Purdue transformed from a one-win team in 2014 into a squad that soaked in the Southern California sun last spring at the Division I nationals. That’s quite a turnaround for the Boilermakers, or any team for that matter. So what’s the word on this emerging GRLC power?

Purdue head man Michael Sanderson took some time to jump into the “5 Question” cauldron for a grueling Q&A with MCLA.us.

MCLA: What was the most important takeaway for your staff and players from the trip to nationals last year?

MS: Being such a young and inexperienced team in 2015, we were able to witness what it takes to be an elite team at the MCLA Division I level. Coming off a 1-11 season the year prior, we needed to regain confidence in our abilities and have faith in one another. We needed to learn that we were capable of winning games, contending for our conference championship and, ultimately, the national championship. I believe that the confidence and the experience we gained will be vital moving forward into the 2016 season.

MCLA: Archrival Indiana was picked ahead of Purdue in the GRLC preseason coaches poll. Did that get underneath anyone’s skin in West Lafayette? What was the reaction?

MS: We are happy to compete in a great conference like the GRLC against tough competition year in and year out. During the 2015 regular season, we lost to Indiana. Until we, or someone else in our conference, are able to beat them, they will still be the favorite to represent the GRLC in the national tournament. We understand this, and it motivates us to continually improve as a team.

MCLA: You played just five of your 15 games in West Lafayette last year. Do you think that hardened your guys, helping them make a strong finish? Are there a couple more home dates this year?

MS: I think competing against two top ten teams in our first four games – Michigan State and Georgia Tech – helped. We kept the games close, which is important for a young team, especially on the offensive side. We were able to see the potential for our team last season. It definitely gave us confidence as a program. As of now, we have only 4 home games in 2016.

MCLA: Speaking of the schedule, who are the key non-conference opponents this spring? What games are circled on the calendar?

MS: We are excited to play each and every team on our schedule. That being said, the games we are looking forward to the most are Georgia, Northeastern, Texas, Pittsburgh and South Carolina. We want to compete against the best competition that is available. Scheduling strong non-conference teams will both help our team at Purdue and propel the GRLC to be an even stronger conference at the MCLA Division I level.

Our schedule is:

MCLA: The Boilermakers graduate nine seniors, but many of the key players – especially on offense – are slated to return in 2016. Does this edition have the opportunity to be better than last year’s team? Who will be the key guys at the different spots on the field?

MS: Going into the 2016 season we feel like we have the confidence and experience to be an explosive offense and a lockdown defense. We are still very young. With that being said, we believe that we are able to compete with any team in the MCLA.

The list of key returning players starts with senior attackman Greg Behning. Greg is our centerpiece on the offensive side of the ball. He has been recovering from an injury suffered late last year and is ready to lead our offense. Senior long-stick middie Dan Sahm is an exceptional athlete and is ready to anchor our defense. He's a very intelligent and competitive player, so we will be looking at him for leadership during the season. Sophomore Ben Sehl is not only our faceoff man, which will be crucial to the success of our team this year, but he also plays on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. He is versatile and consistent, as well as one of our best dodgers.