As the men's lacrosse season opener inches closer, DetroitTitans.com will have daily position previews for the upcoming 2011 season.

Goalies Preview

Face-Offs Preview

DETROIT -- The Titans should be sound in the midfield with a number of seasoned players returning to the unit. Offensively, the midfield has two very strong lines, while defensively, Detroit returns a pair of talented LSM's.

“We have a lot of guys returning who have established themselves as good players who continue to improve,” said head coach Matt Holtz. “I think the experience these guys have built up in the last two years will really help us, and we will add some freshmen to the mix who have really stepped up.”

The Titans will look to senior Matt Gregson (Flint, MI/Powers Catholic) to once again provide an offensive punch. Gregson led Detroit in scoring with 15 goals and 10 assists in UDM's inaugural season in 2009, and he came back last year to tally 23 goals and post 31 points. He also has 71 ground balls to his credit in two seasons.

Playing alongside Gregson will be junior Tim Lehto (Farmington, MI/North Farmington), who netted 13 goals and had eight assists last season for 21 points. Lehto showed tremendous improvement from his freshman campaign of 2008, where he totaled just two points on two helpers.

The third spot on the first line is still a battle in camp with a number of freshmen looking to make an impact.

“They are our top players at the position,” said Holtz. “Gregson had 20 goals last year and we probably need him to go over 25 and into 30, while Lehto went from not scoring to getting 13 goals last year so he continues to work hard and improve.”

The Titans' second line looks to be made up of juniors Ty Maruyama (Lakewood, CO/Green Mountain) and John Nowicki (Clinton Twp., MI/De La Salle) and sophomore Chris Nemes (Novi, MI/Detroit Catholic Central). Maruyama, one of the Titans' five team captains, had five goals on just 11 shots last season, while Nowicki added eight scores and nine assists for 17 points. Nemes enjoyed a fine freshman season with 10 goals and five helpers, while adding 12 ground balls.

“I think that the second line of Nowicki, Ty and Nemes is really coming together,” said Holtz. “They played together a lot last year and they have really shelled as a group.”

The Titans will have plenty of depth and options on its roster and players who will also battle for substantial playing time in junior Adam Parrottino (Troy, MI/De La Salle Collegiate), sophomore Stephen Mastracci (Auburn Hills, MI/Avondale), redshirt freshman Nick Schesnuk (Chesterfield, MI/De La Salle) and rookies, Matt Lining (Troy, MI/Troy Athens), Joe MacClean (Bloomfield Hills, MI/Detroit Country Day), Troy Dennis (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin), Tim Robertson (Waterford, MI/Notre Dame Prep.), Drew Schupbach Clarkston, MI/St. Mary's) and Vince Indiano (Fishers, IN/Cathedral).

Defensively, junior captain Brad Janer (Novi, MI/Detroit Catholic Central) returns to stabilize the Titans as one of their defensive midfielders. Janer is a do-it-all type player who has notched five goals, two assists, 40 ground balls and caused eight turnovers in his first two years in a Titan uniform.

“On transition mode and on defense, Janer is as good as a defensive middie as there is in our conference,” added Holtz.

The Titans are very talented with the long pole as senior and team captain Tim Shoemaker (Rochester, MI/Rochester) is back along with sophomore Jordan Houtby (St. Catharines, ON/Holy Cross Secondary), UDM's Defensive Player of the Year last season. Shoemaker picked up 22 ground balls a year ago and has 40 in his career to go with 14 caused turnovers, a goal and two assists.

Houtby made a major impact as he finished second on the squad in GB's (53), while leading the MAAC, and all Division I freshmen, with 32 caused turnovers. He also ended up among the nation's leaders finishing sixth in the country in caused TO's with 2.13 per game.

“Houtby and Shoemaker are our 1-2 guys at that position. Each guy really has his own strengths and weaknesses. In the open field, I think Shoemaker is a bit better as well as on the wing in face-offs, but on the ball and covering a man, that is Houtby's biggest strength.”

Detroit will also see junior Adam Nolan (Ann Arbor, MI/Pioneer) get some time at LSM moving over from his defensive side, while freshmen Nick Garippa (Rochester Hills, MI/Notre Dame Prep), Kevin DiSalle (Pontiac, MI/Orchard Lake St. Mary's) and Max Zwolan (Ann Arbor, MI/Pioneer) will all add depth and look to make contributions.