By James Kassan (@JamesKassan4)
Seven months after an historic season and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 25 years, Hofstra looks to continue its success, but will have to do so without two important pieces in the backcourt in Cruz Davis and Preston Edmead, both of whom transferred after last season following the Pride’s Coastal Athletic Association championship victory.
“Once the season ends, you’ve got to start building your next team,” head coach Speedy Claxton said of his new group. “I enjoyed it for a little bit, but now you’ve gotta start calling on guys like Justin Moore, Deywilk (Tavarez) and Tanner Thomas.”
Former Loyola Chicago guard Justin Moore will look to take a big step for the Pride in 2026, and add to the championship style defense being built on Long Island. The fifth-year senior averaged 10.9 points per game a season ago as a starter, and all signs point to him playing a big role as a veteran for this team. Moore is also no stranger to the CAA, having played his first two collegiate years at Drexel before transferring for his junior season. He emphasized being at a place where he was wanted, and playing for Claxton was too good an opportunity to pass up.
“We talked and I just felt like it made a whole lot of sense,” Moore said of his recruitment. “Obviously being in the CAA before and knowing his track record with the players he’s had, it just made the most sense, I just wanted to be here.”
It’s easy in 2026 with the state of college athletics to focus on who leaves, but the Pride was also able to retain big man Joshua DeCady, the 6-foot-8 forward who is coming off of an all-CAA defensive team selection. He will be a major force on defense who can also provide scoring. The Queens Village native played in 33 games in his sophomore season, starting in 23 of those contests. DeCady tallied a career-best nine rebounds against Monmouth in January last season, and will be a player to look out for on the defensive end, anchoring what the Pride hopes to accomplish.
“He’s been here two years already, so he kind of knows us,” Claxton said. “I spoke to him in the early part of the summer telling him that we’re gonna expect him to be a leader. You’ve gotta show these guys the ropes, not just by his play, but vocally. And to Josh’s credit, he’s stepped up to the challenge.”
For a university known for its guards before its big men, Hofstra will have three seven-footers coming via transfer in juniors Spence Wewe and Riley Dunn, and sixth-year senior Imanuel Zorgvol.
Hofstra was picked third in the CAA preseason coaches poll, with 125 points and two first-place votes. Now, with Davis and Edmead gone, the Pride will have to find new key pieces to maintain the defensive identity that helped win a conference championship and return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years.
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