After its absence for three seasons, men’s soccer is finally making its return to Ashland University.

After taking a hiatus in 2013, AU’s Athletic Department announced the reinstatement of the men’s soccer program for fall 2016.

Following the announcement, the athletic department’s main priority became naming a coach that would take the lead in revamping and reestablishing the men’s soccer program.

It did not take long before the department named Oliver Slawson the new head coaching position.

Slawson spent the last ten years on the Akron Zips’ coaching staff, and served as the assistant coach the program’s last six seasons.

 Throughout his time at Akron, the Zips’ made nine consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a national title in 2010.

Prior to the discontinuation of the program, the Eagle’s soccer program had reached the NCAA Division II postseason five times, reached the Elite Eight in 2001, and were Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions in 2010.

Despite Slawson’s successful coaching career thus far and the prior soccer program’s success, this team is beginning on a completely new slate and with an entirely new roster.

“Winning is a process,” Slawson said, “it’s a habit so we try and use your experiences in the past and reflect on the processes you went through to get to your level of success.”

Members of this roster were hand selected by Slawson who had the daunting task of not only replenishing and refreshing the roster, but also creating an entirely new one from scratch.

A total of 21 players will make up the 2016 men’s soccer roster.

Of those 21 players six are returning to the collegiate field – one senior, two juniors and three sophomores.

The lone senior, Nick Ciraldo, is a goalkeeper coming from Cleveland State where he spent his past three seasons.

Outside of his collegiate career Ciraldo also competed in the United States Soccer Development Academy.

Junior Malcolm Mohrmann is a midfielder who also competed in the United States Soccer Development Academy and is transferring from D-I Stetson University. Mohrmann’s classmate is defender Darren Burns, a two-year veteran from NJCAA Coast Bend College and a former player in the Scottish Professional Football League Reservation.

The sophomore class includes a trio of forward Tomas Cordeiro from Portugal, and midfielders Abdi Idow from Columbus, Ohio and Lincoln Henry who played at Cleveland State University as well as a top soccer club in his hometown Kingston, Jamaica.

Along with those six upperclassmen are the 15 freshmen. Two of these freshmen are forwards. Andrew Pearson from St. Vincent – St. Mary and Clemente Gomez-Morey from Chile. Zach Hillman from Green, Ohio, Chad Johnson from Dublin, Ohio and Amani Thornton from Twinsburg, Ohio make up the rest of the forward and midfielder positions.

Seven of the other freshmen are strictly midfielders.

These include Thomas Ardron from England, Liam Duncan from Rocky River, Alexander Majors from Findlay, Jordan Dees from Pickerington North, C.J. Maynard from Kenston, Cameron Mendel from Wadsworth, and Justin Kowalski from Aurora.

Closing out the freshman roster are Kyle Boles from Copley, John Duldner from St. Ignatius and Chris Jones from Brookside, who will play in the backfield as defenders.

These 15 freshmen will stand as building blocks and create a strong foundation for the new program.

“These guys are going to be the foundation,” Slawson said, “not only do they have to have a certain level of soccer ability they have to be guys with good character.”

Slawson is pleased with how the team is shaping up but realizes this is just the beginning.

“The work ethic of the guys has been great, it’s been real high, they have all bought into the vision for the program that we discussed in the recruiting process,” Slawson said. “I’m pleased with where we have started but it is only the start and there is still a ton of work to be done.” 

Ashland will compete in their first game of its comeback season on Sept. 3 at Daemen College and return to AU for their home opener versus Northern Michigan on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.