DENVER – The MSU Denver men's soccer team is all grown up.
 
"We've been the young guys for the past couple years," MSU Denver coach Nick Kirchhof said. "We want to be able to be a mature team and to be able to tackle things in a mature way."
 
With its top three scorers, its outstanding goalkeeper and its starting back line returning, MSU Denver was already looking formidable. And then Kirchhof added a strong recruiting class that includes a healthy dose of transfers from Division I.
 
All that experience has the Roadrunners optimistic about improving upon last year's 10-6-2 overall record, which included a somewhat disappointing 4-5-1 league mark that kept the team out of the RMAC Tournament.
 
"Top to bottom, we have a really solid team," Kirchhof said. "There's no weak link. We feel like we can play multiple guys at each position. As a coach, it's great because we have to make some tough decisions. Everybody is playing well and everybody is working hard."
 
It all starts this weekend, as the Roadrunners travel to face perennial power Fort Hays State (Kan.) in a 3:30 p.m. MDT game Thursday before returning home to play St. Cloud State (Minn.) in an 11 a.m. game Sunday at the Assembly Athletic Complex.
 
Those top three returning scorers include Adan Perez (five goals, four assists, 14 points in 2022), Aidan Bates (four, five, 13) and Aaron Biggerstaff (five, one, 11). Perez and Biggerstaff are set for their fourth seasons as starters, Bates his third. All have earned All-RMAC recognition in the past, including Bates' first team selection in 2021.
 
Tanner Stevenson, who had a goal and three assists last year, figures to also be part of the point mix.
 
"They'll all play a valuable role, and I see a lot of minutes being split," Kirchhof said. "Going with the guys who are energetic and engaged at that moment will be our job to try to find out. We've got great rotations already, where guys can play at a high level and for less time. In years past, we've had to pace ourselves a little bit based on having a smaller roster."
 
Senior Ross Miller has played every minute in goal since joining the program for the 2021 season, and last year was 10-6-2 with six shutouts, a 1.11 goals-against average and a .783 save percentage to earn All-RMAC honorable mention.
 
"Ross is still one of the best goalkeepers in the conference," Kirchhof said.
 
Returning in front of him are five veterans with starting experience in Parker Landry, Andres Arcila Saenz, Nicco Schiappa, Jackson Vander Ven and Jonas Votaw.
 
Meanwhile in the middle, Division I transfers such as Logan Hitzeman of South Carolina and Luke Bone of UCLA figure to make an impact.
 
"Logan is a top player," Kirchhof said. "Luke has great energy quality – he's really busy."
 
Multiple other transfers are expected to make an impact while joining a group that already had plenty of experience.
 
"Every spot really is competitive," Kirchhof said. "We've seen great improvement from the returning guys – they've come back hungrier and are definitely more fit and more focused. And, with the recruits, everyone is showing great glimpses on training. A variety of different people are stepping up.
 
"For the first couple of weeks, we'll be trying to figure out who our best group is. We have great options, which is a huge bonus."
 
The non-conference schedule includes a two-game trip to Texas next weekend (Sept. 7 at Lubbock Christian and Sept. 9 at Midwestern State) as well as a two-game trip to California of Sept. 15 and 17 for games against Cal State Monterey Bay and San Francisco State, respectively.
 
"I think it will prepare us," said Kirchhof, the Roadrunners' fourth-year coach. "Last year it ended up being a little bit of a weaker non-conference schedule, and that ultimately didn't prepare us for some of the tight games, the tight moments, in the RMAC. We're looking to test ourselves to see where we're at and where we can improve. And you can only do that by going against some of the better competition.
 
"It'll be the toughest schedule we've faced, which is exactly what we wanted. We've been working toward having this type of schedule."
 
MSU Denver was picked to finish seventh in the RMAC's preseason coaches' poll after tying for seventh last season.
 
"I'm fine with where we're ranked," Kirchhof said. "We have a lot to improve upon. We're trying to eliminate the what-ifs, to live in the moment and win the moment. The conference is always strong and I'd be surprised if it landed the way everyone picked it."