Jimmy Maurer headlines a trio with a chance to prolong the successes of 2015.

Leading up to the start of the Cosmos' 2016 NASL season, NYCosmos.com will provide a position-by-position look at the team roster. The series begins at goalkeeper, a spot of strength and continuity for the reigning league champs.

2015 Stats

APPS: 28

STARTS: 28

MINS: 2,520

GAA: 0.93

SAVES: 68

Cosmos Career Stats

APPS: 53

STARTS: 53

MINS: 4,686

GAA: 0.92

Could this be the year the 27-year-old Georgia native takes home his first NASL Golden Glove? After a season spent backing up Kyle Reynish, who earned the award in 2013, Maurer has posted a formidable 0.92 goals against average (GAA) over two years as the starter in New York. In 2015 he finished second in GAA among NASL goalkeepers with at least 20 appearances; in 2014 he was third.

Maurer remains the unquestioned first choice heading into the 2016 regular season, and has arguably been the league’s best goalkeeper since he took over for Reynish. He’s proved his mettle by winning a championship as a starter, and his East River Derby shootout heroics last June will live on in Cosmos U.S. Open Cup lore.

“My mindset is always the same. It’s the same as last year,” Maurer told NYCosmos.com in February. “I’m doing everything I can to try and win another championship… I want to be even better with my distribution. I want to expand my range on crosses. There are always a million [ways] I can improve.”

Both his coaching staff and fellow first team goalkeepers from a year ago are back for 2016. For Maurer, who signed a multi-year contract extension with the club last August, there’s an opportunity to build on the successes of the recent past as he enters the prime of his career.

“You take it piece by piece,” he said of his preparation for the upcoming season. “A day at a time, just trying to get better in every way you can.”

2015 Stats

APPS: 1

STARTS: 1

MINS: 90

GAA: 2.00

SAVES: 4

Cosmos Career Stats

APPS: 5

STARTS: 4

MINS: 443

GAA: 1.40

The longest-tenured backup for Maurer, Kyle Zobeck signed his first deal with the club on March 26, 2014 and re-signed in December 2015. He appeared only once for the first team last season, spelling Maurer in a 2-1 defeat at Clarke Field against FC Edmonton Sept. 27. Though the result wasn’t a welcome one, Zobeck was up to the challenge of deterring a potent Eddies attack on their home field.

The previous season Zobeck appeared in four matches, stepping in for three of those after Maurer suffered an injury to his hand. He finished the stretch with a 1.27 GAA.

Zobeck was tossed into the deep end early that year, making his professional debut against Minnesota United at home on Aug. 23 after Maurer saw a red card for his challenge of Daniel Mendes in the penalty area at the six minute mark. Loons striker Christian Ramirez converted the penalty, but after that Zobeck held United goalless. The Cosmos battled back for a 1-1 draw against a Minnesota squad led by U.S. international attacking midfielder Miguel Ibarra.

With Zobeck the Cosmos have a player who, when given the chance, has proven his ability to make saves and communicate effectively with the back line. That's a luxury that can’t be overstated for Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese in a 32-game regular season.

2015 Stats

APPS: 1

STARTS: 1

MINS: 9

GAA: 2.00

SAVES: 4

New to the club in 2015, Brian Holt arrived as a trialist for Cosmos preseason stops in Hong Kong and California before signing on March 9. He started and kept a clean sheet in New York’s 1-0 win over Ventura County Fusion on Feb. 25, then came on for Maurer in the second half of a 3-1 victory against Sacramento Republic FC on Feb. 28.

On Aug. 30 Holt made his NASL debut in the purple Cosmos goalkeeper shirt, recording four saves in a comeback win over the Carolina RailHawks.

That was his only NASL regular season appearance of 2015, though Holt did appear in the second half of New York’s historic Havana friendly against the Cuban national team June 2. His double save in the 80th minute made ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 the next day.

Holt and Zobeck split the two non-Maurer starts during the regular season last year, indicating that the Cosmos coaching staff sees both as capable of handling first team duties when needed. And with both re-signing in the offseason, New York's goalkeeping unit gets another shot to showcase itself as one of the NASL’s best.

The Cosmos begin their season against Ottawa Fury FC on Sunday, April 3. Click below for tickets.