The 2001-2002 season marks a year of change for the Colorado School of Mines mens basketball team. With Pryor Orser in his first year at the helm of CSM mens basketball and a new motion system in place, the Orediggers look to build upon past successes as they face the upcoming season.

This years squad returns three starters and three letterwinners from last years team that went 12-14 overall and 9-10 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as they made their first RMAC tournament appearance since 1996. The Orediggers lost 55-85 to the Mesa State College Mavericks in the first round of the tourney last year.

In the backcourt, seniors Tim Fry and Luke Michael return for their senior seasons after transferring from junior colleges in 2000-2001. Fry, whom Orser looks to quarterback the offense at point guard, hails from St. George, Utah, and averaged 4.2 points per game and 1.82 assists per game while finishing second on the squad with 26 steals in his first year in Golden. Michael, who played under Orser at Northwest College in Wyo., shot 38-percent from the floor and 35-percent from behind the arc while he averaged 5.1 points per game as a junior.

Senior Eric Valencia (6-6, 210 lbs.) and junior Justin Buckmaster (6-6, 200 lbs.) look to make the switch from forward to guard in 2001, as their size and shooting skill will put power in the backcourt. Valencia finished second in Oredigger rebounding last season as he tallied 127 on the year (70 defensive) as he averaged 21 minutes per game as a junior. Valencia went 68-of-141 (.482) from the floor as he averaged 8.1 points per game as a forward. Buckmaster shot .321 from three-point range as a sophomore, sinking nine of 28 three-point attempts in 23 games.

Junior Matt Meyer and sophomore Evan Tromble also look to contribute to Orser's guard corps. Meyer connected on 11-of-28 (39-percent) three-point attempts as a sophomore as he saw action in 19 games, while Tromble shot .353 from the floor in 16 games as a rookie. Newcomers Stephen Bahl, Adam Endres, and Cole Henderson round out the backcourt in 2001-2002.

In the frontcourt, forward Mike McNish returns to lead the big men, as he led the Orediggers with 167 rebounds (6.4 per game) and 39 blocks in his sophomore season in Golden. The Orediggers will look to the 6-8 junior to use his size in order to lead the team in scoring and rebounding. Sophomore Farris Broussard will also be key up front, as his size and athleticism will be important to the Digger rebounding game. The 6-6, 190-pounder from San Jose, Calif., tallied 107 rebounds (4.1 per game) and shot 51-percent from the floor in his rookie season, averaging 3.7 points per game and finished third on the squad with 36 blocks on the year.

Orser will look to Jeff Shindelus to play big in the middle, as the 6-10 senior transferred from American River Junior College last year to see action in 26 games, shooting 60-percent from the floor and 46-percent from behind the arc. He was 24-of-35 (.686) from the foul line, tallying 53 rebounds and 38 blocks (second on the squad) as a junior.

Newcomer Ryan Woodson also looks to be a significant factor in the middle. The 6-8, 250 pound freshman from Rogers, Ark., will add size and energy to the floor as he was Rogers most valuable player in 2000 and 2001.