BROOKVILLE, N.Y. — New coach. New conference. Same lofty expectations.

The LIU men's lacrosse team begins regular-season practices on Wednesday in advance of its Feb. 11 season opener at Merrimack.

And first-year coach Jordan Levine is bullish on his squad.

"I'm excited," said Levine, who guided Mercy College to the Division II national championship game a year ago. "Coming into the fall, there were a lot of unknowns — getting to know the guys, them getting to know me, and getting comfortable with each other and developing those relationships. Now we're familiar.

"I thought there was a lot of positive energy in the fall. We feel confident that we are going to be able to compete."

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Blake Behlen and Richie LaCalanda, who combined to produce nearly 41 percent of the Sharks' goals a season ago, have departed. But Levine looks forward to showing off other weapons, including Tom von Bargen, James Butler, Marcin Maleski, Nick Colantonio, Owen Stefanko, Mark Regan, Brad Beck, Jake Gillis, Sean Boll and Sean Kennedy.

That bulk of that group competed and looked strong in fall scrimmages against Vermont and Bryant.

"I think we're going to do it collectively," Levine said. "Obviously we lost some talented players, but I was impressed with the way we competed in our scrimmages this past fall. There were lots of good decisions, ball movement and high-percentage shots, where all six guys are touching the ball.

"Really, we can hurt you from a number of different spots. I think we'll be more balanced, perhaps, than in the past — where our midfield is really strong and can initiate scoring and our attackmen are high-level finishers who can put the ball in the net."

LIU will tune up for the regular-season opener with scrimmages at Fairfield on Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. and at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium on the Post campus against Penn and Adelphi on Feb. 4 beginning at 11:30 a.m. 

Those scrimmages will help the staff to determine who starts in goal in the opener. Two-time NEC Defensive Player of the Year Will Mark has departed, leaving Levine and assistants Kyle Hayes, Troy Reh and Robert Norton with a bevy of options — albeit only one, Marquette transfer Sean Richard, who has started a collegiate game.

"We're still evaluating," Levine said. "Sean Gillman did a nice job in the fall. Jasper Simon is a talented freshman. John Ruddick is an experienced guy back there. Mike Murro is talented. He was hurt most of the fall. He's healthy and back. And then we added Sean Richard from Marquette.

"That's going to be a real competition that we'll evaluate all preseason."

A strong defensive corps, anchored by returnees Nicholas Davide, Karl LaCalandra, Nick Grant and Matt Riveira, will help whichever goalie emerges.

"They're all returnees who played significant minutes for us last year and did a really good job for us this past fall," Levine said. "AJ Volkmann, Nick Kasica and freshman Tyler Davide also had really good falls defensively. And in the defensive midfield, Tommy Ramsey, Zander Hauck, Ryan Hunt, Henry Flocco, Jacob Arato and freshman Brian Allen Jr. all did a really nice job in the fall. I think the depth of our defensive midfield is a strength for us."

LIU now will compete in men's lacrosse in the MAAC as an associate member, along with a handful of other former NEC members.

"It's competitive," Levine said. "In the last 10 years, you've had multiple teams win the championship. It hasn't been one team that's dominated. Each year it's a fight to win that conference and get a bid to the NCAA Tournament."