GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart Hockey Head Coach Mark Taylor recently announced his leadership group for the 2025-26 season. Seniors Tanner Daniels and Kahlil Fontana will serve as captains, while seniors Ignat Belov and Tristan Fasig and junior Conor Lally will serve as assistant captains.
 
"As with every year, there's a level of excitement about my leaders, but that is accompanied by a confident feeling of, alright, here we go,"Head Coach Mark Taylor said. "My guys put a lot into being the best teammate, competitor and athlete. We also invest a lot into developing as doers, which translates into actionable leaders. How we get to these leaders also requires investment. We don't just put names on a piece of paper and tally votes. They put quality time into sharing their thoughts on what they feel will be the best leadership group for the particular season. Which I really value and give it the same quality time, pulling that feedback together to come up with the group. This isn't new; we've been doing this for decades. Not only has every one of these guys won a national championship since they've been here, but they all have been key players in those successes. What's better, I know they value the responsibility given more than the recognition."
 
Daniels, a native of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, is back for his fourth year as a forward for the Statesmen. He played in all 31 games last year. Daniels led the Statesmen with 18 goals, 22 assists and 40 points. He was an AHCA All-America East first team selection and was named the NEHC Player of the Year and a finalist for the Sid Watson Award. He was fifth in the nation in game-winning goals (5), ninth in short-handed goals (2), 18th in points per game (1.29), 22nd in goals per game (0.58) and 33rd in points per game (0.71).
 
Daniels has played in 88 career games, recording 80 points on 33 goals and 47 assists. A business management and entrepreneurship major, Daniels is a two-time NEHC All-Academic pick.
 
A native of Duncan, British Columbia, Fontana is also a forward. The 2025 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player played in 30 games last year. Fontana had 18 points on 10 goals and eight assists. Fontana matched Daniels with five game-winning goals. Fontana scored the game-winning goal with 1:38 left in overtime to secure Hobart's third consecutive national championship. He also had an assist in the national semifinals.
 
Fontana has played in 85 career games, recording 46 points on 21 goals and 25 assists. He is a two-time NEHC All-Academic selection and was named to the CSC Academic All-District team last year.
Hailing from Minsk, Belarus, Belov is in his fourth season with the Statesmen. The forward played in 29 games last year, recording 12 points on three goals and nine assists. Belov has played in 87 career games, notching 30 goals and 33 assists for 63 points. Belov earned All-America recognition as a sophomore.
 
An economics and business management and entrepreneurship double major, Belov is a two-time NEHC All-Academic selection and a three-time AHCA All-American Scholar.
 
Fasig, a native of Sherman, Connecticut, is also a forward. He played in 29 games last year, recording 11 points on five goals and six assists. Fasig was tied for 14th in the nation with four game-winning goals. A center, he has played in 82 career games, compiling 45 points on 16 goals and 29 assists.
 
A history major, Fasig was a CSC Academic All-District selection last year and is a two-time AHCA All-American Scholar.
 
A Scarborough, Maine, native, Lally, is a defenseman. The third team All-NEHC selection, played in all 31 games, posting 17 points on two goals and 15 assists. Lally played a key role in Hobart's defense that ranked first in the nation in scoring defense (1.03) and eighth in penalty killing percentage (.871). In his rookie season, Hobart was first in the nation in scoring defense (0.97) and set an NCAA Division III record for penalty killing percentage (.968).
 
Lally has won two national championships, playing in 59 career games. He has 36 points on six goals and 30 assists. An economics major, Lally was named to the NEHC All-Academic team and was an AHCA All-American Scholar last year. 
 
Hobart opens the 2025-26 season Oct. 31 at Elmira.