In a year of first-year managers across the Midwest Collegiate League, DuPage County has two familiar faces at the helm.

Northwest Indiana, Southland and Joliet all have first-year skippers, Michigan City is new to the league and Lexington has Billy DuBois regaining control of the lineup card after one year away from the dugout.

Then, there are the DuPage County Hounds. Manager Sean Osborne and top assistant coach Ben Caple are back for the fourth consecutive year. They have ran the club since its inaugural season in 2012.

“We don’t consider it an advantage,” Caple said. “We like to partner up with other coaches. We try to get them players and get them used to what summer baseball is all about. As far as having an edge, we don’t like to think of it that way. We’re coaches; the players are the ones on the field.”

In addition to retaining their roles as coaches, Osborne and Caple have been promoted to co- general managers this season.

The Hounds reached the postseason for the third consecutive year in 2014, breaking through for their first postseason win in team history in the first round against the Northwest Indiana Oilmen. For the second straight year, the Southland Vikings ended the Hounds season, this time with a two-game sweep in the league finals.

Eight players return from last year’s team as Mike Roberson (Ball State), Emerson Misch (Valparaiso), Richie Gorski (Missouri Southern), Trent Carrier (Holy Names University), Drew Steriotti (Eastern Illinois), Danny Riley (University of Illinois Chicago), Nick Alfini (St. Ambrose), and Nick McKinney (Joliet Junior College) are all back.

Carrier and UIC’s Noah Masa are penciled in as two members of the DuPage County starting rotation, while the roles for the remainder of the pitching staff are yet to be determined. Masa appeared in 11 games and posted a 6.64 ERA for the Flames this season.

Carrier went 3-0 with a 2.60 ERA for the Hounds last summer. He followed that up by appearing in 13 games and making 11 starts at Holy Names, where he went 6-2 with a 2.63 ERA.

Newcomers to watch for DuPage County this summer include University of Houston duo Zac Taylor and Michael Wisz. Taylor has appeared in 44 games and made 37 starts for a Houston team that is hosting an NCAA Regional this weekend. Wisz also saw significant playing time for the Cougars, making seven starts and appearing in 17 games. Taylor and Wisz will not report to DuPage County until their spring season concludes.

“For this season, our roster looks good on paper,” Caple said. “We’ve gained talent on paper every year. Coming into this season, we keep moving forward and hopefully it will be a good turnaround.”

While the Hounds have improved every year, Caple noted that the competition level from the other teams in the league has also stiffened. When DuPage County plays its Midwest Collegiate League season opener on Sunday in Michigan City, it will end a winter-long wait for players and coaches.

“I’m loving it,” Caple said. “This is my favorite time of the year as a coach. There is nothing better than summer baseball. We’re ready to rock-and-roll and be out on the field as much as possible.”