The 2004-05 Defiance College Yellow Jackets will hit the floor with hopes of making a climb in the HCAC standings after finishing with a 12-14 record in the ’03-’04 season. Hard work in the off-season and a prominent recruiting class are reasons that this version of DC Basketball can scale to those desired heights.

Head coach Jon Miller enters his second season and knows a thing or two about building winning programs after spending stints with DePauw and then Hanover College leading up to his arrival at the Karl H. Weaner Center. His staff includes assistant coaches Eddie Dreyer and Scott Cutter who both have a year of experience under their belts and a wealth of knowledge after playing careers and Mt. St. Joseph and Wilmington, respectively. Ralph Ruffer and Herb Laughman also join the staff in 2004. Laughman played under legendary DC coach Marv Hohenberger, while Ruffer brings his experience at Fairview High School to the table to aid in the DC ascent.

Seniors Matt Voland and Brett Hammons are, no question, the leaders for the Jackets. Voland was named All-HCAC first-team last season by averaging 11.4 points and 5.6 boards-per-game. The Columbus, Ohio native creates mismatches, being strong enough to muscle smaller defenders down low and can take taller defenders off the dribble on the perimeter. Hammons, a Convoy, Ohio native, averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in ’03-’04. The 6’4 forward has excellent outside touch and plays with intensity on the defensive side.

The junior class consists of Ottawa-Glandorf graduates Curt Croy and Matt Laudick, and Mishawaka, Indiana product Phil Blasko. Croy has averaged double-digit scoring as both a freshman and a sophomore and was named to the honorable-mention All-HCAC squad at the end of last season. The guard was the Heartland Conference ‘Freshman of the Year’ and a member of the Freshman All-American team two seasons ago. Laudick, at 6’5” uses his length to score with his back to the basket while also ranking second of last year’s team in rebounding. Blasko was first on the team in blocks with 19 and grabbed 3.5 boards-per-contest in 2004.

Ryan Farmer, from Wayland, Michigan, is a sharp-shooting sophomore that saw action in 16 games, averaging 3.1 points. Farmer and the rest of the returning Jackets are joined by a host of talented freshmen. Matt Muratori is a 6’4” forward from Clyde, Ohio. He will combine with fellow freshman forwards Tyler Neise (Ottawa, Ohio), Tyler Morningstar (Leo, Ohio), Joel Ruffer (Archbold, Ohio) and Mike Lentz (St. Joseph, Ind.) to build a stong, athletic base to the current and future DC frontcourt lineup. Jeremey Fruhwirth, from Beavercreek, Ohio, C.J. Johnson (Toledo, Ohio), Dustin Looser (Dephos, Ohio) and local product Trent Meyer (Deshler, Ohio) will learn from the upperclassmen like Croy and Farmer in ’04-’05 and contribute at the guard position.

The last two years have seen an emergence of players from the Junior Varsity squad with Croy in ’03 and Ryan Bruley in ’04. All of the following freshmen will compete day in and day out in practice and have a full slate of JV games to show their mettle; Cody Anderson (Oxford, Ind.), John Arnold (York, England), Nathan Beach (Delphi, Ind.), Robert Evans (Maple Heights, Ohio), Mike Fitch (Avon, Ohio), Brandon Hampton (Solon, Ohio), Ryan McClain (Sycamore, Ohio), Shawn Middleton (Indianapolis, Ind.), El-bay Williams (Solon, Ohio), and Bryan Post (St. Henry, Ohio).

All of the Yellow Jackets will face a tough road in the HCAC. Returning champion Hanover College returns several starters, while Franklin and Transylvania are both picked to finish near the top of the conference. DC opens the conference slate when they travel to Transylvania on January 5th.