After defeating seven out of 10 NESCAC opponents in regular season conference games last season, the Jeffs earned one of the top NESCAC rankings. Avenging the losses that kept them out of contention for the NESCAC title in the past, the Jeffs defeated rival Williams College for the first time since 2002 and Bowdoin College for the first time since 2004. The most notable win, however, was an impressive 3-1 out of conference win against defending NCAA champion Oswego State. The Jeffs finished fourth in the NESCAC and lost in the second round of the NESCAC Tournament last year.

This season, the Jeffs look to continue their success in the search for their first NESCAC title. The Jeffs have not advanced to the NESCAC final since 2001 and have yet to claim the conference crown. According to senior Joel Covelli, last season’s team-leading scorer and All-NESCAC Second Team member, the team was not satisfied with last year’s semifinal exit. This year, the team “will not be happy with just making it to the NESCAC final.”

There is no doubt that Amherst has the talent to make a good run this season. Leading the Jeffs will be senior captain Jeff Landers. Landers, the third leading scorer for the Jeffs last season with six goals and 16 assists, should be an important presence for the Jeffs this season.

Goalies Jonathan LaRose ’11 and Cole Anderson ’11’s solid performances in the net last season were also a key part of Amherst’s success. Both goalies were ranked at the top of the NESCAC — LaRose led the NESCAC in goals-against average (2.12), save percentage (.931) and win percentage (.773) while Anderson ranked second in the NESCAC in save percentage (.924) and was tied for fifth in goals-against average (2.42). Senior goaltender A.J. Scola is returning from abroad and will also contribute.

Also looking to make an impact this year are five incoming first-years. Mike Baran will look to help the Jeffs out on defense while Eddie Effinger, Mark Colp, Jeremy Deutsch and Kevin English will look to add depth to an already strong offensive unit. So far, the freshmen have already helped the team to a victory, as both Effinger and Colp banked two goals helping the team defeat Skidmore 4-2 at the Jeffs’ exhibition game on Saturday.

According to Covelli, “A big challenge for our team last year was scoring goals. [The Skidmore] game showed that we have some pretty exciting young guys that will certainly be able to do that for us. Not to mention how fun it should be to watch them if they keep that up.”

Another key component to Amherst’s success is the coaching of Head Coach Jack Arena. Last year, Arena became one of only a few coaches to earn 300 career wins. With the talent and depth of this year’s line-up, fans should expect to see great things from the Jeffs this season. Eddie Effinger ’12 said, “We have a great group, we are a close team, and it’s going to be a fun run.”