The Hobart College squash team begin its 2016-17 season on Friday at the Smith Squash Center. Hobart will host the University of Western Ontario at 2 p.m. before hitting the road for the Navy Round Robin in Annapolis, Md., this weekend. The Statesmen will face the host Midshipmen and Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Saturday and Denison and Stanford on Sunday.
 
Head Coach Tim Riskie begins his sixth season at the helm of the Hobart squash program. Under Riskie the Statesmen are 49-70. With one win this season, he would become the second Hobart squash coach to hit the 50-win plateau. Carol Weymuller finished with 142 wins in 16 years as coach. Riskie returns seven from last year's squad, including sophomore Josh Oakley, who was an All-Liberty League selection last year.
 
Seniors Felipe Pantle, Terrance Rose, Art Martella, and Ben Shapiro provide experience and leadership for the Statesmen this year. Pantle played in 22 matches last season, posting an overall record of 8-14. He was a team best 6-4 in the No. 5 spot of the lineup. Rose is back for his third season as a Statesman after posting an overall record of 9-13 last year. He was 7-5 playing in the fourth and fifth spot of the lineup. Martella and Shapiro return to the roster after not playing in 2015-16. Martella was 1-0 and Shapiro was 2-0 in 2014-15.
 
Juniors Matthew Frantz, Krittapat Pranich, Jack Shannon and Divine Wing will add depth to the Hobart lineup. Frantz was 2-3 in the No. 9 spot and 5-5 in exhibition matches in his sophomore season. He ended last year on a two match win streak with wins against Colby and Bowdoin. Shannon was one of two Statesmen to finish above .500 last year. He posted a 13-9 overall record, including a 5-2 record at No. 6 and a 6-4 mark at No. 7. Wing was 10-12, playing between Nos. 6 and 7 in his sophomore campaign.
 
Oakley is the lone returning member from the Class of 2019. He was a team best 14-11 in his rookie season. Oakley recorded a 12-9 record in the top spot. He was the Statesmen's representative at the College Squash Association Individual Championships, where he reached the consolation finals.
 
Junior Fred Maynor and first-years Cristian Escalona and Graham Henderson will look to add depth for Hobart this season.
 
Following the Navy Round Robin, the Statesmen will travel to Williams to close out 2016. Hobart will open 2017 with four road matches against NESCAC schools.