The Hobart College hockey team is ranked fifth in the nation in the USCHO.com preseason poll. The Statesmen open the 2019-20 season on Friday, Nov. 1 with a non-conference game at Elmira at 7 p.m.
Hobart finished the 2018-19 season with a 21-8-2 overall record and an 11-5-2 record in the NEHC. The Statesmen were edged by Norwich 2-1 in the NEHC championship game. Hobart earned an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament and advanced to the national semifinals. It was the Statesmen’s fifth straight and ninth overall trip to the NCAA tournament.
Hobart returns 21 players from last season’s squad, including four of its top five point producers. Sophomore forward Zach Tyson led team with 27 points (7g, 20a) in ’18-19. Junior forward Travis Schneider had a team-high 16 goals and was third with 23 points a season ago.
The Statesmen’s 2019-20 slate features seven teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll. Hobart is scheduled to play preseason No. 2 Norwich (Nov. 15/Jan. 25), No. 6 Oswego (Nov. 22), No. 10 Trinity (Dec. 11), No. 12 UMass Boston (Jan. 11/Feb. 14), No. 15 Babson (Jan. 10/Feb. 15) and New England College (Dec. 6/Feb. 8) and Saint John’s (Jan. 4), which are receiving votes. Hobart has a chance to add an eighth team, Nichols (receiving votes), on Jan. 5 depending on the results during the Boston Landing Tournament.
