The 2017 Lancaster Bible College men's soccer team has the makings of the perfect blend of upperclassmen who have postseason experience, along with younger players who are talented and hungry for a shot at something great. The only question is - can they put it all together and make a run at a North Eastern Athletic Conference Championship?

The Chargers will kick off their 2017 campaign on Friday, September 1 against Pitt-Bradford at Charger Field and begin taking their first steps towards a title that has eluded Lancaster Bible in its first six years in the NEAC. The Lancaster Bible coaching staff is excited about the possibilities, but also aware of the bumps in the road that come throughout each season. There is excitement in the air for the Chargers this season, but finding the right formula doesn't happen in one game and everyone associated with the program is hopeful to be peaking at the right time.

Back for More
-Lancaster Bible returns 17 players from a year ago, including eight starters
-Seniors Edward Bills, Justin Stoltzfus, Spencer Lockard, Vann Sutphin, Dom Baffone, Jeff Edman and Thiago Naque return for one final go-round with the Chargers...Bills ranks 21st in program history with 51 points...Sutphin and Naque will compete for time between the pipes, as well freshman Jake Deterline and sophomore CJ DeMarsico
-Caleb Nelson and Dan Bewersdorff combined for seven goals last season and look to provide even more offense in 2017...Jared Jordan also returns and will once again provide strong defensive play for the Chargers
-Kenny Akselsen is back from injury, while Ivan Correa returns after a two-year absence...Evan Esh, Josh Marcroft and Gavin Stark also return to provide added depth for the Chargers

Come Aboard
-Lancaster Bible welcomes 10 new players into the mix for 2017...Rama Mugisha, Eric Herb, Joel Hughes, Jeremy Latshaw, Finn Clifford, Isaac Gutierrez, Chad Tolson, Brandon Taylor, Jake Deterline and CJ DeMarsico will all don the red and white this season
-Chad Tolson: Club Team: Harford Patriots -- High School: Perry Hall Christian --Awards:1st team All-Conference 10th, 11th, and 12th grade...MVP 11th and 12th grade...50 goals throughout 3 years of varsity soccer
-Rama Mugisha: Been in the United States for three years...Played for Manheim Township H.S. and Lititz Christian...Played club ball for Elite 98...Received First Team All-Conference recognition last season
-Brandon Taylor: Club Team: PA Classics -- High School: Mount Calvary Christian -- Awards: CCAC All-Conference for three years and Team MVP during senior season
-Isaac Gutierrez: Club Team: PA Classics and Penn Legacy -- High School: Hempfield -- Awards: 2013 Eastern PA Turkey Hill State Cup Champions (PA Mutiny Gold) and 2015 Indoor State Cup Champions (PA Mutiny Gold)
-Eric Herb: High School: Northern Lebanon -- Other Sports: Track & Field
-Jake Deterline (GK): High School: Altoona -- Awards: MVP junior year...Consistency Award as senior...Team was second in district during senior season
-Joel Hughes: High School: Gloucester County Christian -- Awards: 2015 Conference MVP Runner-Up...Two-time TSCAC First Team All-Star...Three-time GSACS First Team All-Star
-Finn Clifford: Club Team: Mornington Soccer Club Senior Reserve Team in Australia when I was 16 -- Community College: Sussex Co. CC in Sparta, N.J...Ranked 5th in the nation last year
-Jeremy Latshaw: High School: Conestoga Christian -- Club Team: Lititz Elite 98 (16-17); FC Revolution Galacticos (14-16); Coventry FC 98 (12-14) -- Awards: CCAC First Team All-Conference for three years in high school...Player of the Year during senior season

Leader of the Pack
-Tom Ardt, now the longest tenured coach after the departure of Lauren Bewley, enters his seventh season at the helm of the Chargers...Ardt believes the 2017 Chargers have a chance to be very exciting to watch and to be very good...Ardt is 57-58-13 at Lancaster Bible and is nine wins away from becoming the program's all-time leader in wins...Phil Nelson (1988-93) currently holds the mark of 65 wins.

Season Notes
-Lancaster Bible was picked sixth in the NEAC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
-Chargers have won double-digit games for three straight seasons for just the third time in program history...The longest stretch of 10 wins or more is four, from 2008-11
-Lancaster Bible enters seventh season of NEAC play this season...The Chargers are 33-23-7 in conference play through six seasons and are 16-8-1 over the past two years
-The Chargers play nine home games in 2017, six of which will be in September...Lancaster Bible will play just one road game in New York this season due to new NEAC schedule where every team does not play each other during regular season...The Chargers do not play Keuka, SUNY Poly or SUNY Cobleskill during the regular season this year
-Former Lancaster Bible standout Josiah Groff ('13-'15) joins the staff as an assistant coach this season...Groff was NEAC Player of the Year in 2015
-This year's captains are Dom Baffone, Spencer Lockard and Justin Stoltzfus

Watch the 2017 Season Preview Interview with Head Coach Tom Ardt