BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland will begin the 2021 NCAA Tournament with a first round matchup against Hofstra at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., as the national office revealed the full 29-school bracket on Sunday evening.

The winner of Friday's 3 p.m. matchup will face host Syracuse, the No. 3 overall seed, in the second round at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Greyhounds (11-2) clinched their ninth NCAA tournament appearance in the past 10 years with an 11-6 victory over Lehigh in the Patriot League Championship game yesterday afternoon.

This will be the seventh meeting all-time between Loyola and Hofstra, and the first since 2007. The Greyhounds enter the tournament on an 11-game winning streak overall, holding opponents to single-digit scoring in nine of those contests. Friday's game will be Loyola's first away from Ridley Athletic Complex since a 14-6 win at then-No. 21 Navy on March 31.

The Greyhounds have won at least one tournament game in eight of their last nine NCAA appearances, advancing to the quarterfinals on three occasions. The program has made five Final Four appearances overall and made it to the National Championship game back in 1997.

Loyola ranks in the top 10 nationally in several statistical categories this season, including shot percentage (1st, .529), goals-against average (4th, 7.69), assists per game (6th, 8.62), draw control percentage (8th, .598), scoring margin (9th, +7.15) and save percentage (10th, .505).

Individually, Tewaaraton Top-25 Semifinalist Livy Rosenzweig is second in Division I in assists per game (3.23) and she is seventh in points per game (5.69). Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Larsson ranks fourth in GAA (7.84) and ninth in save percentage (.519).

The Greyhounds have won 10+ games in all 12 completed seasons under head coach Jen Adams. Loyola has won seven conference championships during that period, including five since joining the Patriot League in 2014.