POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 14, 2016) — The Vassar College men's basketball team jumpstarts its 2016-17 campaign against New Paltz on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Tipoff from the Athletics and Fitness Center is timed for 8 p.m.

Head coach B.J. Dunne, who is entering his fourth year with the program, looks to build upon last season, in which the Brewers advanced to the Liberty League Tournament.

Dunne will have the help of new assistant coach Matthew Fava, who replaced former assistant coach Mike McSloy. Together, they'll try to optimize a young team to its full potential.

"When you have youth, obviously we're going to have a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm," said Dunne, who has led the Brewers to the postseason two of the past three seasons. "We have a lot of guys who really love hoops and are gym rats. Our guys love to be around each other."

The team waved goodbye to two seniors in Erikson Wasyl and Johnny Mrlik, but welcomed an incoming class of five: Josh Brownridge, Hunter Gettings, Kyle Kappes, Mattie Mrlik and Owen Murray, who is expected to lead the Brewer offense at the point.

"This year, I think our team is trying to play an offensive style where we really stay within our play," said sophomore captain Alex Seff. "Don't try to push the pace too much, but get our plays down, so that we can run them to the best of our abilities."

The Brewers return guard Jesse Browne, who was named to the All-Liberty League Second Team after leading the team in points (15.6 per game), assists (2.3 per game) and steals (27) last season.

"We're a really great three-point shooting team," said Browne, a junior captain, "and I think we all play with a really high basketball IQ, so it's going to help us make quick and efficient reads, which will make us really hard to guard."

Helping Browne and Seff lead the team will be senior captain Mickey Adams, who also made a substantial impact last season, averaging 7.7 points and collecting 16 steals over 22 starts.

"Everyone's contributing in different ways," Adams said, "so it's a well-oiled machine."

The Brewers hope to continue to mesh as group, while capitalizing on individual strengths.  As a team, Dunne envisions the team not only enforcing a bulldog mentality, but also a patient one.

"For basketball purposes, we want to be tough," Dunne continued. "We're trying to be as physical as we can be. Offensively, we're going to be really skilled. We can really shoot the ball beyond the three-point line. Our goal is to make really good reads in game situations."

Following the season-opener, the Brewers will remain at home to host the Vassar Tip-off Tournament, which will feature competition from Johnson State, Lehman College and Keuka College.

Vassar will play one more game at home, against Maritime College on Nov. 22, before hitting the road for six. During that road trip, the Brewers will face New England Small College Athletic Conference opponents, Williams College and Wesleyan University, to open their December slate before ending 2016 with their first conference games of the season at Skidmore College and then Union College.

Vassar kicks off the New Year at home for five games before playing three of its next four on the road to end January. The Brewers return to Poughkeepsie for a pair of contests to open February, hit the road for another three and then conclude their regular-season slate at home against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Feb. 17.

"Our team goals this year are the same as last year," Seff said, "which is to play as hard as we can, win games and hopefully win the Liberty League Championship."