The Irvine Valley men's volleyball team is coming off a 2007 season in which it claimed the state championship.
The Lasers might even be better in 2008.
Fans will get a chance to see just how good the Lasers might be this season when the team opens its campaign Wednesday night. The Lasers take on El Camino at 6 p.m.
The team then plays at Santa Barbara on Friday.
"We don't have the height we did last year (Ted Slaughter moved on to UCLA and Bryan Simmons went to UC Irvine) and we will miss out setter (state tournament MVP Tyler Rex)," Irvine Valley Coach Tom Pestolesi said.
"But we return a few key guys, are very athletic and have, I think, even better balance this year."
Irvine Valley returns Pacific Coast Conference most valuable player Peter Johnson. The outside hitter avearged 4.55 kills and 1.47 digs per game and hit .369 on the season.
Johnson led Irvine Valley in kills in 18 of 20 matches this season.
The Lasers also get back defensive specialist Kaleo Baxter. Baxter will be the team's libero this season. And returning after sitting out a season is outside hitter Morgan Suttich.
Top newcomers include middle blocker Nicholas Martus, outside hitter Tim Golden, opposite Reese Haine, outside hitter Jake Celestin and setter Phil Younglove.
Golden helped lead Edison High to a CIF Division I title as a senior in 2006. He was named all-CIF and all-Orange County.
Haine was named the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's Division II Player of the Year as a senior in 2006 at Mid Pacific Insitute High School.
Celestin (Norco High) and Younglove (Santiago Corona High) were all-CIF Division IV first team player last season at Norco High and Corona Santiago High, respectively.
"We are young, but I really like this group," Pestolesi said. "There are some other very good teams out there, but we should be right in the mix with them."
Among the Lasers' biggest challengers for the state title this year are expected to be Long Beach City, L.A. Pierce and Golden West.