COVID-19 pandemic took that opportunity away as the NCAA Tournament was canceled that season.
To win the 2026 CAA Championship, Hofstra also defeated William & Mary 91-62 in the quarterfinals and Towson 68-65 in the semifinals.
The Pride will now have to wait a few more days until Selection Sunday to learn who they will open their March Madness run against, and where. The NCAA Tournament bracket will be released at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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