"Expectations are very high," said Erik DiNardo '03. "We have all the tools to go the distance, we just need the right attitude, discipline and leadership and the wins and success will follow."
After losing to Middlebury College 4-3 in the first overtime period of the NESCAC championship game last year, the Jeffs hopes for a bid to the NCAA tournament were dashed when they did not receive one of two at-large bids to the tourney. The Jeffs finished the season with an 18-5-3 record and were ranked sixth in the USCHO national poll.
The biggest pieces missing from last year's squad come from the defense. Jim Smith '01-who is currently playing professionally in Europe-was a first team All-American and the Jeffs leading scorer last year from his position on the blue line.
Amherst is also without goalie Nick Rieser '01, who was first team all-conference last year. But a strong and deep freshman class will be relied upon to fill the departed seniors' shoes.
Leading the team this season will be co-captains Greg Carr '02 and Darren Reaume '02. Last year Carr finished third on the team with 27 points, 10 goals and 17 assists on the season, while Reaume was not far behind with eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points.
Also returning is the Jeffs' leading goal scorer, Bob Miele '02. Miele tallied 14 goals last year, while picking up a helper on 18 others, earning him a second-team All-NESCAC selection.
On defense and in net, the Jeffs should have another strong season. To replace Rieser, the Jeffs will count on the tandem of Justin Jagher '03 and Jaffrie Perrotti '03. Both of these juniors played well in net in limited duty last year, but filling Rieser's skates will be a difficult task.
Erich Schram '03, Josh Hoffman '04, John McNicholas '04 and Chris Norqual '04 all return this year to the blue line, and they will be counted on to provide the backbone for the Amherst defense.
Looking ahead to this year's schedule, the Jeffs face a number of difficult games in the early going.
On the weekend of Dec. 7-8, the Jeffs face two of the top teams in the nation in the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and Elmira College. Last year RIT had the top scoring offense in the country and they finished their season with only one loss that came in the NCAA championship game.
Following these early season matches the Jeffs will start their conference schedule, and then, over interterm, the Jeffs will face Plattsburgh College, last year's NCAA champion.