After posting its highest victory total in three seasons last spring, the Massachusetts Maritime men’s lacrosse team is looking to continue that success during the 2013 campaign, as third-year Head Coach Rory Deegan welcomes back 16 letterwinners and six starters ready to take on the challenges of the Pilgrim League.

Deegan, a former standout at Division I Manhattan College, will look to blend a mix of experienced veterans with solid newcomers that dot his roster this season, and he will look to leadership from a quartet of upperclassmen:  seniors Dan Langley (Abington, Mass./South Shore Voke), Jake Simpson (Scituate, Mass./South Shore Regional) and Jake Lennon (Bourne, Mass./Bourne); junior Paul Painten (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) and sophomore Dylan Freudenberg (Islip, N.Y./St. Anthony’s), who will serve as Massachusetts Maritime’s captains in 2013.  Deegan describes this group as “focused on the goals we have both on and off the field.  They have great respect for the tradition of this program and of the Academy, and they continue to provide the example that I want our student-athletes to emulate.”

Here’s a look at how things are shaping up for the 2013 edition of Buccaneer Men’s Lacrosse:

ATTACK.  Freudenberg and fellow sophomore Drew Prowse (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) combined for 59 points as rookies to lead Massachusetts Maritime in scoring, as Prowse collected 20 goals and 10 assists while Freudenberg chipped in with 21 markers and eight helpers.  Fellow sophomore Adam Palilonis (Hightstown, N.J./Peddie School) also shined during his inaugural season with four goals and 11 assists for 15 points up front for the Buccaneers, while juniors Daniel Sibbald (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) and Chris Bergau (Merritt Island, Fla./Melbourne Central Catholic) lend additional experience after recording six goals and two assists, respectively.  Freshman Pat Clifford (Norwood, Mass./Norwood) will be vying for time on attack as well during his rookie campaign.

MIDFIELD.  Langley and fellow senior John Hojnoski (West Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) are a formidable duo in the middle for Deegan, as Hojnoski ranked third on the team in scoring with 13 goals and four assists for 17 points while Langley tallied eight times and added a helper for nine points.  Simpson and sophomore Jack Forcier (Medford, Mass./Medford) combined for three goals and five points in 2012, while junior Thomas Flynn (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) notched an assist in 12 contests.  Sophomore Dillon Jones (Sagamore Beach, Mass./Bourne), along with freshmen C.J. Hanson (Melrose, Mass./Melrose), Conor Boudart (Myersville, Md./Middletown), Nicholas Foley (Kingston, Mass./Silver Lake), Anthony Kurylak (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth), Sean Staples (Norwell, Mass./Norwell), Matthew Montuori (Framingham, Mass./Framingham), Nicholas Defuria (Succasanna, N.J./Roxbury) and Joseph Green (Brimfield, Mass./Tantasqua Regioinal), will be looking for midfield spots as well for the Buccaneers this spring.

DEFENSE.  Lennon and sophomore Kyle Gavoni (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) pace Massachusetts Maritime’s defensive corps, as each appeared in all 16 matches last spring while adding an assist on the offensive side.  Juniors Fernando Harrington (East Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) and Stephen Ferro (South Deerfield, Mass./Frontier Regional), along with sophomore Josh White (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield), provide additional experience after posting a combined 30 match appearances for Deegan in 2012, while senior Derek Mucciarone (Franklin, Mass./Tri-County) and freshmen Robert Cavanaugh (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North), Ryan Green (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford), Cody Cafarelli (Burlington, Mass./Masconomet Regional) and Jamie Foy (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) will look to bolster the Buccaneer defensive unit this season.

GOAL.  Painten returns between the pipes for Deegan after recording four victories in 14 contests to go with a .586 saves percentage (178 total stops) and a 10.91 goals against average in nearly 693 minutes of play.  Freshman James Klose (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Saint Joseph) will compete for time in the Massachusetts Maritime cage during his rookie campaign.

SCHEDULE.  The Buccaneers will play six contests in the friendly confines of Clean Harbors Stadium, hosting SUNY-Cobleskill, Plymouth State, Babson, Clark and MIT on Cape Cod while also serving as the home squad for their annual match with Maine Maritime in Portland, Maine.  Massachusetts Maritime hits the road for eight matches during the regular season, including clashes with SUNY-Maritime, Salem State, Springfield and Wheaton.