ANNVILLE, Pa. - After graduating the first full recruiting class since men's lacrosse's re-establishment in 2010, Lebanon Valley is ready for the second wave of student-athletes to take the next step in the program's evolution. 

When LVC opens its season Saturday at 1 p.m. against Frostburg State at Arnold Field, it will do so without the 13 seniors that formed the backbone of the growing program over the past four seasons. But, head coach John Haus has found eighteen freshmen to mix in with 23 returners to make a young squad with only three seniors, led by captains Zane Brown, Jacques Mercer, and Chris Bergeron.

LVC welcomes two new assistant coaches for 2015 with Dan Frantz and AJ Johnson joining Haus' staff along with returning assistant Justin Keiffer. Frantz was a standout defenseman at Alvernia and spent last year as the defensive coordinator at St. Michael's College; Johnson joins LVC after a successful spell coaching prep lacrosse in Philadelphia.

The Dutchmen were picked fifth in the Commonwealth Conference preseason poll but have the chance to surprise the league if their units can gel early on in the season.

ATTACK
LVC's leading returning playmaker on attack is senior Matt Lubawski, who was second on the team last year with 12 assists to go with his six goals. He'll lead a unit that brings back juniors Klayton Garman (who scored 21 goals as a freshman but missed last season due to injury) and Kyle Robins (1 G, 2A in 2014), along with sophomore Baker Landon (2G, 2A in 2014). The attack adds sophomore Mars Hill transfer Brett Kudlak and freshmen Alex Bushong, Grant Cox, and Adam Filbert. 

MIDFIELD
Haus will have plenty of choice in making up his midfield units, with captains Mercer and Bergeron leading the way with senior Matt Aldridge. Mercer scored two goals with two assists last year and Bergeron made 14 appearances. Aldridge is LVC's leading returning scorer with seven goals and two assists last year, while Austin Minnich had three goals in 10 starts a year ago. Juniors Andy Thurby and face-off man Jeremy Beaver (.522 last year) join three members of last year's promising freshman class in looking to step up: Austin Farwell (15 appearances, 1 start), Tristan Kalinay (2G, 1A), and Cooper Gerus (3 G), and sophomore Ryan Peugh joins the program. LVC adds freshmen Koty Keefer, James Higginbotham, Michael Butcher, John Kolp, Eli Hudson, Brian Kilonsky, and Mason Hoff as well.

DEFENSE
Two-year starter Zane Brown captains the defense with 17 caused turnovers and 39 ground balls in his career, and he is joined by four other returners: senior Dan Weinel, juniors Bobby Doughty and Patrick Markovic, and sophomore Mac Meyer. Weinel has 19 career appearances for the Dutchmen, while Doughty appeared in 10 games as a first-year sophomore and Markovic is coming off five starts in 12 games last season. Meyer recorded four appearances as a freshman. The defensive unit will be bolstered by the arrival of seven freshmen: Morgan Kenworthy, Adam Browning, Andrew Cox, Blake Weaver, Coleman Wagner, Jack Wallace and Ryan Muller.

GOALKEEPING
The graduations of Mike Moll '14 and Kevin Krasley '14 leaves LVC without a goalkeeper with game experience. Sophomores Kevin Masterson, Eric Wilcoxson, and Sam Peters will battle with freshman Dillon Dunn for the starting spot.