GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College men's lacrosse team will open its second campaign this Friday night when the Pioneers travel to Melbourne, Florida to take on the Florida Tech Panthers.

Tusculum director of lacrosse and men's head coach Richard Carrington returns 16 lettermen, including six of the team's top goal scorers from the program's inaugural squad that posted a 5-8 overall record. Tusculum was one of six new NCAA Division II men's lacrosse programs last year. Tusculum five wins were the highest victory total for any first-year D-II program in 2014.

ATTACK

Tusculum opens their second season of competition with an experienced groupof returners led by attack duo of Ben Boyd and KellenAsmundson.

Boyd, a sophomore from Bel Air, Maryland, led the Pioneers in goals scored (26 - 11th in SAC) and points (34 - T18th in SAC). He also finished third on the team with eight assists to go along with his 35 ground balls and two man-up goals.

Asmundson, a sophomore from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, finished second on the team with 22 goals (17th in SAC) and fourth with seven assists for his 29 points.

These sophomores will be pushed by three talented freshmen who will be entering the fray for the Black and Orange this year.

Andrew Kransberger, a freshman from Grand Rapids, Michigan, racked up 367 points during his varsity career at Forest Hills Central High School where he was a two-time High School All-America selection.

Chris Ryan was the 2013 Greater Middlesex Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-County first team choice at Old Bridge High School in New Jersey. Ryan garnered All-State distinction as a senior and he finished his outstanding prep career with 171 goals.

Dallas Wade comes to Tusculum from Victoria, British Columbia, where he competed for the Claremont Secondary School and was also member of the Victoria Junior A Shamrocks.

MIDFIELD

The Pioneer midfield returns the bulk of its scoring from a year ago, including seniors Jack Timerson and Steven Raimondi.

Timerson, a native of Newark, New York, finished fourth on the team with 11 goals, while his 10 assists were the second-most on the squad.

Raimondi, a product of Amherst, New York, recorded seven goals and four assists to along with his 18 ground balls. Raimondi holds the distinction in scoring the first game-winning goal in Tusculum's history.

Three freshmen look to add depth to the position.

Nate Wade, a 6-2, 215-pounder from Victoria, British Columbia, was member of back-to-back provincial championship teams at Claremont Secondary School, along with his cousin Dallas who is also a newcomer on the Tusculum roster. Nate Wade played his box lacrosse with the Victoria Junior A Shamrocks where he accounted for 17 goals and nine assists.

Jordan Fuller, a freshman from Cincinnati, Ohio, brings his duel sport athleticism to Tusculum from Walnut Hills High School, where he starred on the lacrosse and football teams.

Chris McDaniel, a product of Charlottesville, Virginia, joins the Pioneers after helping Albemarle High School win their first state championship.

Sophomore midfielder Alexander Kleinberg returns as Tusculum's statistical leader at the face-off X. The Bel Air, Maryland product led the team with his 74 face-off wins, which were ninth in the conference. He also accounted for one goal, two assists and 43 ground balls which were third on the team.

Kleinberg will be pushed by Nate Wade, Chris McDaniel and freshman Logan Hafling. Hafling, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, specialized in face-offs at Male Traditional High School while also serving as team captain for the Bulldogs.

DEFENSE

Slated to anchor the Tusculum defense once again is All-South Atlantic Conference defenseman Mitchell Chapman. The Oshawa, Ontario native caused a team-high 23 turnovers, which were tied for the second most in the league. Chapman also finished sixth in the SAC with 51 ground balls and 11th with his four man-up goals. The 2015 Preseason All-Conference first team pick was one of only two players on the team to start in all 13 games last year. He tied for sixth on the team in goals (7) and fifth in assists (6)... His 13 total points were also sixth-best on the squad.

Sophomore defenseman Jake Smith played in all 13 games for the Pioneers, including 12 starts a year ago where finished second on the squad with 21 caused turnovers. The Canandiagua, New York native scored two goals and posted an assist for his three points.

Bel Air, Maryland junior Tyler Schafer caused 17 turnovers for the Pioneers defense and also recorded 24 ground balls.

Sophomore CooganLethco rounds out the defensive returners for the Pioneers. The St. Augustine, Florida native caused nine turnovers and posted 17 grounds balls, while scoring two goals, including a game-winner in his first TC campaign.

Three new faces will be on the Tusculum defense this season. Waldorf, Maryland rookie Eric Varlas is a speedy LSM from North Point High School where he was an All-County selection. He was named his team's defensive MVP and was the recipient of the Scholar Athlete Award.

Memphis, Tennessee native Caleb Hilliard was a two-sport athlete at Lausanne Collegiate Varsity where he competed in football and lacrosse. Hilliard earned All-State distinction and twice served as team captain.

Ethan Merrow a product of Hoschton, Georgia, brings a high lacrosse IQ and leadership experience to the Pioneer defense. At Mills Creek High School, Merrow was a starting LSM and helped the team win its first regional championship as a junior.

GOALIE

The Tusculum goaltending unit has undergone a complete overhaul for the 2015 season. Last year's starter, John Perrucci transitions into his role as a student-assistant in charge of goalie management.

Battling for this season's starting position will be freshman Nash Via and sophomore transfer Kevin Haggerty. Via (Columbia, S.C.) captained his team at Ridge View High School and he has experience directing younger squads.

Haggerty (Suffern, N.Y.) starred in goal at Suffern High School before graduating and joining the legendary program at Onondaga Community College as he helped the Lazers capture their sixth consecutive National Junior College Championship.

"We're very excited about the potential of this year's team. Last season, it took us about 10 or 11 games to find our identity," said Coach Carrington. "We enter this season with more defined objectives and a better sense of who we are as a team. We return more productivity than most teams in the country, and the new recruits have only elevated the intensity and quality of our practices."

The Pioneers open the season with three straight road contests with two of those coming this weekend in Florida. Following Friday's opener at Florida Tech, Tusculum will make the short jaunt to Tampa on Sunday to take on the fourth-ranked Spartans, who are coming off an appearance in the NCAA II national semifinal.

Tusculum will host Ohio Valley University in the Pioneers' home opener on Feb. 28.

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