The Liberty League men's basketball coaches unanimously voted Hobart College the preseason favorite to win the conference championship this season. The Statesmen begin their 103rd varsity season this afternoon against Dickinson College in the first round of the Homewood Suites Tip-Off Tournament at Messiah College.
 
Hobart received eight first-place votes and 64 points. Union was voted second with 57 points and two-time defending Liberty League tournament champion Skidmore was third with 46 points. Clarkson was picked fourth with 45 points.
 
The Statesmen posted a 23-6 record last season, capturing the Liberty League regular season title with a 14-2 conference mark. Hobart set a school record for wins (23) and winning percentage (.793). The Statesmen earned its second NCAA tournament bid, and topped Ohio Wesleyan in the first round 64-60, but fell in the second round to eventual national runner-up Cabrini 90-88 in overtime.
 
Mike Neer, the 2011 Liberty League Coach of the Year, will begin his second year at the helm of the Hobart basketball team. He returns eight lettermen, including three starters.
 
Three-time All-Liberty League pick, senior point guard Stefan Thompson will lead the team as captain. He recorded team-highs of 128 assists and 41 steals and is the top returning scorer after netting 13.4 ppg last season. The 2011-12 Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year junior guard Joe Gibbons is back as well. He averaged 12.0 ppg with 45 assists and 24 steals. Junior forward Richie Bonney, a second team all-league honoree, is the top returning rebounder, averaging 6.9 in 2001-12.
 
Seniors guard Rezin Davis and forward Sean Peer and sophomores Connor Rehbaum, Trey Blanding, and Andrew Hoy will battle for a spot in the starting lineup. Davis started nine games a year ago and played in all 29, producing 4.2 ppg and 1.8 rpg.  He scored a season-high 16 points at Rensselaer. Peer is a relentless rebounder and defender, logging 3.3 rpg and 2.9 ppg. A slashing swingman last season, Rehbaum worked hard in the weight room during the off season making him an option in the low post. Blanding is Thompson's understudy at the point, but expect to see him on the floor with Thompson at times this season. Blanding has made steady progress in his game and is ready for a bigger role this season. Hoy averaged 1.8 ppg in limited action last year.
 
Philip Coughlin, Domonique Fernander, Michael LaValle, Eli Lubick, and Cole Smothers round out the roster. Smothers, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound forward is the most game-ready of the group. He scored 11 points in the preseason exhibition game against Queens University. Lubick is a lanky (6-3, 190) shooter. He made both of his 3-point attempts against the Gaels.
 
The Statesmen and the Red Devils get underway at 4 p.m. Online coverage includes Live Stats and WDCV-FM streaming audio.

Hobart will make its Bristol Gym debut on Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m.