After a 27-year absence from the NCAA Division III Tournament, the No. 12 men's soccer squad did much more than just qualify for the top collegiate competition.

In his 40th year at the helm, coach Michael Coven and his squad won a share of the University Athletic Association Championship before defeating Baruch College and Vassar College in the Tournament's first and second rounds, respectively, before falling in a close 1-0 contest to Williams College in the round of 16.

However, despite the graduation of First Team Division III All-New England players forward Lee Russo '13 and center back Joe Eisenbies '13 MA '14, as well as the team's starting goalkeeper Blake Minchoff '13, the task of defending against the Judges will not be easy, as they return eight of their 11 starters.

"I think we'll be OK," said Coven. "I think we're much deeper than we were last year. We had a good squad, but beyond our 12th or 13th man we didn't have a lot of depth. Though we lost a few really great players, two or three of our guys who didn't play much last year have really improved and our freshmen are looking good."

Up front, the attack is led by forward Sam Ocel '13, a National Soccer Coaches' Association of America Third Team All-American last season. Despite marching at Commencement in the spring, Ocel will graduate in December and retain his fourth season of eligibility this fall, as he missed his sophomore season due to injury.

In addition to his All-America accolades, Ocel was named UAA MVP and First Team Division III All-New England. His 13 goals and eight assists were vital, especially following his wide display of game-winning goals against Mount Ida College, Baruch, Vassar, non-conference rival Babson College as well as UAA foes Case Western Reserve University, Emory University and New York University.

However, Ocel is not the only threat the Judges have. Forward Tyler Savonen '15 scored six goals and assisted on five other tallies. All-UAA Second Team selection Kyle Feather '14 was critical as a late-arriving midfielder, chipping in with six goals and seven assists. Forward Steve Salazar '14 proved that he can score off the bench, chipping in two goals, including the second in a vital 2-0 win over Case.

The center of the park features a core of talented midfielders. Jake Picard '16 and Josh Hacunda '16 excelled in their first-year campaigns, playing a part in all 22 games last season. Given the Judges' attack-minded 4-3-3 lineup, they will likely rotate players between midfield positions and forward roles.

Despite losing Eisenbies, the Judges return a solid defensive unit. Left back Ben Applefield '14 was an All-UAA Honorable Mention selection last season. In addition to his defensive duties, Applefield-a naturally left-footed player-was known for his offensive contributions, scoring a direct free-kick and chipping in three assists. Right back Robbie Lynch '15 will red-shirt this season following surgery, but Coven is optimistic that Foti Andreo '15, a former midfielder, may be able to fill the void. Center back Matt Brondoli '14 transitioned seamlessly into the central defensive role. He'll be joined in the center by defender Conor Lanahan '16, who saw some playing time late in the season as a first-year.

"Lanahan played well towards the end of last year," said Coven. "He's big, he'll be good on attacking and defending set pieces."

Goalkeeper Joe Graffy '15 will look to assume the starting role this season.

"(Joe) has been working his butt off all summer to improve his game," Coven said. "I think he'll do very well."

"We had a really good attitude last season, and this season we seem to have carried it over," he said. "Our guys are family, they stick together and they're good people. (Assistant coach) Gabe (Margolis) and I say that when that is the case, the soccer takes care of itself."

The Judges open the season on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., taking on Keene State University in Keene, N.H.