ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Grand Valley State University men’s lacrosse team has named its captains for 2016 and seniors Seth Kuehnl and Peter Treppa were selected, along with juniors Erick Sundstrom, Alec Bain and Joey Seiler for the upcoming campaign.

The Lakers, tabbed seventh in the MCLA preseason poll, will open up their season with a trio of games against top-tier opponents in Nashville, Tenn., during the weekend of March 4-6. GVSU will play No. 11 Florida Gulf Coast (2-0) in it’s season-opener before playing No. 5 St. John’s (1-0) the following day. The Lakers will finish the weekend with a matchup against No. 14 Kennesaw State (2-0).

“Each year, we try to put together the most competitive schedule possible,” said GVSU coach Tim Murray. “We enjoy the challenge of playing the best teams in the nation, and believe it helps prepare us for a potential post-season run.

“We are really relying on our experienced players to set the tone for our team this season. They know what kind of work it takes for us to get where we want to go at the end of the year.”

The Lakers will play eight teams ranked in the most recent MCLA Under Armour Coaches Poll during the course of their 2016 regular-season campaign.

GVSU has won five consecutive CCLA championships, and seeks its seventh-consecutive bid to the MCLA National Tournament powered by Under Armour. During that span, the Lakers have advanced to the national semifinals three times and won the 2014 national championship.

Treppa, a senior defenseman from L’anse Creuse High, was named a first team All-American in each of the past two seasons, and was also a captain in 2015.

“It means a lot to me being seen as a leader for the new group, and representing our program as a whole, for both the current team as well as teams in the past,” Treppa said. “Our team has bought into the process of coming together as a team. We know we only have so many chances to accomplish our goals.”

Kuehnl, a senior midfielder from Brighton High, has accounted for more than 30 points in each of the past two seasons. He has also garnered both all-conference and All-American honors during his Laker career.

“[Being selected captain by teammates] means the world to me because I think so highly of them,” Kuehnl said. “It’s my job to lead by example and make sure we are always headed in the right direction.”

Recognized as a 2016 MCLA Preseason Player of the Year candidate, Sundstrom looks to improve on a 57-point (45g, 12a) season last year, which earned him All-American honors from his attack position. Bain, a midfielder from Hartland High, has proven himself as a steady player throughout his career and does what it takes for the team to be successful, according to Murray.

“[Bain] is the ultimate ‘glue guy' for our program,” Murray said. “He doesn’t get the fanfare or notoriety that some of our other players get, but that doesn’t bother him. He only cares about doing what is necessary for our team win and I think the rest of the team recognizes the importance in that.”

Seiler, a defenseman from Holland High, has earned both all-conference and All-American recognition in his first two years at GVSU. He has started all but one game in his 30-game career in Allendale.