Free Admission To Hobart-Siena Game While winter storm Pax is creating havoc along the East Coast, the precipitation is expected to stay east of Geneva and administrators plan to start the Hobart-Siena game on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m. as scheduled. If there are schedule changes to the Hobart-Siena game, or any other HWS sporting event, fans can get the latest info on Twitter (@HWSSID) and HWSAthletics.com. However, since the game time temperature is not expected to be very spring-like, all fans will be admitted to Boswell Field free of charge. Once again, Dana's Time Out is the official concessionaire at Boswell Field and DTO is expected to be up and running with plenty of hot coffee and hot chocolate on Saturday. For fans unable or unwilling to brave the elements, all Hobart home games will be available on All-Access Video ($5.95 for a 24-hour pass, $9.95 for a monthly subscription, or $79.95 for a yearly subscription). Live Stats will also be available online for all Statesmen home games.

GENEVA, N.Y.—February 15, 2014, will be the dawning of a new era in the rich history of Hobart College lacrosse. The Statesmen will compete in the Northeast Conference for the first time and be under the direction of first-year Head Coach Greg Raymond.

The NEC coaches picked two-time defending champion Bryant to win the league. Hobart and Robert Morris tied for second. Saint Joseph's, Sacred Heart, Mount St. Mary's, and Wagner rounded out the poll. The Statesmen have little history with their league brethren, having played just seven games against the Bulldogs (1-1), Colonials (2-2), and Hawks (1-0).

Raymond will make his head coaching debut on Feb. 15, against Siena. He expects his team will continue Hobart's tradition of up-tempo offense and he and assistant coaches Jeremy Hirsch, Terry Muffley, and Peet Poillon are working hard to rebuild a fundamentally sound defense that lost all three starting close defensemen from last season.

The Statesmen elected four seniors and a junior to serve as captains this season, covering all four positions. Senior attackmen Alex Love and Cam Stone, junior midfielder Taylor Vanderbeek, senior defenseman Peter Bolte and senior goalie Peter Zonino will lead the 112th Hobart lacrosse team.

On attack, the Statesmen return all three starters in Love, Stone, and senior Jake McHenry.

A 2013 USILA honorable mention All-American, Love broke the Hobart Division I single season scoring record a year ago, logging 45 goals. He led the ECAC Lacrosse League and ranked third in the nation in goals per game (3.21). Love's most memorable performance was a six-goal, one-assist gem in the Carrier Dome, leading the Statesmen to a 13-12 upset of the No. 3 Orange. Among active players in NCAA Division I lacrosse, only Duke's Jordan Wolf (120) and Albany's Ty (112) and Miles (108) Thompson have more career goals than Love's 98. He needs 12 goals to surpass Daryl Veltman's Hobart Division I record.

A lefty shooter, Love possesses one of, if not the, most potent low to high shot in the game. As talented a player as Raymond has coached, the fourth round pick of the Baltimore Bayhawks has worked hard in the offseason to improve his right hand and become a more vocal leader on and off the field.

Stone is a natural leader, returning for a second season as captain. The quarterback of the offense, he posted a team-high 29 assists in 2013, ranking second in the ECAC and 15th in the nation in assists per game (2.07). Stone's ability to set up teammates and get everyone involved belies his scoring talents which resulted in 20 goals last year. The coaches hope to see him be a little more selfish when the situation dictates this season, taking the ball to goal himself.

Although not a captain, McHenry will be every bit as much of a leader as his running mates. A strong, off-ball finisher, he was second to Love on the team in goals (22) and extra-man goals (4). McHenry lurks in the shadows of Love and Stone, but is just as big a threat as he showed with a season-high four goals at Robert Morris.

The trio is even more potent on the field together not only because of their experience, but their experience together. They've played together for so long they have an almost sixth sense of what the other two will do in any situation.

Junior Zach Reed, sophomores Matt Opsahl and Frank Brown, and first-year Sean Donnelly give Hobart exceptional depth up top, but any and all are being considered in the midfield as well.

Opsahl, who is in the running to make Team Israel for the 2014 FIL World Championship, played primarily in extra-man situations as a first-year, producing six points (4-2) in 12 games. He's fitter and showcased better movement during the preseason.

Brown (9-6-15 in '13) and Reed (7-3-10) are both talented enough to contribute as attackmen, but look for both to run on one of the top two midfield lines where they'll create matchup problems for opposing defenses.

Donnelly, who is in the running for a roster spot with Team England, has a high lacrosse IQ and is likely to earn time during extra-man opportunities.

Vanderbeek (7-7-14) and classmate Branden Kessler (4-1-5) will anchor the first midfield line. While Vanderbeek's numbers dipped from his spectacular rookie season (22-5-27), it wasn't for a lack of effort. The team's best dodger is a workhorse. The coaches rave about his dedication and effort and expect a big season from the captain.

Kessler's size (6-foot-3, 187) makes him a tough matchup. He can shoot on the run and with his feet set and is a solid passer.

Reed is most likely to fill out the first line. He can play above or below the goal line and is ambidextrous. Reed had three multipoint games last year, all against ranked teams.

Brown made a splash in his collegiate debut, earning the ECAC Rookie of the Week award after scoring three goals and assisting on a fourth against Siena, but his effectiveness has been hampered by injuries this year. When he's healthy, Brown is a difference maker on the field.

Senior Ryan Munnelly, junior transfer Brendan Saylor and sophomores Cooper Stefaniak and Gavin Llewellyn and fist-years Max Romm and Mark Darden are competing to fill out the second midfield line.

Munnelly has appeared in 14 games during his career and is a solid presence in the locker room. A Fairport, N.Y., native, Saylor recorded two goals and five assists over two seasons at Maryland. Stefaniak has made progress from the fall to the preseason. He's an intelligent player with a strong shot from the alleys. Llewellyn has been dogged by injuries, but could make an impact if he gets healthy.

Fast, strong and smart, Romm has stood out throughout fall ball and into the preseason. He will be tough to keep off the field and could even challenge for a spot on the first line. Darden has exceptional speed and is well versed in the championship tradition of Hobart lacrosse. His father, also named Mark, was a three-year letter winner for the Statesmen in the mid '80s.

At the X, first-year Jake Shapiro is expected to shoulder the load. At Radnor High School, he led the Red Raiders to a league championship by winning 77 percent of his faceoffs. Vanderbeek, Bolte and first-year Arik Andreen will also take restarts.

After attack, Hobart's strongest position might just be d-middie. Junior Thomas Petrocci has played in every game over the past two seasons and is a tenacious defender. Sophomores Sam Washburne and Teddy Sisco will also see quality playing time. Washburne has good stick skills while Sisco has a fast motor that will help in the clearing game. First-years Greg Sheetz and Kevin Murphy have impressed with their athleticism and hard work.

Bolte will lead the long-stick midfielders. He is fourth on Hobart's career caused turnover list with 23. Sophomore Lars Zandbergs, who is in the running to make Team Latvia, and Andreen will also factor in at LSM.

Hobart's close defense will be rebuilt from the ground up. Senior Connor Eustace, junior George Fries, sophomore transfer Aaron Moroney and first-years Shane Hurley, Noel McGuinness, and Grant Soucy are the leading candidates to earn the start on Saturday against Siena.

Eustace is a skilled defender and a strong leader, but he's been haunted by nagging injuries throughout his time on campus. Fries is a smart player, who was limited to four games last year behind senior starters Sean Regan and Reid Rosello as well as Luke Miller, who transferred. Moroney played in five games, starting one, for 10-8 Towson last year. The 6-foot-3 Hurley also comes to Hobart with a strong appreciation for its history, having played for Hall of Famer Bobby Wynne '94 at Salisbury School. McGuinness didn't play high school lacrosse, but polished his skills with the Tri-State Lacrosse Club. Soucy was a three-year captain at Lake Zurich (Ill.) High School winning a state championship and earning All-State honors as a senior.

In goal, Peter Zonino has ranked in the top 12 in the nation in saves per game in each of the past two seasons, leading the nation in 2012 (13.5) and ranking 12th in 2013 (12.3). He's as good as any goalie in the game and has shown he can make saves he's not supposed to be able to make. Zonino made a season-high 18 saves in the win over Syracuse, one off his career-high set in 2012 against Ohio State. He posted 13 saves against both Colgate and Bellarmine, helping the Statesmen to victories over both nationally ranked teams.

Junior Colton Armitage and first-year Jackson Brown are battling to be Zonino's top backup.

Hobart's non-conference schedule includes the coaches' preseason No. 1 (Syracuse on April 19) and No. 16 (Cornell in Ithaca on Feb. 22) as well as regional rivals Binghamton, Canisius, Colgate, and Siena. The Statesmen will also welcome Brown back to its schedule for the first time since 1982.

The NEC era will officially dawn on March 15, when Robert Morris visits Boswell Field. Hobart will also host Sacred Heart and Saint Joseph's while visiting Bryant, Mount St. Mary's, and Wagner.

"This team has a chip on its shoulder," Raymond says. "They want to prove to themselves that they can not only compete, but win their way into the league tournament and win tough games."