NORTON, MA- As Wheaton College men's basketball head coach Brian Walmsley sees it, offense won't be lacking for the Lyons in 2008-09, as the 10 returning players averaged 61.2 points between them last year. The key will be on the other end of the court, as Walmsley is stressing defense and using his versatile roster to properly match up with any given opponent, whether fielding a big or small lineup.

"The guys know right now that our top priority is becoming a better defensive team," said the 12th-year coach, who brings a 170-128 record into the season. "It becomes a mindset once you get good at it. The guys now realize the importance of defense, something I don't think they realized last year. We'll become a better team once they buy into it and are disciplined on every single possession."

Following a 9-1 start last season, the youthful Lyons, who started three freshmen in 21 of 25 games, went 3-9 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play, suffering four league losses by four points or less. However, in the NEWMAC Tournament, the seventh-seeded Blue and White sprung a 78-74 upset at number-two Clark University in the first round, becoming the only team in league history to qualify for the semifinals nine times. In the semifinals, Wheaton jumped ahead of third-seeded United States Coast Guard Academy by 12 points during the second half before succumbing to the eventual tournament champion, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

After ending up 13-12 overall last winter, Wheaton's added youth has deepened the roster to 16 players, and Walmsley expects the freshmen to gradually gain minutes instead of being thrust into starting roles. "It's not like last year, where we needed to rely on the influx of freshmen to help us," said Walmsley. "We'll slowly integrate them into the lineup, and they'll give us a boost at certain spots. We brought in players who can help in every position, so there's a nice balance in the freshman class."

Walmsley is joined by fourth-year assistant coach Jon Gibbs and third-year assistant Mark Fierri, who returns to Wheaton after two years away. The trio is charged with guiding a roster that includes a quartet of fourth-year players and six newcomers, but the staff will be aided by two captains, hard-working senior guards Mark Sullivan (West Roxbury, MA/Catholic Memorial) and Patrick Youreneff (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery).

"They're excellent role models for the younger players," said Walmsley. "Their work ethic is consistent, they show up early and leave late every day, and they do all the little things. I appreciate them, and they absolutely have the respect of the team. They know they're not going to see as many minutes as the younger guys, but they've hung in there and had great attitudes, and that's why the players selected them as captains."

An outside threat, Sullivan appeared in 20 contests off the bench last season and is among a handful of players Walmsley plans to utilize at the guard spots. Youreneff provides veteran relief at the point after seeing action in 15 games as a junior.

Seniors Nick Michel (Hyde Park, MA/Boston Latin School) and Kristopher Pedra (Avon, CT/Avon) also return for their final seasons. Michel set a school record by shooting 62.8 percent last year while averaging 7.6 points and 4.8 rebounds as a back-to-the-basket post player and is tied for ninth in program history in career rejections (46). Pedra will contribute energetic defense on the wing as the team's most experienced player, having appeared in 75 contests. Classmate Geoff Fenelus (Brooklyn, NY/Hyde School) walked on to the team this season for his lone campaign with the Lyons and provides depth as a guard.

Jon Lecznar (Poland, ME/Poland Regional), Jaxon Leo (Leesburg, VA/New Hampton School) and Ben Stehle (Newton, MA/Newton South) comprise the junior class, as each lends size and strength to the squad. Walmsley looks for the 6-6 Lecznar and 6-7 Stehle to make their presence felt on the defensive end and help the cause on the boards, while the 6-4 Leo is a guard who will be asked to match up with taller, more physical players.

One of the team's most well-rounded players, Leo turned in 11.4 points, 4.8 boards, 38 assists and 20 blocks last season while shooting 45.3 percent from the floor and a school-record 90.9 on free-throw tries. Lecznar swatted 10 shots last year despite appearing for just 7.3 minutes per game in his 21 contests, while Stehle was limited to 12 games due to injuries. When healthy, he showed his potential by notching a double-double in 21 minutes against a physical Coast Guard team on February 6 before collecting 17 points and 10 caroms in 23 minutes at Clark on February 23.

A trio of expected starters comes out of the sophomore class, as Anthony Coppola (Watertown, MA/Watertown), Bobby Perry (East Providence, RI/East Providence) and Ryan Sasso (Peabody, MA/Bishop Fenwick) joined each other in the starting lineup 11 times during the 2007-08 season.

The offense about which Walmsley is unconcerned revolved around Coppola last year, regardless of whether by design. The NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, who earned regional newcomer honors from D3hoops.com and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), canned 85 three-pointers and had 11 20-point games while averaging 20.0 points. His 13 teammates combined for 98 threes and one 20-point contest.

"Last year, it wasn't that we wanted Anthony to score 20 points a game, it's just the way games turned out," said Walmsley. "That being said, Anthony is a special scorer, so he's going to score, but we need more players to step up and create a balanced attack. We have enough guys who are capable of becoming consistent scorers, and it could be two or three different guys stepping up any given night."

Coppola, whose laurels included D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region and NEWMAC All-Conference honors as a freshman, tied the school record with four 30-point games last year, recorded the second-best three-pointer and three-point shooting (.472) figures in program history, and scored 500 points, becoming the second Lyon freshman to do so. Nationally, Coppola finished second among all Division III freshmen in three-point shooting, third in points and tied for third in threes. He led the team in scoring a Wheaton-freshman-record 18 times.

Perry and Sasso, who was the only Lyon to start all 25 games, provide versatility as combo guards, capable of both handling the ball and adding a scoring punch. Perry averaged 2.2 helpers while playing a little more than 20 minutes per contest, while Sasso turned in 8.9 points and is considered by his coach to be one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the NEWMAC. Completing the sophomore class is Chris Shane (Casco, ME/Lake Region), a guard who gives Wheaton another shooter off the bench in his first season with the program.

Four freshmen join ranks and should help in one facet or another. Shawn Daily (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Saint Michael Academy), a 6-6 center, has shown good hands for a post and gives Wheaton a big frame off the bench, while Brendan Degnan (Narragansett, RI/Bishop Hendricken) is another combo guard and won four high school championships while running the point. Bruno Naylor (Los Angeles, CA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) is a 6-5 forward with a knack for perimeter play but should also use his lanky body to help in the rebounding department. Walmsley looks for Anthony Weeks (Fitchburg, MA/Worcester Academy) to be the most versatile of the newcomers, as the 6-2 guard is able to defend four different positions.

Walmsley expects the Lyons to improve upon last year's seventh-place conference finish despite opponents being tough across the board in the competitive NEWMAC. Wheaton's 25-game regular season slate includes a pair of meetings in conference play with Coast Guard, which is receiving votes in the D3hoops.com preseason national poll, and three total contests against 2008 NCAA Tournament participants Salem State College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), last year's NEWMAC Tournament runner up and regular season champ. Wheaton's slate also includes Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament finalist Emerson College and The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Tournament runner-up Roger Williams University.

The Lyons take part in three regular season tournaments, including making a trip to New York University in late December before trekking to Trinity College in early January. Wheaton's season begins on Saturday at the Days Inn of Campton Tip-Off Tournament at Plymouth State University.