Although no one on the coaching staff wanted to admit it, the Clarkson University Men’s Lacrosse team was due for a step back in 2010.

The Golden Knights lost three attackmen who had combined for 463 career points over the previous four seasons and had to replace them, and other graduated position players all over the field, with freshmen or green underclassmen.

However, that talented group that took its lumps last year has a season of experience now, and Clarkson is ready to return to the Liberty League Tournament in 2011.

Clarkson, guided by head coach Bill Bergan and assistants Don LaSala and Brian Hoey, scuffled to a 3-12 mark last season while playing the ninth toughest schedule in the country.

Twenty-seven battle-tested veterans, along with another talented group of newcomers, is poised to return to the conference championships, a spot that the Knights missed for the first time in seven years last season.

Last season’s Knights scored just 101 goals, the lowest total since the 2000 season and the smallest goals per game average since 1982, but if the season-opener is any indication (17 goals), Clarkson will not be challenged in that regard in 2011.

Junior Bryan Huff (Hillsborough, NJ), a Liberty League Second-Team All-Star, led the attack last season with 14 goals while adding in eight assists as the team’s second-leading scorer overall, and will be counted upon as an elder on the offensive side.

Sophomore Matt McCabe (Syracuse, NY), a Liberty League Honorable Mention All-Star took the honor as the team’s top overall offensive threat with a team-best 29 points on 13 goals and 16 assists. McCabe had plenty of company as a freshman thrown in the fire last year.

Classmate John Devine (Orchard Park, NY) scored nine goals as a first-year collegian last season, and sophomore Kyle Kasprzyk (Orchard Park, NY) was third on the team in assists with five. With a year’s worth of experience, the trio, along with Huff, should see a boost in its offensive production. Joining the attack is a solid group of newcomers to the Clarkson program. Graduate student Mike Fowler (Modena, NY) played for two seasons at Division I Marist College and is expected to play a key role for the Knights.

Freshmen Peter Goss (Jamesville, NY), James Wright (Cazenovia, NY), Cody Kilcoyne (Brasher Falls, NY), and sophomore Shane Martin (Camillus, NY) will add plenty of depth to the offense.

Clarkson’s midfield offers more experience than the attack with several players that have served the Knights for three years. Senior Tyler Long (Liverpool, NY) scored 11 goals as an offensive midfielder while classmate Mitch Collins (Baldwinsville, NY) topped him with 12 goals. Juniors Eric Gollands (Chelmsford, MA) and Matt Cyr (Cheshire, CT) each scored 10 times for the Knights, adding to Clarkson’s offensive versatility from the midfield. The upperclassmen don’t stop there for the Golden Knights in the midfield, as the leadership from the center of the field should be outstanding. Senior Evan Miles (Onondaga, NY) produced six points on three goals and three assists and Mike Simmons (Clinton, CT), another senior, added six points along with 30 groundballs. Junior Corey Flanigan (Rochester, NY) is the top returning player for groundballs, as he scooped up 32 as a sophomore to rank second on the team in 2010. Sophomores Brendon Shearin (Goffstown, NH) and Jeff Sciera (DeWitt, NY) were another pair of offensive-minded midfielders who combined for nine goals and three assists while playing in each of the 15 contests last year. Junior Tim Sweeney (Highland, NY) and sophomores Kane Henderson (West Linn, OR) and Jamie Stuhlinger (New Hartford, NY) combined to play in 28 games and will look for more time in 2011.

Seniors Jon Furgal (New Hartford, NY) and Josh Flacke (Schenectady, NY) have huge frames for the faceoff circle and won a combined 100 faceoffs in 2010, a number they wish to increase further in their final collegiate season.

Junior Pat Kilday (Westford, MA) came up just one short in winning half of his 28 faceoff attempts as well.

Freshmen Brendan Pieszak (Lake View, NY), Sean Mech (Mahwah, NJ), Jack Keenan (Brasher Falls, NY), Dan Liddy (LaFayette, NY), and Tim Krauss (Niskayuna, NY) will bolster an already formidable group of midfielders.

Senior Mike Perkins (Baldwinsville, NY), a former conference all-star as a long stick midfielder, had 27 groundballs last year and leads the team’s defensive corps. Classmate Casey Dickinson (Mannsville, NY) was a first-year transfer last year and will also help shore up the defense.

Junior Matt Davidson (Hilton, NY) was among the team leaders in groundballs last season with 23 and should increase that number this year as he already picked up five in the season-opener. Classmate Shane Farrell (Webster, NY) also played in all 15 games last year, grabbing 14 groundballs.

Sophomore Bob Hennessey (Baldwinsville, NY) played in six games in 2010 as well, adding to the team’s veteran chops.

Also looking to receive playing time defending the Clarkson cage will be freshmen Dylan Caldiero (Buffalo, NY), Vince Cassella (Niskayuna, NY), Steve Brodhead (Syracuse, NY), Brian Freeland (East Berlin, CT), and Rick Clement (Cotuit, MA), as well as sophomore newcomer Tyler O’Brien (Liverpool, NY).

Clarkson had three freshmen goalkeepers last year competing for playing time, and the trio did well considering it was their first collegiate competition.

Sophomore Ryan Cole (Orchard Park, NY) emerged as a Liberty League Honorable Mention All-Star, posting 100 saves and a .552 save percentage in over 500 minutes of action.

Sophomore Kyle Hohmann (Rochester, NY) started five games and played over 300 minutes, making 62 saves in seven contests, and classmate Pat Briggs (Baldwinsville, NY) made three stops in his one game.