The Hobart Hockey team is ranked second in the nation in the USCHO.com preseason poll announced yesterday. The Statesmen received seven first place votes. Hobart opens the 2026-27 season on Friday, Oct. 30, with a non-conference contest against Route 14 Rival Elmira at The Cooler.
 
The Statesmen finished the 2026-27 campaign with a 30-1-0 overall record and an 18-0-0 mark in SUNYAC play. The Statesmen advanced to the national championship game for the fourth straight year, falling to Hamilton 2-1 in overtime. Hobart has been selected to 11 straight NCAA tournaments, the longest active streak in the nation.
 
Offensively, Hobart returns six players who produced 20-plus points last season, including junior Arvega Hovsepyan, who led the team with 43 points. An AHCA All-America East first team selection, Hovsepyan matched the Statesmen's single-season record for assists, recording 32 last year.
 
Defensemen Conor Lally and Bauer Morrissey were also named All-Americans last year. They will anchor Hobart's defensive core. Lally, the 2026 SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year, was named to the AHCA All-America East first team. He had 39 points on 14 goals and 25 assists. Morrissey was a third team All-American. He had 24 points on seven goals and 17 assists.
 
Hobart is scheduled to play four teams that are ranked or receiving votes in this year's preseason poll. The Statesmen will take on sixth-ranked Utica Nov. 5 and 7 and 12th-ranked Oswego Dec. 4 and Feb. 5. SUNYAC foes Cortland and Skidmore are receiving votes in the preseason poll. The Statesmen will take on the Thoroughbreds in their conference opener Nov. 13 and then meet again on Jan. 30.  Hobart will take on the Red Dragons twice in 2027, Jan. 8 and Feb. 13.