The Hobart College soccer team will look to defend its first ever Liberty League Tournament Championship in the 2010 season. In 2009, the Statesmen finished with a 15-4-2 overall record and made it to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history. The Statesmen advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling in overtime to No. 17 Swarthmore.

This year, the Hobart soccer team is receiving votes in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) preseason poll. The Statesmen will return 17 of 20 players that started at least one game in 2009, as well as all six players who recorded 10 points or more in 2009.

The Statesmen will look to senior captains Justin Dotzman and Kevin McCarthy for leadership. Dotzman, who started the first four games last season, but was sidelined by an injury, will look to make an impact on defense. McCarthy was named the Liberty League Tournament MVP. He finished the season tied for second on the team with 13 points and ranked second on the team with five assists. He scored four goals in 2009, including the game-winner to secure Hobart's double-overtime victory over Union in the Liberty League Championship game.

Also returning is 2009 leading scorer, junior forward Tommy Hayes. He started all 21 games and led Hobart with 14 points and six assists. He was named to the NSCAA All-East Region Third Team and received All-Liberty League first team honors.

The Statesmen offense will also look junior Tony Yeboah, and sophomore Caetano Sanchez for experience this season. Yeboah played in all 21 games in 2009 and tallied four goals and two assists. He was named to the Liberty League All-Tournament team. Sanchez split time at the forward and midfield positions in 18 games last year.

Junior Ryan Geswell played in 11 games last season and along with first-years Shayan Mosavi and Andrew Malordy will look to contribute up top.

The Statesmen will have experience at midfield with juniors Evan Grey and Michael Moulton as well as sophomore Alex Kittelberger. Grey was named to the Liberty League First Team and received ECAC Upstate All-Star First Team honors. He played in 20 games, started 19, and finished with three goals and two assists. Moulton was All-Liberty League Honorable Mention and a member of the Liberty League All-Tournament Team. He started all 20 games that he played in, and finished the season tied for second on the team with five goals and 13 points. Kittelberger also received Liberty League Honorable Mention. He saw time in 18 games, and scored a team-high six goals in 2009.

Also returning at midfield are sophomores Will Abbott and Reuben Burk and junior Andres Rios. Abbott played in all 21 games last season, and tied for second on the team with 13 points and five goals. Burk played in 16 games a goal and an assist. Rios saw time in 12 games. First-years Eli Vitale and sophomore Ian McGarty will give depth at midfield.

Anchoring the defense will be juniors Jhojan Restrepo, Nate Bechtold, Nate Friedman, and Andrew Steates. They helped to lead a defense that posted nine shutouts in 2009. Sophomore Taylor Jones saw time in 17 games last season. First-years, Kaeghan Kelly and Remi McDonough as well as Lukas Peterson, a transfer from the University of Vermont, will bolster the defense.

Junior Charlie Hale will return for his second season as the starting goalkeeper. He played nearly every minute in the 2009 season (1995:43 of 1999:16). Hale led the Liberty League with 91 saves and ranked second in the league with a total of nine shutouts. He posted a 0.90 goals against average and a .820 save percentage.

The Statesmen will begin their season with a trip to Alfred on Sept. 1. Hobart will then continue a six-game road trip that includes stops at top-ranked and defending national champion Messiah (Sept. 3) and No. 6 Rochester (Sept. 18). The Statesmen will play their home opener on Sept. 24, when they begin conference play against Skidmore.

Hobart's third showdown with a top-25 team will also take place away from the friendly confines of Cozzens Field. The Statesmen will travel to No. 21 Rensselaer on Oct. 9 for a match against the Liberty League's regular season champions.