The Hobart College lacrosse team begins its 113th varsity season at Siena College on Friday, Feb. 13, inside the Adirondack Sports Complex in Queensbury, N.Y.
 
Second-year Head Coach Greg Raymond returns 28 letter winners, including six starters, from last year's squad that reached the Northeast Conference Tournament championship game. The Statesmen also welcome a talented and deep class of 20 first-years.
 
"The focus and attention to detail that we're trying to instill in these guys is getting better every day," Raymond said. "We started that last year and coming into this second year, the transition has been so much smoother. The guys understand how I work and the things I expect from them day-to-day. They know the standard we hold them to."
 
While Hobart did not compile the win-loss record it wanted in 2014 (5-10), the team's playoff experience and positive statistical data will benefit the Statesmen in 2015. Hobart committed the fewest turnovers (13.6) in the NEC while ranking second in the conference in extra-man goals (1.2/g) and fewest penalties per game (3.33) and third in extra-man percentage (.333) and goals against average (10.25).
 
The Hobart offense will be bolstered by the return of fifth-year senior Alex Love. The Geneva native played in just three games last season before a core muscle injury robbed him of what would have been his senior year. Love needs just three goals to break the career record for goals by a Division I Statesman currently held by Daryl Veltman '08. Love, a 2013 honorable mention All-American, is also 34 points away from eclipsing Veltman's Hobart Division I standard.
 
Love's maturity and skill will be key to a unit that graduated starters Cam Stone and Jake McHenry. The duo share the team points lead with 32 with McHenry leading the team with 29 goals and five extra-man goals and Stone producing a team-high 29 assists and ranking first in the NEC in assists per game (1.53). A two-time captain, Stone's leadership will also be sorely missed.
 
Senior captain Zach Reed and junior Matt Opsahl are likely to join Love as starters up top. Reed's skill has earned him time in both the midfield and on attack throughout his career. He has the ability to score and set up his teammates and will be more of a 60 minutes player than he has been at any point in his career. Opsahl has similar versatility and balance in his game. He competed for a roster spot with Team Israel and worked with the team in Denver at last summer's World Championships.
 
Sophomore Sean Donnelly, who missed last season due to injury, and first-year Owen Smith are also likely to contribute on attack as could a couple of players that will start the season as midfielders.
 
Leadership in the midfield will start with senior Taylor Vanderbeek and junior Cooper Stefaniak, who will serve as captains with Reed. Vanderbeek is a two-time captain and a four-year starter. He was fifth in the NEC in extra-man goals per game (0.3) last season. The New Jersey native is averaging nearly 1.5 points per game over his career. Stefaniak earned Hobart's most improved player award, the Lt. John Vandeverg '50 Memorial Award, after a breakout performance in 2014. He scored 14 goals, including the game-winner at Wagner, and added six assists while also collecting 20 ground balls.
 
Senior Brendan Saylor was slowed by injury last season, but when he's healthy gives the Statesmen a high game IQ and a great deal of poise. He finished the season strong, posting nine points over the final five games.
 
Junior Frank Brown returns to the lineup after missing most of 2014 with an injury. His combination of speed, size and athleticism make him a matchup problem for most teams.
 
The sophomore trio of Greg Sheetz, Max Romm, and Gavin Llewellyn are also expected to contribute. Sheetz appeared in 14 games as a first-year, scoring his first collegiate goal in the win at Wagner. He's had the best preseason of any midfielder and is in line for a breakthrough second season. Romm played in 10 games, starting the season opener against Siena. His second goal of the season came in the 10-9 double overtime win at Saint Joseph's in the NEC semifinals. Llewellyn missed 2014 with an injury, but is back at full strength and has performed well in preseason scrimmages.
 
The midfield depth will be fortified by first-years Henry Mann, Riley McTague, and Spencer Passmore.
 
Hobart finished fifth in the NEC in faceoff percentage last year, but the Statesmen had only one option, sophomore Jake Shapiro. The team's leader in ground balls (64) ranked third in the league in that category. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he was essentially the only faceoff specialist Hobart had, taking 85 percent of the team's restarts and securing 95 percent of the team's faceoff wins.
 
This year, Mann and classmates J. Andrew Spallanzani and Christopher William give the coaching staff options. All four student-athletes have different skill sets at the X that will allow the coaching staff to keep opponents off-balance and give Shapiro a rest when needed.
 
Short-stick defensive middie remains a strength for the Statesmen with juniors Teddy Sisco and Sam Washburne, sophomores Sean Cunningham and Kevin Murphy and Spellanzani all competing for minutes. Washburne is a steady, veteran presence. Sisco is very athletic and was second among returning players with 26 ground balls. Cunningham, who also plays wide receiver for the Hobart football team, has good speed and a great mind for the game while Murphy came into preseason in great physical shape and has impressed with the progress in his game.
 
Sophomore Arik Andreen served as the understudy for Peter Bolte at long-stick midfielder last year. He'll be Hobart's go-to guy this year after logging 13 ground balls and six caused turnovers a year ago. Sophomore Noel McGuinness played in only one game last year, but will play quality minutes this year. Sophomore Shane Hurley saw action in every game in 2014, but is working his way back from a preseason injury and is expected to contribute at long-stick middie. First-year William Locke has impressed with his skills on ground balls and will make a case for playing time on opening day.
 
Hobart's close defense returns sophomore Grant Soucy, who emerged as the team's best cover guy. He knows the defensive scheme, is a leader, and a great communicator. He'll be joined by senior George Fries, who missed last year with an injury. He's played in just six games over the past three years, but has a strong knowledge of the defense and his leadership is helping the young defense develop its continuity. Hurley, once healthy, could contribute down low as well as at LSM.
 
Like Soucy a year ago, first-years D. Bennett Moore and Christopher William will jump right into the fire, playing quality minutes on opening day. Moore has a skill set and presence reminiscent of Soucy and William is tough as nails.
 
In goal, sophomore Jackson Brown will get the opening day nod, taking over for the graduated Peter Zonino (40 career games, 465 saves, .520 save percentage). Brown was impressive in his start against No. 4 Syracuse, making 11 saves against the Orange.
 
The competition for the starting job has been intense with first-year Chre Teitelbaum, senior Coltan Armitage and first-year Cole Bardawill all pushing Brown for time in the cage.
 
Hobart was picked to finish third in the NEC preseason coaches poll behind three-time defending champion Bryant and 2014 regular season champion Saint Joseph's. Sacred Heart, Robert Morris, Mount St. Mary's and Wagner rounded out the preseason ranking.
 
In addition to a challenging league schedule, the Statesmen will also face a tough out-of-conference slate that includes No. 4 Syracuse, No. 10 Cornell, and Towson, which received votes in the preseason poll.