The Statesmen celebrate as an ESPNews anchor announces Hobart's inclusion in the 2004 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament. (Photo by Jared Weeden '91)

May 10, 2004

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart lacrosse team will make the program’s 25th NCAA Tournament appearance on May 15, when the Statesmen travel to Ithaca to tangle with the Big Red of Cornell University. The opening faceoff is set for 2 p.m., at Schoellkopf Field.

Hobart completed its 102nd varsity season, its 10th at the Division I level, with a 9-6 record. The Statesmen’s nine triumphs are a high-water mark for the program at Division I, eclipsing the eight wins posted by Hobart’s first Division I tournament team in 1998. This will be the Statesmen’s fourth venture into the Division I fray.

Hobart has one of the most storied postseason histories in collegiate sports. The Statesmen made six consecutive Division II tournaments between 1974 and 1979, winning the championship in 1976 and 1977. Hobart moved to Division III in 1980, capturing the first 12 titles at that level (13 overall during 15 seasons).

One of the oldest rivalries in collegiate sports, the Statesmen and the Big Red will meet for the 122nd time since 1898. The game also will mark the second meeting between the two programs in eight days. Hobart closed out the regular season on May 7, with a down-to-the-wire 12-10 win over Cornell in Geneva.

The Statesmen-Big Red remix will mark the third time this season Hobart has played an opponent twice. In Patriot League play, the Statesmen swept Bucknell, while falling twice to Navy. Since 1980, Hobart is 20-2 when meeting a team for the second time in the same season.

Offensively, the Statesmen are led by senior attackman Mark Williamson (Corning East/Corning, N.Y.) and junior attackman Nate Hill (Hamburg/Hamburg, N.Y.). A first-team All-Patriot League selection, Williamson is the first Hobart player to record 50 points in a season at the Division I level, boasting a team-high 54 points (33-21). Hill is second on the team in points with 46 (20-26). In the Patriot League Championship game, he became just the fifth Division I Statesman to record 100 career points (currently 44-60-104).

Junior defenseman Greg McCarthy (Pinkerton Academy/Derry, N.H.) and junior goalie Dan Valente (Mt. Hebron/Ellicott City, Md.) have led a stingy defensive unit. A first-team All-PL honoree, McCarthy (40 GBs) has been impressive against some of the top attackmen in the nation.

A second-team All-PL pick, Valente has been spectacular in his first season as a starter. Among Division I Statesmen, he sports the most wins in a season (9), the lowest goals against average (8.68) and is third in saves (173) and save percentage (.590).