Before his second year, only a few players were not retained.

As training camp starts for the RailHawks for the 2011 season, it appears as though this year's turnover is somewhere in the middle.

Seven players have been confirmed for returning this season. And to Rennie, they are the right ones.

"I honestly believe that this will be the best-caliber team that has ever been here," he said in a February press conference.

"We were already the NASL champions, so that means we will need to do that again," he added. "And we were in the championship final. So we're looking to do that again."

The first priority for Rennie during the offseason was to bring back Brad Rusin.

"I genuinely believe he's one of the best prospects in U.S. Soccer, not just at our league or at our level," Rennie said.

Rusin will be the captain for Carolina this year. The 24-year-old bolstered the back line late in the year and drew the eye of several hoping to pry him away.

An ownership change abroad caused a renege in a transfer that would have sent him to Denmark's second division last year. In the offseason, rival Montreal came calling.

"He had a lot of opportunities in the offseason to sign with other teams and probably make more money and probably have more prestige," Rennie said. "But I believe he's made the right decision to come back for one more season."

Also returning to the team's back line are Devon McKenney and original RailHawk Kupono Low.

Leading goal scorer Etienne Barbara and Sallieu Bundu return as forwards while Floyd Franks, Cory Elenio and Matt Watson do the same at midfield.

To date, Rennie has named just three new signees: former Portland Timbers forward Brian Farber, former Puerto Rico Islanders midfielder Chris Nurse and Grenandian Kithson Bain, who Rennie is excited to see play.