Craig Levey '05 returns as Hobart's top scorer after notching 18 goals and 14 assists a year ago.

October 22, 2003

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College hockey team is ranked fourth in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) West coaches’ preseason poll. Receiving two first-place votes and 17 points, the Statesmen are just one behind Manhattanville and RIT, while defending champion Elmira sits atop the rankings with 22 points.

Hobart enters this season after going 14-10-2 overall and 4-5-1 in the conference, its first winning season since 1992-93. One win shy of matching the 1978-79 squad’s all-time mark, the Statesmen put together a record-breaking six-game win streak and defeated a ranked Elmira team twice in the regular season for the first time in history.

Led by fourth-year Head Coach Mark Taylor, Hobart returns 80 percent of its scoring from a year ago, including junior Craig Levey (Mississauga, Ontario) and sophomore Colby McVey (Chicago, Ill.). Levey netted 18 goals and 14 assists, while McVey added 10 scores and 14 helpers. Senior R.C. Schmidt (Buxton, Maine) and sophomore Edward Poirier (Methuen, Mass.) will also contribute after combining for 39 points last season.

Junior goaltender Adam Lavelle (Chelmsford, Mass.) comes back for his third season between the pipes. The all-time winningest goalie in Hobart history, he needs just 217 saves to surpass Chris Connolly ’00 to earn the career saves record.

The Statesmen open the season on the road at the Buffalo State Tournament, facing off with Fredonia on Oct. 31, at 4 p.m., and Buffalo State at 7 p.m., the following evening.