Richard Nuttall will be entering his 17th season in charge of the Hofstra Men's Soccer program in 2005. One of the longest-tenured coaches at Hofstra, trailing only Fran Kalafer (Volleyball) and John Danowski (Men's Lacrosse), Coach Nuttall has been part of many memorable moments. But the 2004 season has to rank near the top of the list of highlights, after the Pride, seeded fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, upset top 25 teams in #25 UNC Wilmington and #15 Virginia Commonwealth in the CAA's opening round and semifinals, respectively, and then beat third-seeded Old Dominion in the championship game to earn the CAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The bid was Hofstra's first at the Division I level, and only its second all-time. The 1968 squad qualified for the NCAA Tournament as a member of the Small College Division. But the memorable season did not end with a tournament selection. The Pride went to Seton Hall for a first-round game and beat the 21st-ranked Pirates, 2-1, to advance to the second round. While the magical season came to an end with a 4-0 loss at #7 Maryland, the success of the season and late season run will last a lifetime. Hofstra Director of Athletic Publications Len Skoros recently sat down with Coach Nuttall to discuss the 2004 season and what the future holds for Hofstra Soccer.

"We have a wonderful group of alumni," said Rich Nuttall. "They are very supportive."

Q: 2004 has to rank up there as one of your most successful seasons. Can you describe your thoughts and feelings as the team made its run to the NCAA Tournament?

RN: During the season I felt that we had a very good team and it really wasn't coming together right away. But after the first six games, I thought we started playing quite well. As far as emotions, the first one had to be relief because I knew we had good players and they finally put it all together. From a personal point of view, it has been a long journey, and I felt that there have been other teams that should have achieved a little bit more, but it was due reward for a lot of hard work over the years. I also thought about everyone who helped get us to this point, including the current coaching staff (Brian Suskiewicz, Ed Schieferstein, Brian Dunleavy) and my former assistant, Eugene Larkin.

In a funny story, when the final whistle sounded against ODU (CAA championship game), the first thing I felt was pain. I jumped up to celebrate at the same time James Bentley did, and he caught me under the chin. I saw stars for 10 seconds, but after that it was just pure elation.

Q: Having been here 16 years, you have coached many players and I know that the alumni are a very tight-knit group, so last season was probably a thrill for them as well. Did you get a lot of feedback from past players?

RN: We have a wonderful group of alumni. They are very supportive. I think the fact that so many people came to support us against Seton Hall, and were quite vociferous and into the game, helped us tremendously. We were playing our fifth straight game on the road and we were very tired, and that support took us through that game.

The feedback we received was tremendous, not just from Hofstra alumni, but also the University and soccer communities. I couldn't keep up with the e-mails and phone calls. After the season was over, I tried to get back to everyone, but it was a really big task.

Q: How much do you think the success from last season will impact your program?

RN: As a staff, we have been discussing this the last few weeks and feel that we need a few more years of consistent success to impact the program and attract the top players. We get good players right now, along with the occasional great player. The success of last year should help in recruiting, but it is a long process, and you have to build slowly. We have a long way to go and a lot more to achieve, and we are going to keep working hard.

Q: The now 2-year-old Hofstra Soccer Stadium is one of the nicest facilities in the Northeast. What are your feelings about the stadium?

RN: The stadium has had a major impact on the program and is a focal point for us. Just bringing recruits on campus and having them see all the people at the games, under the lights, and the beautiful turf field and stands is a tremendous help for recruiting.

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