ANNVILLE, Pa. - With four starters back, including first-team all-Commonwealth point guard Joe Meehan running the floor, Lebanon Valley expects to contend in a league that looks to have a great deal of parity in 2010-11.

The Dutchmen (11-14 last year) open the season Monday night at York College before hosting the Rinso Marquette Tournament Nov. 19-20.

Looking at last year's record, one might be deceived into thinking things were gloomier than they were. But the reality was, the Dutchmen dropped five games by two points or less, and lost two more in overtime. And despite all that, the Dutchmen were right in the thick of things; they sported the CC's top defense (.408) and missed the playoffs by a single game.

Now, with a year of experience under the belts of what was a young starting line-up, and with the loss of just one everyday player, coach Brad McAlester returns for his 17th season with high expectations.

Meehan, a junior, will lead the offense as he has for the past two seasons. The point guard added to his already impressive résumé last year, ranking third in the conference in scoring (16.6 ppg) and assists (5.0 apg) and sixth in steals (1.92 spg) as he played more than 36 minutes per game. He also provided one of the highlights of the year when he hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer (three of his 23 total) to upset #6 Franklin & Marshall at home.

Senior Sean MacIntosh is the only other returner to have started all 25 games last year, and he averaged 9.9 ppg with a team-best 48 three-pointers. A dead-eye longball shooter, he was second in the league in three-point shooting percentage (.440) and fifth in treys made as he complemented Meehan's hard-nosed inside drives with his outside shot.

Senior Anthony Trautman started 14 games a year ago and averaged 5.1 points per game, and he has the ability to play bigger than his size on defense; he averaged 2.7 rpg and was second on the team with 10 blocks. Junior Jordan Stewart, who started six games and averaged 6.8 ppg last year, is another option at guard. With guard play at a premium in LVC's dribble-drive system, Stewart's emergence in 2009-10 was valuable as he shot 43.3% from the field and generated 31 steals, second on the team.

Junior Cameron Prince also saw significant time, starting seven games and averaging 4.1 ppg in his first season with the team. Sam Diaz will be a speedy option for McAlester off the bench, , as well.

In the frontcourt, LVC has to absorb the loss of Dan Dunkelberger '10 (10.6 ppg/9.9 rpg), but they return several players with impact potential, including starting small forward Grant Becker. Becker, limited to 21 games due to injury, averaged 6.6 ppg and 4.9 rpg on the inside last year, and he will pair with 6-6. 210-pound forward/center Danny Brooks, who went for 3.8 ppg/2.3 rpg in 24 games as a freshman.

Another forward looking for time is Zach Kebetz, who had a breakout 2009-10 as a versatile big man who can shoot from the outside. As a junior, Kebetz rang up 26 three-pointers and shot 48.4% from beyond the arc as part of his 5.3 ppg, and he also grabbed 2.5 rpg on the inside.

LVC will bring in three freshmen, and they also get back 6-4 combo Matt O'Brien, who missed all of his freshman year with an ACL injury. The newcomers including 6-4 forward Joey Giangiobbe and guards Logan Walters and Tim Filer, all of whom could be contributers off the bat.