ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's soccer team will look to continue its climb up the conference standings this weekend as the Bombers hit the road for a pair of non-conference matchups to open the 2016 season beginning with Clarkson on Friday followed by St. Lawrence on Saturday afternoon. 

Ithaca, which is coming off a successful 2015 season that saw the Bombers go 7-8-3 and earn their first Empire 8 regular season title since 2008, returns a talented group of young players that are eager to take to the pitch after nearly earning a berth into the NCAA Championship before falling in the conference championship game last season.

Head coach Patrick Ouckama, who was named last season's Empire 8 Doug May Coach of the Year in his first campaign at the helm, has built an experienced roster led by three All-Conference selections from a year ago including Zach Jacobsen, Sam Boylan and Andrew Coburn.  Additionally, the Bombers return 17 players including nine that saw action in at least 10 contests in 2015.

Defensively, the Bombers boast one of the most talented back lines in the conference after allowing a paltry 1.11 goals against average last season, which ranked second in the Empire 8.  Now in his second year in goal, Jacobsen, who was named Empire 8 and ECAC Defensive Player of the Week five times last season, posted six wins overall and ranked first among all conference keepers with 97 saves.  His .829 save percentage was the second-highest mark in the conference while his 1.11 goals against average ranked third.  Coburn, Ellis Masterman, Cody Kiss, Sam Factor, Chris Murphy and Justin Crail will each play a role in keeping the ball out of the back of the net this season.

From an offensive standpoint, Ithaca returns eight players that scored at least one goal last season led by Boylan's six points on two goals and two assists.  With 17 collegiate games under his belt, sophomore Jose Contreras should also create havoc in opposing backfields after registering four points as a freshman.  Alexander Brosnihan rounds out the returning forwards for the Bombers.  Ithaca's midfielders, led by Zachary Lichtman, controlled the pace of play well last year and are expected to play an integral role in Ithaca's offensive game plan in 2016.   

This year's team also features 10 first-year players including Anthony Smajlaj, Christian Shkreli, Max Barish, Edward Gbekie, Jack Ochs, Jason Hannigan, Kevin Turi, Justinian Michaels, Nestor Canenguez and Wyatt Vigilante. 

After completing their tour of the North Country, the Bombers will travel 20 miles east to take on Cortland on September 7 before heading south to Scranton, Pa. three days later to battle Marywood.

Ithaca will play its home-opener on September 13 when it welcomes Wells College to Carp Wood Field and will open conference play on September 18 against Stevens Institute of Technology on September 18.

The Bombers will play five more games over the next weeks including four on the road.  Ithaca will take on Hamilton College in Clinton on September 21 and will return home to host Empire 8 foe, Nazareth, on September 24.  From there, IC will play three straight games on the road with stops at Utica on October 1, Hobart on October 4 and Elmira on October 8 before returning to South Hill for its longest home stand of the season.

Ithaca, which finished the 2015 campaign with a 7-8-3 overall mark, duels Oneonta on October 12 followed by Alfred on October 15 in an Empire 8 clash.  Houghton will come to campus on October 22 before the Bombers wrap up their home schedule on October 25 against R.I.T.

The Bombers will close out the regular season and Empire 8 schedule on the road at St. John Fisher College on October 29.