St. Thomas University men's soccer coach John-Ryan Morrison is hoping to rejuvenate the program during his first year on the sidelines. 

With 13 new players coming in and only seven returning players, Morrison is approaching this season with an open mind. 

"What's happened in the past is in the past, so everybody's got a fair chance to make the squad and a fair chance to make the starting lineup," he said.

The Tommies haven't made playoffs in their last three campaigns, so that will be the team's focus this season. 

"We have 11 or 12 really good players that I've seen play prior to the season, and if some of these new people can work their way into the starting lineup we should have a nice, deep squad," Morrison said. "Playoffs is the goal, and knowing the quality of players we have I think that's an attainable goal."

Third-year defender Greg Young and fourth-year midfielder Xavier Ponce will shoulder much of the leadership responsibilities on the young Tommies team, but fellow returners Bradley Johnston and Oliver Dussualt will provide much-needed experience to the lineup. 

Newcomers Klinton Doucette, Bryden Dunphy, Eric Prior, Robert LeBlanc, and Jack Casey bring a strong skillset, and are all expected to see a lot of minutes in their debut season with the Green and Gold. 

Morrison has also bolstered his coaching staff, which includes STU alumnus Joe Ross, Matt Forrester, Ryan MacVicar, and Eric McGarry. 

With a fresh new group—on and off the field—Morrison expects to be competitive. 

"I want them to work hard, play with passion and try to play an attractive style of soccer," he said. "My goal is for them develop as players, to enjoy playing the game, and represent the Tommies well. If we work hard in training, success will follow on game day."

The Tommies begin the 2015 season on the road against the University of King's College Blue Devils, September 12.