After coming within seconds of winning the NCCAA National Title and posting their best record since 2007, the Sunbirds will return seven of 11 starters from the 2012 squad that proved to be the most prolific offense in the PacWest, and all of Division II, in their bid to finish the job.

In addition to avenging last season's final loss the Sunbirds are poised to establish themselves as a new power in the PacWest Conference after the departure of Grand Canyon, winners of three of the last four conference titles. It won't be an easy task for head coach Jaime Ramirez and the Sunbirds who will have to contend with NCCAA National Champion California Baptist, Notre Dame de Namur and the prospect of replacing one of the most talented group of seniors in recent FPU history.

"Last year obviously was not the way we wanted to end things," said Ramirez. "But, we have an opportunity in front of us to set the stage for next season when we will be eligible for NCAA playoffs."

If the Sunbirds are to repeat as NCCAA West Region Champions and take the PacWest title, they will have to do it with a mix of old and new faces. Two projected starters are new to the program as are a number of expected contributors off the bench.

Forwards:

The forward spot is the perfect example of the old and new mix with one returner and one freshman projected in the starting lineup, and, despite having to replace two of the best in MLS draftee Paul Islas and fellow starter Rodrigo Vianna, this year's group of frontline players still has plenty of firepower.

Most notably the Sunbirds will lean heavily on Preseason PacWest Player of the Year Alvaro Nogales. The sophomore from Malaga, Spain has looked in top form this preseason with five goals, and will look to outdo his phenomenal freshman season of 15 goals and 16 assists. His physical play and intelligent footwork, not to mention a lethal left foot, make him one of the toughest matchups for any defender in the region.

"Alvaro is a guy everyone respects. His serious approach to the game, his commitment to practices and of course his talent bring about a different standard within this team," said Ramirez. "It is contagious."

Senior Bruno Pessoa is another leading returner from the 2012 squad. Pessoa will look to be a big player once again for the Sunbirds off the bench, and not only in stature. The 6-foot-3 forward scored 11 goals last season in a reserve role, good enough for third on the team behind Islas and Nogales.

The biggest newcomer to the forward position is former Ecuadorian U-18 national player Jorge Chedraui. The 6-foot 20-year-old forward looks ready to play a starting role and be a big factor as another physical player who has a lethal ability to finish in small spaces.

The depth at the top will be a great luxury for the Sunbirds who have three players capable of starting for two and even occasionally one spot.

"This is a strong group of forwards. They are different than what we had last year in terms of their style, but strong none the less," said Ramirez.

Midfielders:

Midfield was one of the few positions on this team that needed addressing this offseason, particularly in the attacking midfield, with the departure of arguably the Sunbirds' best two-way player after last season.

Enter Renato Bustamante, a junior transfer from Truman College. The Peruvian native will fill the void left as the team's primary distributor by the departure of Fabricio Nazare. Bustamante is a prototypical midfielder at this level with good speed and size, and should be able to fill the role capably.

The most recognizable name in this group will be the senior from Rio de Janeiro, Gustavo Silva. The veteran midfielder has the opportunity to become a more central part of the offense with the departure of Islas and Nazare. In 2012 Silva netted seven goals and 11 assists for the Sunbirds in 20 matches played.

Silva and Bustamante combined with the time that Nogales may spend in the midfield give coach Ramirez one of the most lethal trios of attacking midfielders in the conference.

"In my mind these guys are arguably the most dangerous threesome of midfielders in the conference. I don't know who could match these guys week in and week out," said Ramirez.

The good news for Fresno Pacific is the midfield doesn't stop there. The Sunbirds will welcome back two players returning from season-ending injuries in the early parts of last season. Both senior Adrian Arias and redshirt-sophomore Eric Velarde will reclaim their spots in the holding midfield and much to the delight of coaches and teammates.

"We are so happy to have Velarde back. His work ethic and his energy are infectious in all parts of the game. With him on the field we are a better ball-winning team," said Ramirez.

The bench is once again a strength for this position. A trio of veteran returners, Guillermo Talancon, Alexis Hernandez and Jonathan Venegas, should provide quality minutes off the bench.

A number of newcomers will be jockeying for minutes to start the season. Freshman Joey Belzil could be a big surprise for the Sunbirds. The 5-foot-6 speedster uses his acceleration and quickness to get in and behind the defense and could make an impact off the bench.

Defenders:

The most veteran of the position groups, the defense returns all four starters on the back line and starting goalkeeper Fabian Rangel who took over full-time duties halfway through last season.

Senior Ivan Mirkovic was a stalwart on defense for FPU in his first season with the Sunbirds. The Serbian center back garnered All-PacWest Honorable Mention and NCCAA All-Tournament Team honors a season ago and will once again team up with senior Luke Tyler as the backbone of one of the conference's top defensive units.

Seniors Chris Young and Julian Mattaliano will man the outside positions as they did last year. Mattaliano did a superb job filling in after Arias went down with a knee injury after just five matches.

Junior Nick Watson will also see significant time off the bench for the Sunbirds. Nick Starr and Eddie Cabral gained valuable experience last season in a number of FPU's more lopsided contests. The pair of backup center backs and redshirt freshman Chris Rosas will serve in a reserve role once again this season.

In goal the Sunbirds bring back the top goalkeeper in the conference from last season. Rangel led the conference in goals allowed per game and fewest goals amongst starting keepers allowing just .87 goals per game and 13 total goals on the season. His .806 save percentage ranked second, just two percentage points behind the 2013 Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year Joey Pacheco.

Backing up Rangel is sophomore Andrew Luis. Luis played in two matches for a total of 58 minutes while not allowing a goal.

"It is so important for us to have these guys returning," said Ramirez. "We know with this group of defenders as the foundation of our team, we will be in every game and have an opportunity to win every game this season."

Matchups to Watch:

Sept. 5 at Sonoma State, 5 p.m.
The Sunbirds start their season off with West Region power Sonoma State who is just four seasons removed from a national tournament appearance. The Seawolves were picked to finish on top of the North Division of the very competitive CCAA this season.

The Sunbirds are 1-4-1 all-time against the Seawolves.

Sept. 13 at San Jose State, 7 p.m.
The Spartans will be the first Division I team the Sunbirds see in the regular season since dropping a 4-1 decision to San Jose State in its 2011 season opener. San Jose State finished just under .500 at 8-9-1 last season.

Sept. 24 vs. California Baptist, 5 p.m.
In what is fast becoming one of the best rivalries in the PacWest the Sunbirds will face California Baptist for the fourth time in just over a calendar year. The Lancers got the better of the Sunbirds on two occasions, both of which were less than traditional wins.

FPU will be eager to avenge a controversial 3-2 last-second loss in the NCCAA National Title Match last season. Needless to say there will be no love lost between the two schools as the matchup figures to have major postseason implications as well.

CBU underwent a coaching change in the offseason as head coach Ryan Jorden moved on to Pacific. Assistant coach Greg Schroder assumes the head coaching duties for the Lancers.  

Oct. 5 vs. Notre Dame de Namur, 7 p.m.
FPU will welcome in, for the first time, Notre Dame de Namur as a PacWest opponent. The Sunbirds survived a tense 1-0 win over the Argonauts last season, which propelled them to a second place finish in the conference and the postseason. In a match that could ultimately decide the conference title, the Sunbirds and Argos will definitely put on a show.

Oct. 30 vs. Azusa Pacific, 7 p.m.
A long-standing rivalry could once again play a huge role in each teams' seasons, as both will likely be jockeying for position in the NCCAA West Region playoffs. FPU has won the last two matchups against the Cougars, both by a 3-1 count. 

The Sunbirds will open their season this Thursday, September 5, in Rohnert Park against Sonoma State at 5 p.m. FPU will be at Ramirez Field on September 17 for their home and PacWest opener against Dixie State.