“It’s going to be a lot different than last year,” Stehle says. “I like our chances. We were picked seventh in the league, and that’s fine. No one’s really going to look out for us, and we’re going to surprise some people.”

Opposing teams may not be looking out for Harvard, but they’ll certainly have an eye on Stehle.

When you finish in the top 10 in the league in virtually every statistical category—including second in field goal percentage, third in rebounding, seventh in steals and 10th in scoring—it’s hard for opponents not to take notice.

For a player who entered last season with almost no expectations placed upon him, 2004 will be a chance for Stehle to prove that he can contribute to a winning team while playing against collegiate defenses primed to shut him down.

“I hope they do key on me—it’s going to make my job a lot easier,” Stehle said. “That’s just going to open [the court] up.”

Stehle, well-known for his passing abilities, will be more than willing to find open teammates if defenses collapse on him.

“If anything he should shoot more and pass less. He’s always been like that,” Killilea says.

This year, Stehle will have another, larger target to assist in Cusworth, the 7’ center who returns to the starting lineup after a year lost to a foot fracture. Cusworth’s presence will free Stehle to move permanently to his more natural spot at power forward and create a powerful frontcourt tandem that has the potential to dominate the Ivy League.

“The strength of our team is with those two players,” Sullivan says. “I think the dynamic between the two of them will be good.”

Stehle is already excited about teaming with the big man.

“We haven’t proven anything yet, but...there’s something wrong if at the end of the season our front court isn’t considered the best in the league.”

His expectations for himself and the team have been set high for a reason—he doesn’t want to be talking about frustration again next November. Only victories, and lots of them, will accomplish that goal.

“The main thing is just to win,” Stehle says. “The pressure is there to win.”

And if there was ever a man hungry to do just that, it would surely be Stehle.