COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - New school, new team, new start.
 
That's the status update for Taylor Petrich as he begins his third season of collegiate soccer. 
 
And after the challenges the midfielder from Hill-Murray High School has faced the past two years, a change of scenery couldn't be more welcome.
 
Petrich transferred to Saint John's at the start of the spring semester last January after spending his first two years at Division I Drake (Iowa). He enjoyed his time in Des Moines and loved his coaches and teammates. But factors beyond his control made his time there a frustrating experience overall.
 
It started the first day of practice in 2024 when the freshman – who redshirted that year – developed tendonitis in both feet while taking part in physical fitness testing. It was an injury that hampered him that entire season.
 
"I never had any issues with something that before," he said. "It made that season a tough battle, and I still have some issues with it to this day. But I came back and worked my butt off during (January) term between the fall and spring of my freshman year, and I had a really good spring season. 
 
"I went home and played summer soccer, then came back in the fall ready to go."
 
But after starting his redshirt freshman season last September, he was stricken with an attack of Bell's palsy, a medical condition that causes sudden, temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face.
 
"It was so crazy," he said. "I was at a movie the night before it flared up and driving home I noticed I wasn't able to blink all the way. I wondered if I was just tired and my eye was twitching. It was the night before a game, and we usually get up the next day and play ultimate frisbee or football. Just something to get up and get moving. I woke up and noticed that side of my face wouldn't move at all. I went to brush my teeth and I couldn't keep the toothbrush in. I didn't know what was going on and it was pretty scary. Eventually, I went to a doctor who told me it was Bell's palsy.
 
"It was so random and just terrible timing. I didn't even know what it was until I got it. It's pretty rare, especially in someone as young as I am. I think my grandmother might have it, but it's not genetic. There's really no rhyme or reason for why it happens."
 
The condition lingered for a number of weeks, leaving him unable to wear his contacts for a time. He had to tape his eye shut while sleeping because his eye wouldn't blink naturally, and he needed to use eye lubricants because of the dryness that resulted from being unable to generate tears. 
 
He wasn't able to return to action until November, by which time the team's rotation was already set in stone.
 
"By that point, it was what it was," he said. "The first half of the season is when guys are fighting for their roles and the coaches are moving people around. By the time I got back, all of that had been set. It just started to seem like it wasn't meant to work out for me there."
 
Which is why, when the season concluded, he had discussions with the coaching staff and his teammates about what his future held. He also spoke with SJU junior forward Ronan O'Connor, one of his best friends from high school. The Johnnies had just concluded their first season under new head coach Tudor Flintham '06, who soon reached out to Petrich as well.
 
"When Tudor called me, we talked about how I needed to find my love of the game again," Petrich said. "I'd been having ongoing conversations with Ronan, who I've known for three-fourths of my life, and he said it was a really good situation here. More and more, it started to seem like it was the right fit."
 
So Petrich transferred to SJU at the semester break, allowing him the chance to take part in the spring practice period with his new teammates. He made a strong enough first impression that he was selected as one of the team's three captains for this season – even though he has yet to play in an official match. 

(Though he did score the first goal in his team's scrimmage last spring against Division II St. Cloud State.)
 
"He covers a ton of ground and picks up a lot of first and second balls," said Flintham, whose team opens the 2026 season when it plays host to St. Norbert (Wis.) in a non-conference matchup at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 1) at Haws Field. "He's comfortable as a leader, which makes it like having another coach on the pitch.
 
"He's super kind and respectful and has a great relationship with his teammates. But he's also capable of playing the role (graduated senior) Foster Conlin played for us last year. Someone who's able to say 'Come on guys. Let's pick this up now.' And he's got the talent to chip in with a key goal or an assist when we need it too."
 
Petrich, meanwhile, couldn't be happier with where he's landed.
 
"There's such a good sports culture here and that's been exciting to see," he said. "I'm really glad I transferred when I did because it gave me the chance to get to know everyone and get acclimated. 
 
"The captain thing was really cool. It came as a pretty big surprise. Tudor told us after our alumni game, which was nice because some of last year's captains were on hand. My friends at Drake were pretty surprised when I told them about it as well. It's not something you'd expect coming into your first season. But we have a pretty young team and I'm excited to have the chance to step into a leadership role right away."
 
Perhaps the biggest reason for Petrich's optimism is that he starts this season healthy.
 
"Knock on wood, but I've had no issues with the Bell's palsy since last fall," said the biochemistry major on a pre-med track. "And the tendonitis really only hurts when I haven't warmed up yet. I've talked a lot to Lindsay (Voigt), our trainer, and we're figuring out a plan that works best specifically for me."
 
With that plan in effect, Petrich is hoping to finally make a significant contribution on the field this fall.
 
"This team took a lot of steps forward last fall, and we have pretty high expectations for this season," he said. "It's been a while since Saint John's has been a powerhouse in the MIAC in soccer. But we're ready to lift this program back up where we feel like it should be. I really have rediscovered my love for the game and I want to go out there and see what I can do when I have the chance to play up to my full potential.
 
"I don't want to leave this season with any regrets. That's the biggest thing I've want to accomplish."