BANGOR – As Husson College men’s basketball coach Warren Caruso steps into his first season as the Braves official head coach, he faces a tougher schedule with a less seasoned squad than the team has had in years past.

Yet with two of six freshmen slated to start right away, Caruso, who served as interim coach last year for the now retired Bruce MacGregor, is confident the Braves will win the Maine Athletic Conference championship for the third year in a row.

Caruso’s reasons for optimism are senior captains Rick Sinclair and Bryan Jefferson and juniors Tony Tobin and Brian Alley. Jefferson, an honorable mention All-American, and Sinclair, a second team all-conference pick, averaged 12.3 and 13.2 points per game, respectively, last year.

Then there are rookies Chris Funk of Caribou, a first-team All-State pick, and Mike McCaffrey of Glassboro, N.J., the younger brother of former Duke star Billy McCaffrey. Funk and McCaffrey averaged 25 and 21 ppg, while Funk averaged 14 rebounds and McCaffrey five.

Funk said when he was recruited by the Braves he was told of the significant role he’d play in his first year, but he had no idea of the immediacy with which he’d be needed. He welcomes the challenge.

“My initial reaction – it was surprising,” Funk said. “I had some idea how much I’d be needed, but not how quickly. It’s a great opportunity to step in as a freshman.”

Husson finished 23-9 last year and lost in the first round of the NAIA Division II National Tournament. Caruso, in his 12th year at Husson, said this year’s team can match last year’s success.

After four years as a player, six as an assistant coach under MacGregor and one as interim coach, Caruso knows the history of the program. He said this year’s freshman class is among the best the Braves have had.

“The younger guys are feeding off the veterans’ excitment and the veterans are getting energy from the freshmen’s enthusiasm,” Caruso said.

Senior starters Sinclair and Jefferson agree the freshmen already have proven they’ll add offensive power. Jefferson said Funk and McCaffrey both have shown a strong outside shot in practice.

“This year we’ll be as good as last year, if not better,” Jefferson said. “There’s no selfishness on this team, the ball gets shared a lot.”

When the Braves face St. Francis Xavier Friday, they’ll have a chance to see how well the rookies and veterans gel under pressure. And they’ll need to find the right chemistry soon with games against No. 4-ranked Northwest Nazarene and No. 13-ranked Albertson College scheduled for Nov. 24 and 25th, respectively. What’s more, the Braves play 11 of their first 14 games on the road.

Still, Caruso and his captains are not worried.

“A lot more is expected of the freshmen than in year’s past,” Sinclair said. “Hopefully, we’ll be conference champs. If we play as well as we can, we will. Right now, off the court and on, we’re getting along well.”