Last year, the Southwestern University Pirates produced the most prolific offense in the history of Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) men's lacrosse with senior Kai Knight-Turcan setting the school record for career points (222) and goals (149).

This season, the Pirates could eventually be an even better team with one caveat: it's going to take some time.

"We had a lot of four-year starters graduate and their experience with what we were trying to do and the chemistry they had really allowed us to have a breakout season," Head Coach Bill Bowman said. "We still have some important pieces of the puzzle and we're very talented. But we're young."

The Pirates generated 486 points over 17 games last season, scoring 297 goals with 189 assists, producing with volume (780 shots attempted) and efficiency (.380 shot percentage) while setting school records in each category.

Southwestern thrives in chaos, speeding up the game to the point where schemes disappear and talent and creativity shine through.

"It's that fast-paced lacrosse that brought us all those points," Bowman said. "Playing in transition, playing unsettled and really letting the guys play free and loose and as unscripted as possible."

The Pirates return the engine of that attack in reigning SCAC Offensive Player of the Year, Zac Asbury. In his sophomore season, Asbury set single-season conference records in points (99) and assists (59). Now, the junior from Thousand Oaks, California has his sights set on school career records, entering the season with 181 career points.

Asbury is the sort of star who exerts enough gravity on opponents to tilt the field in the Pirates' favor, an effect exaggerated by the pace the Pirates play at, forcing defenders to make split-second decisions on the fly in a way that corrodes the bonds of a defense.

"His size, speed, and ability to process the game at a very fast pace makes him a special offensive player," Bowman said. "He understands how to pick defenses apart. He's the guy who can drive, attack, and keep his head up to find other people and get his teammates involved."

Asbury will be joined by sophomore Cody Foster, a talented attacker who transferred from NCAA Division I Jacksonville University last season, producing 28 points on 19 goals and nine assists in his first season with Southwestern.

"He's a very dynamic player for us and I only expect him to step into more of a leadership role on the field," Bowman said. "He is going to be a big part of what we do as far as getting all the other guys to do what we need to do from an offensive standpoint."

A missing component will be Benjamin Libby, an attacking midfielder who scored 32 points on 24 goals and eight assists in his sophomore season. The junior from San Antonio will miss this season as he battles cancer with hopes of returning next fall.

"He's a big part of our offense, a leader on the offense, so we're going to miss him," Bowman said. "We wish he could be here but life doesn't always work that way, so while he's fighting at home, we're going to do everything we can to let him know we're going to fight for him as much as possible."

Defensively, the team is anchored by senior Bailey Middleton, an All-SCAC First Team defender who compiled 27 groundballs and 19 forced turnovers last season, with long stick midfielder Tyler Santos, who won SCAC Newcomer of the Year last season, providing support and sophomore Alex Melitz stepping into his first year as a starter in the net.

"Our [long stick midfielders] are very good and we've added depth at that position," Bowman said. "And I think we have a good goalie stepping in with Alex. He is someone who has a lot of potential and understands the style of lacrosse we're trying to play and can help take us to the next level as far as moving the ball quickly."

The key to bridging the defense and offense so it all flows in one continuous, seamless attack is the versatility of defensive midfielders like sophomores Matt Minnick and Paul Zajac, who step into bigger roles this season.

"Honestly, our defensive midfielders could play offense for us but they're just so phenomenal on defense," Bowman said. "And the way the game is played now, they fit very well in that mold where they're threats when they need to be offensively and lockdown midfielders when we're on defense."

This season, more than any other, the Pirates' roster is stocked with talented depth, adding first years like midfielders Tyler Johnson, Blake Sitterly, and Tommy Saueressig, who Bowman says, "has the ability to take over a game if he wants to."

They also have the benefit of having sophomore Jack Doloszycki step into a bigger role, or bringing in a two-way player like Ryan Sambogna to bring the sort of roster fluidity needed to play at the chaotic pace the Pirates like to play. And the depth needed to compete with Colorado College, who perennially stands in the way of the Pirates and a conference championship.

"We've never had the depth. We might have a handful of guys who can play with their guys but then they'd just bring more people in," Bowman said. "We're finally at a roster size with depth and quality and it's starting to show."

Southwestern has talent but playing at high speeds requires chemistry and precise coordination honed through months of experience these Pirates don't yet have as a group. There's a fine line between controlled chaos and recklessness the men's lacrosse team will have to walk.

"When you have a young team, you can look like All-Americans one day and then the next, look like you've never played before," Bowman said. "For us, it's about being able to build up slowly and not have too many valleys that come with being young.

"If you were to watch us in our first or fifth game, then come back and watch us by the end of the year, you're going to see a different team."

With a record-breaking junior and a slew of talented sophomores and first years, the Pirates are a team that could be building towards a significant leap next season; all while having the talent and drive to demand your attention now.