Lake Forest College Sports Information
Contact: Mike Wajerski, SID

2003-04 Preview: Ready for the Next Step
  

Andrew Francone will fill the skates of the talented seniors who graduated in 2003.
LAKE FOREST, IL - After 25 years at the helm of the Forester hockey program, head coach Tony Fritz is as excited as ever about the upcoming season. After posting a 13-9-5 record in 2002-03 and losing just four players to graduation, nobody could fault him for his optimism. "We were so close to moving into the top half of our conference last year," recalls Fritz. "Our goal this season is obviously to take the next step and move into the upper level of one of the toughest leagues in the country."

Two reasons Fritz feels his team can continue to climb the conference standings are goaltenders Cody Brown and Joel Cameron, who combined for the 15th-lowest goals against average in the nation and anchored the country's sixth-best penalty-killing defense. Brown, who earned All-Northern Collegiate Hockey Association honors, also ranked second in NCAA Division III with a stellar .932 save percentage.

Although the team graduated a pair of career 100-point scorers, Fritz will welcome back plenty of offensive firepower. Nine players who recorded at least 10 points in 2002-03 return, including junior Andrew Francone, who reached double figures in both goals (13) and assists (10). Fellow junior Robin Charest and senior Adrian Wong each dished out 13 assists while sophomore Cory Wilson scored a dozen goals during his freshman campaign.

In addition to the statistics, a number of games in 2002-03 served notice that the Foresters are an up-and-coming force. The team defeated perennial NCHA contender UW-Stevens Point in December and tied the Pointers in the league playoffs. Lake Forest also knocked off a pair of nationally ranked programs in #15 Concordia College and #9 St. John's University on consecutive nights in early January. Two weeks later, the Foresters tied St. Norbert College, who spent nine weeks atop the national rankings.

"We had a very successful and memorable season, one that we never wanted to end," comments Fritz. "We have to replace three captains who were great players and fantastic leaders, but we also have guys who are ready to take charge and lead us to another level. I'm looking forward to being a part of that."