FBA Giving Challenge | May 7

Mark your calendars for our on Thursday, May 7!

Our momentum as a program is palpable. Help us build on this momentum and climb up the FBA Challenge Leaderboard by  to the Men鈥檚 Soccer program on May 7!

Winter Semester at 乐播传媒

The student-athletes wrapped up their final exams in late April and are home for break now before returning to campus on May 4 for Short Term. There were 13 student-athletes on campus (first-years and sophomores) for our spring season, which consisted of 10 team practices and 6 leadership sessions. 

The team showed strong levels of commitment during these practices, the early-morning speed-and-agility sessions, and in the weight room with 乐播传媒 Strength and Conditioning Coach Kayleigh Fournier. This commitment and the work ethic displayed over the last 3+ months are positive signs towards our continued on-field growth in the fall. 

We capped off the spring season by attending the Hearts of Pine home opener as a team on April 11. This was a fun team-bonding event and a chance to see a professional soccer match in our home state!

Bobcats in the Community

Outside of the academic workload and our spring season, the team has been strongly involved in the Lewiston community this spring. We hosted the Lewiston High School Boys Soccer team on campus, in partnership with 乐播传媒 Admission, in early April. This was a phenomenal day where we got to show the LHS soccer team around the 乐播传媒 campus, eat lunch together in Commons, and answer questions about the college recruitment process. Additionally, the team volunteered at the YWCA after-school program and the Gather to Grow food pantry in Lewiston during the winter semester. 

Bobcats Abroad!

Our 6 juniors are studying abroad this spring! Read more below about who is abroad and where they are studying around the world. 

(Captain): Andrew is studying at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Being immersed in new cultures and environments has been Andrew鈥檚 highlight of the semester. 

  (Captain): Noah is studying in Florence, Italy (with Antonio and Luc), as part of the Syracuse University in Florence program. Visiting Mauro Kalaora 鈥�26 in Istanbul has been Noah鈥檚 highlight of the semester.

(Captain): Antonio is studying in Florence, Italy (with Noah and Luc), as part of the Syracuse University in Florence program. Toni has enjoyed the everyday stuff in Florence, walking around, meeting new people, and truly connecting with the city.

: Luc is studying economics in Florence, Italy (with Noah and Antonio), as part of the Syracuse University in Florence program. Luc鈥檚 top highlights have been traveling so much and meeting up with friends in new cities.

: Benny is studying in Madrid, Spain, at IES Madrid. Visiting Mauro Kalaora 鈥�26 in Istanbul with his classmates has been a highlight.

: Craddock is in Lima, Peru, studying at IFSA Peru. His highlight this semester has been hiking in Huaraz.

Alumni Mentoring

Thanks to Aleks Marceau 鈥�19, Owen Keleher 鈥�22, and Hewitt Stevenson 鈥�28 (Captain), we launched our second iteration of the Alumni Mentorship Program. We have grown our participating alumni base by over 30% from year to year and now have 111 Bobcats involved (91 alumni and 20 student-athletes). Thank you to all the alumni involved in the Mentorship Program, which will continue to be a staple for the 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer program for years to come. I hope you use the  to connect with former teammates, old friends, and other 乐播传媒 Soccer alumni in similar industries! 

On April 10, we hosted our 2^nd annual Alumni Mentoring Night and welcomed the following alumni back to campus: J.P. Fingado 鈥�90, David Shear 鈥�06, George Carr 鈥�07, and James Peter 鈥�22. The night consisted of networking, an alumni panel, a student-athlete Q&A, and dinner in small groups. The players (and coaches) were left impressed and inspired by the alumni, and their valuable insights into their time at 乐播传媒 and career trajectories upon graduation. If you would like to be involved in our Alumni Mentorship Program, please reach out to me: bbrewster@bates.edu.

Closing Thoughts

At home, my wife (Becky) and I just celebrated our son鈥檚 (Kai) 1^st birthday! He was not a huge fan of the birthday hat鈥ai is already looking forward to being on the sidelines this fall at Russell St. Field!

We welcomed this winter. Filippo comes to 乐播传媒 after coaching at Kaiser University in Florida last year. Prior to coaching, Filippo played professionally in Sweden, Finland, Italy, and Greece, and played collegiate soccer at Merrimack and UMass. Welcome to Lewiston, Filippo! 

We return 9 of the 11 starters from our 2025 NESCAC QF game vs. Tufts and have made good strides this offseason, individually and collectively, to push forward again next fall. Furthermore, there are 9 incoming first-years joining the team in the fall of 2026 (announcements to come later in the summer), and the coaching staff has been busy on the recruiting trail this spring searching for the next class of Bobcats to join the Men鈥檚 Soccer family. 

Committing to our standards and core values and building on our strong culture, identity, and mentality remain the focal points for us. This will be the foundation of our success (on and off the field), and will lead us to compete for NESCAC and NCAA Championships as a team next fall and for years to come. 

Thank you for your commitment and support; it plays a substantial role in our successes.

Go 鈥楥ats!

Ben Brewster
Head Coach, 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer

The NCAA Highlights

14 All American Performances

8 Top Eight Finishes 

Sarah Palmer 鈥�27 6th Place 200 Breast (2:15. 9) amongst many others!

3 NCAA Records 

(400 Medley Relay (47.8/50.4/47.4/40.1), 200 Medley Relay (22.4/22.9/21.4/18.7), 50 Breast (23.9)

2 NCAA Champions

(400 Medley Relay (3:08.6), 100 Breaststroke Marrich Somridhivej (51.8)

1 NCAA Coach of the Year

 Peter Casares

听

FBA Challenge

As we wrap up one of the best seasons in 乐播传媒 Athletics history, we cannot simply revel in the past and reflect on all the greatness forever!  As a staff, we are turning our attention to both recruiting and the FBA Challenge, May 7, to make sure our future remains strong.  

We have the goal of surpassing the $60K we raised last year to not only help cover the cost of rising expenses, but primarily help our coaching staff and salaries.  You simply can’t replace the staff we had this year, and we would love to keep it together another year!

If you are interested in helping as an FBA captain, please reach out to Peter Casares via email.  We typically look for someone who is well-connected with the classmates they swam with over their four years and would be interested in helping us drum up excitement about giving back to the program! 

We are at a tipping point for sure.  The team experienced the best improvement in the NESCAC among men and women combined, and our first-ever top-10 finish for the program. We would love to take advantage of this movement and ensure that generations of 乐播传媒 swimmers and divers have a chance to continue rewriting history! 

Follow us & Learn more

This past season was one for the record books! It included another Elite 8 appearance and a day we will never forget, when the program won its first NESCAC Championship! The outpouring of support from alumni and families, coupled with a championship-experienced team from our 2024 run, gave the team the confidence to finish the job and punch their ticket to the NCAA National Tournament for a third straight season. Coming back to campus and being welcomed by so many students, coaches, supporters, and President Garry Jenkins was unforgettable. Here are some pretty remarkable statistics from the season:

• Best start to a season in program history, 9-0
• Most wins in season at 16
• First team to go through NESCAC playoffs without conceding a goal in the conference’s 25-year history!
• Highest National Ranking at 4th in the country

A number of Bobcats were also honored with postseason accolades, including:

• Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg 鈥�26: NFHCA DIII Senior Team, Third Team All-American, First Team All-Region, First Team All-NESCAC
• Lucy Norris 鈥�26: NESCAC All-Sportsmanship Team
• Haley Dwight 鈥�27: First Team All-American, First Team All-Region, First Team All-NESCAC, and NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year. 
• Elsa Copeland 鈥�28: Second Team All-Region, Second Team All-NESCAC
• Ava Donohue 鈥�28: Second Team All-Region

In addition to these season statistics, our student-athletes held an impressive cumulative 3.69 GPA in the classroom, 10 were awarded NESCAC All-Academic honors, and 19 were awarded NFHCA All-Academic honors. 

The team concluded the season with a special team gathering at President Jenkins’ house and was honored with a mayoral proclamation by the mayor of Lewiston.

We are so proud of all of these accomplishments on and off the field, and want to thank you for supporting our team! We are so grateful to the Bobcat family for paving the way and allowing us to strive for greatness!

Beyond the NESCAC: How Our Juniors are Growing as Leaders Around the Globe

As we begin the 2026 Winter Semester, the team looks forward to working hard in the classroom, preparing for the upcoming season, and seeing our Seniors walk across the graduation stage. Between now and then, we have a lot of amazing things going on! Including all five of our juniors studying abroad! We want to take a moment to highlight one of our Juniors and Captain, Haley Dwight 鈥�27, who is studying abroad this semester in Lisbon, Portugal. Here is what she has to say:

Hi Alumni, Junior Captain Haley Dwight here. This spring, I will be studying abroad in Lisbon, Portugal, where I am incredibly excited to step into a new language, a new culture, and a whole new way of living day-to-day.

What makes this experience even more meaningful is that I am not the only one doing it. All five of us Juniors are spread across the world this semester (and one teammate is even all the way in Australia!). Even though we are thousands of miles apart, we are still in this together. We will be making memories in our own cities, and hopefully linking up in different corners of Europe along the way.

One of the things I am most excited about is playing for Casuals Hockey, based in Cascais, this Spring. I cannot wait to compete alongside women from all over the world, and honestly, the team has already made me feel so welcomed. The coach has been incredibly supportive and is excited for me to join. It has already made the transition feel much less intimidating.

Leaving campus is definitely bittersweet, especially since it is the Seniors鈥� final semester and they have been the standard and heartbeat of our team for as long as we have known 乐播传媒. But I also know the returners back home will be grinding every day to keep pushing this program forward. And for those of us abroad, the expectation remains the same. We represent 乐播传媒 and our conference wherever we are. That means staying disciplined, finding ways to train without the same on-campus routine, and holding ourselves accountable even when it seems impossible.

I am excited to settle into a training routine here by trying out different gyms and finding one that allows me to get all of our lifts in. It will not be the same as having our teammates right next to us in the weight room, but I think learning how to create that structure for yourself is part of growing as a student-athlete (and just as a person). I will be honest, I am a little nervous about losing the structure I am used to. But I am also excited for the challenge. I know this experience is going to give me a ton of perspective and make me even more grateful for everything this program has given me. And don鈥檛 worry, studying abroad is not taking my mind off our goals. If anything, it is fueling me! Another NESCAC title is always on my mind, and so is the bigger dream of competing for that NCAA title!

I already have trips booked to Interlaken, Switzerland and Seville, Spain, and I am hoping to add Paris, Madrid, Prague, Amsterdam, Budapest, and more as the semester goes on.

That is all I have for now! Thank you all for continuing to support our program, it means more than you know. Believe it or not your support and investment in the program is a big factor as to why we can even take these opportunities in the first place!

Shaping the Future: Senior Summer Gordon 鈥�26 Prepares for Graduate School Success

Along with our Juniors, our Seniors are busy preparing for graduation as they dive deep into their senior thesis projects! Their paths forward from 乐播传媒 are starting to take shape. Here鈥檚 what Senior, Summer Gordon 鈥�26 has to say about her next adventures at Tufts:

My name is Summer Gordon, and I am a senior on the team! This summer, I will be starting Tufts University鈥檚 Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. Although I am sad to be graduating from 乐播传媒, I am so excited to begin in June and hope to become a pediatric occupational therapist in the future. Being a part of the 乐播传媒 field hockey team for the past four years has been the best part of my college experience and has taught me so many lessons that have helped shape who I am today. 乐播传媒 field hockey has taught me many skills that will be valuable in graduate school and beyond, such as perseverance, adaptability, and how to be a dependable teammate, but most importantly, it has shown me the power of working with a team that feels like a family and what we can achieve when we believe in and push one another. 

We will be sending another newsletter this May, highlighting our senior class, and look forward to sharing those updates. 

Alumni in the Field: Carolyn King-Robitaille 鈥�07 on Leading, Coaching, and Giving Back

Finally, we hope to highlight some of our amazing alumni in each newsletter. This Winter, we are highlighting a very special Alum and current collegiate field hockey coach, Carolyn King-Robitaille 鈥�07. Here is what she has to say about her experience as a Bobcat:

What do you currently do? (i.e., job, for fun, volunteer work, etc.)

I am currently the Head Field Hockey Coach and an Assistant Athletic Director at Saint Anselm College. I have the most fun when I am coaching, and I feel so grateful to be able to do that nearly every day. Outside of field hockey, I have two young kids (5 & 3) who keep me very busy. We love to spend time outdoors camping, hiking, taking day trips to the lake or ocean, visiting new places, and exploring all of the beautiful parts of New England. We are a huge sports family and enjoy attending live sporting events and watching our favorite teams (half our household loves the Patriots, and the other half loves the Denver Broncos).

How do you think 乐播传媒 has shaped where you are right now? 

乐播传媒 has had an incredible impact on who I am and where I am now. The college itself challenged me to be a true critical thinker and to broaden my perspective and understanding of things I either thought I already knew or knew nothing about. It opened my eyes to different ways of seeing and considering the world and its people, as well as how to show up in the world as myself. Playing both field hockey and softball had a profound impact on me as well, thanks to my relationships with my teammates and coaches. My coaches and teammates truly walked alongside me during my journey at 乐播传媒 as I both faltered and flourished. They were an incredible support system during such a formidable time in my life. These are the same people I text in a daily group chat who continue to support, challenge, and show up for me two decades later. I am who I am because of the people I met at 乐播传媒 and the experiences and opportunities 乐播传媒 afforded me.

What was your path to where you are now?

I graduated a semester late from 乐播传媒, and during that fifth Fall, I helped out with the field hockey team. Prior to this, I never considered coaching as a possible profession. Upon graduating in December, I had an incredible opportunity to work at Reebok鈥檚 Global Headquarters, which aligned well with my undergraduate major (Creative Writing) and my interests and aspirations at the time regarding sports. However, after a couple of months, I felt drawn back to 乐播传媒 and the possibility of coaching. It did help that my future wife was still living in Lewiston at the time. We met during my junior year at the Blue Goose. I moved back to Lewiston and took on roles as assistant field hockey and softball coach and assistant sports information director. This is where that tiny spark and interest in coaching exploded. I knew coaching was my path, and my two years coaching at 乐播传媒 were the catalyst for where I am now. After 乐播传媒, I was a graduate assistant field hockey coach at Cortland State University, where I got my master鈥檚 in English Literature. Upon completing that degree, I was lucky enough to get the head coach position at Saint Anselm College, where I have been ever since (14 years).

What is your favorite memory from your time at 乐播传媒?

There are so many memories from my time at 乐播传媒. Most of my fondest memories involve my teammates and traveling with them, from long field hockey bus rides to VT to softball spring break trips in Florida. We spent so much quality time together and had so much fun together on and off the fields. The opportunity to travel while at 乐播传媒 holds significant memories for me because I had not traveled much before going to school. My study abroad experience in Cape Town, South Africa, was life-changing, as well as our team trip to the Netherlands (as a player) and our team trip to Argentina (as an assistant coach 鈥� Coach Kelly was on that team!). These are once and a lifetime opportunities that I cherish to this day.

What was your favorite Commons food?

I have a few of course. Chicken patty day (usually Saturday) was always a fan favorite for all of us. The chicken taquitos were incredibly underrated and one of my personal favorites. I also was a frequent flyer at the soft serve ice cream machine, and the vegan desserts were always fire. You could not go wrong with any option from Commons.

Save the Date:

Alumni gathering Reunion Weekend: Saturday, June 13. More details coming soon!

Swimming for a Cure

This month, 乐播传媒 swimming & diving united behind two powerful cancer-awareness initiatives, swimming in honor of those fighting cancer and those we鈥檝e sadly lost. Through these events, the Bobcats left everything in the water – racing for the health of others!

• Making waves for a cure: On Day 1 of practice, the team took on 40 x 100s, pushing through one of the most mentally challenging sets of the year. The generosity of the 乐播传媒 community matched their effort as the team raised $3,500 for cancer research and support.
• Hour of Power: 乐播传媒 joined teams nationwide for the 20th annual Hour of Power, honoring Carleton swimmer Ted Mullin and raising awareness of sarcoma cancer. For the first time, we were honored to have Ted’s parents, Rick and Mary Mullin, join us on deck and share the overall impact of this event. Their message gave the practice powerful meaning and helped our team swim with purpose. As always, we swam fast, continuous relays for a full hour, fueled by a specially curated playlist made by our team!

Sportraits

Every year, the 乐播传媒 Athletics Marketing team produces creative, fun media content. Here’s a sneak peek at a few!

Test Set Takeover

Our annual test set brought championship energy to our second Saturday practice. With music blasting and teammates lining the deck, the atmosphere was electric. Athletes tackled 10 x 100 Best Average for swim and kick, while sprinters suited up for 3脳50 off the blocks – with several throwing down lifetime bests. It was an awesome display of team unity, fast swimming, and early-season fire.

Bobcats Win!

乐播传媒 swimming & diving opened the season with two great meets against Wheaton and Wesleyan – and with no surprise, the Bobcats delivered. Both the Men鈥檚 and Women鈥檚 teams won each meet, setting the tone for an exciting year ahead. Even amid heavy training, athletes turned in electric races and intentional swims.

Meet Highlights:

• Sarah Palmer 鈥�27 hit an NCAA B-cut in the 100 Breaststroke (1:03.9) and is now 6th in the nation.
• NCAA Champion Max Cory 鈥�26 secured his B-cut in the 50 Free (20.3), ranking 4th in the nation.
• Marrich Somridhivej 鈥�26 had an exceptional meet with his 100 Breaststroke (55.5), currently sitting 5th in the country.
• 7 Bobcats achieved personal best times in their individual events鈥�not tapered or suited across both meets.

Coach Casares summed up the meets perfectly:

鈥淕utsy swims and really good improvement on the diving board. The team showed up ready, and they set the tone and energy for how we handle ourselves at dual meets. Overall, a great attitude on deck – handling both great swims and ones that leave us wanting more.鈥�

FBA Giving:

A quick note of gratitude to all our donors – alums, families, friends of the program! We couldn’t do it without you, and your support goes directly to the team’s experience. We’ve noticed more and more of our youngest alumni taking advantage of the recurring gift option and setting up payment of $10, $15, or $20 to get processed monthly. Thank you! What a great idea to make a huge impact on the program. 

These gifts add up quickly when many get involved, and if you haven’t already, we hope you’ll consider your own  to help with updating equipment, tech suit purchases, and catered dinners over break!

Highlights:

• In case you missed it, Ben Wolking 鈥�27, gave a TED Talk, 鈥淒aring to Be Delusional,鈥� right here on campus. !
• : Make sure you follow 乐播传媒 swimming & diving on Instagram! Where we share highlights on the season, meets, training trip (coming soon鈥�), and fun videos of our team!
• : Make sure to listen to past weeks’ Bobcast, to hear Senior captain Marrich and Junior Cora, talk about our successful start to the season!

Upcoming Meets:

• Dec. 5-6 – Maine State Invitational (Waterville, ME):
  with 9 meet records, 45 lifetime bests, and 5 NCAA cuts!
• Dec .14-23 – Training Trip in Florida!

Community swim lessons: 

In September, our two-week community swim lesson program sold out in under three minutes! Every year, our swimmers get to teach one-on-one lessons to kids from Lewiston-Auburn – it鈥檚 one of our favorite traditions. The smiles, learning, the proud high-fives at the end – it鈥檚 the kind of experience that reminds us what being part of this community is all about. Just look at these smiles!

Recruit weekend:

The team put on an amazing recruit weekend, we couldn鈥檛 have been more proud.听 From heading to Wallingford’s Apple Orchard for some good times with cider, corn mazes, and goats, to a full-team scavenger hunt sprint across campus, the recruits had a blast meeting the team and learning about 乐播传媒! There were even rumors of a dance party breaking out at the team BBQ! We had 8 men and 8 women on campus – all of who could help us continue our tradition of excellence.

Ted talk spotlight:

You won’t want to miss Ben Wolking 鈥�27 delivering his powerful TED Talk, “Daring to Be Delusional,” which had the whole team cheering. Click below to watch the best Ted Talk ever!

(skip to 21:00) – we promise it鈥檚 worth your time!

Preseason energy:

After four weeks of open swim, this team is showing exactly what 乐播传媒 Swim & Dive is all about – effort, energy, and heart. The seniors set the pace with their leadership, and the rest of the group followed with intensity that never let up. The intention was positive, and the chemistry grew stronger by the day. The wait is over – it鈥檚 time for the best team in the country to make its official return to the pool!

Upcoming events:

Alumni! Mark your calendars for Nov. 21 and make sure to sign up for our social hour at The Pub at Baxter below.

Meet schedule:

• Nov 15 – vs. Wheaton (Home)
• Nov 22 – vs. Wesleyan (Home)

Link to schedule:

Fall 2025 Season Recap

The team finished the fall season 7-6-3 and earned the #8 seed in the NESCAC Tournament. We lost a closely contested Quarterfinal game at Tufts 1-0, which ended our season in early November.

Our NPI Ranking (which dictates who earns at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament) was 54, which was approximately 20 positions away from earning the program鈥檚 first NCAA Tournament berth. The 2025 team embodied our core values: committed, selfless, together, and resilient, and accomplished one of our key goals: qualifying for the NESCAC playoffs.

Improvement is a key trait we focus on as a program. Below are certain key improvement statistics and season milestones that were recently presented to the team:

• NESCAC playoff berth (first time since 2019)
• 11 Points in NESCAC (+3 points from 2024, and most since 2019)
• #54 in D-III Men’s Soccer NPI Rankings (-29 from 2024)
• #13 United Soccer Coaches National Ranking (Sep. 30 – highest in program history)
• (first time beating Bowdoin in back-to-back seasons since 鈥�98 – 鈥�99)
• (first time winning at Amherst since 1992, and beating them since 2004)
• 12 Goals Against (-3 from 2024), .75 GAA (T-29^th Nationally)
• 25 Goals For (+5 from 2024)

I am pleased with the culture we are building and the progress we have made again this season. We must continue working hard over the next 8+ months to continue our forward trajectory in the most competitive Division III men鈥檚 soccer conference in the nation!

Senior Day Celebration

We celebrated the 8 seniors before our home game vs. Connecticut College on October 18: Lane Foush茅e, Kobby Nimako, Wilson Smith, Sebastian Iacovitti, David Ortiz, Mauro Kalora, Tomas Alberola, and Cesar Hoover. This class has embodied our core values, committed to our standards, supported their teammates, and played a large role in our forward momentum over the last two years. We thank them deeply for their contributions to the program and wish them well as they begin their transition to the real world!

Team Banquet and Post-Season Awards

Banquet + Team Awards

We hosted our annual team banquet on December 2, when the team returned from Thanksgiving break, to celebrate the 2025 season. We handed out individual awards and recognized the senior class for their contributions to the program over the last four years. See below for the individual award winners.

• Bob Lanz 鈥�65 Golden Boot Award – Luke Cunniffe 鈥�29
  Named after the program’s all-time leading goal scorer, the Bob Lanz ’65 Golden Boot is presented to the 乐播传媒 player who scores the most goals in a season.
• First Captain鈥檚 Award – Lane Foushee 鈥�26 (first 2-time winner in program history)
  This award is given in honor of the program’s first-ever captain, Lee Nute ’63. The criteria for the award are being exemplary in scholarship, leadership, and service.
• Rob Moore 鈥�94 Compassionate, Kind, and Selfless Spirit Award – David Ortiz 鈥�26
  Established to commemorate Robert Daniel Moore 鈥�94. The Rob Moore 鈥�94 Compassionate, Kind, and Selfless Spirit Award will be presented to a graduating senior men鈥檚 soccer player who demonstrates qualities that were embodied by Rob Moore, including unwavering generosity, calmness under pressure, and a never-give-up attitude.
• Club Man of the Year – Wilson Smith 鈥�26
  This award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the team and their teammates on and off the field by embodying 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer鈥檚 2025 Core Values: Committed, Together, Selfless, and Resilience.
• Rookie of the Year– Luke Cunniffe 鈥�29
• Team MVP- Hewitt Stevenson 鈥�28

4 All-NESCAC Honorees!

Four team members earned All-NESCAC honors. This was the most in program history, and the first time in program history two first-years have been named All-NESCAC. Congrats to Lane, Hewitt, Chris, and Luke!

• Lane Foushee 鈥�26 – Foush茅e played in 15 matches for 乐播传媒, starting in 13 of them on his way to a strong senior season that saw the team captain score three goals and dish out two assists.

• Hewitt Stevenson 鈥�28 – Stevenson started all 16 matches and tallied one goal and two assists on the year. He helped anchor a 乐播传媒 defense that only allowed 0.75 goals per match.

• Chris Bianco 鈥�29 – Bianco played in 15 matches, starting in 10 as a rookie. He tallied three goals and led the team with four assists.

• Luke Cunniffe 鈥�29 – Cunniffe saw action in all 16 matches as a rookie, starting 11. He led the team with 12 points, including a team-high five goals, plus a pair of assists.

Six Bobcats Named to CSC Academic All-District Team

We had six Bobcats selected to the College Sports Communicators Men’s Soccer Academic All-District庐 Team: junior captain Andrew Goddard, senior Wilson Smith, sophomore Zach Perron, sophomore Andrew Jean Baptiste, sophomore George Nassar, and sophomore Hewitt Stevenson. The College Sports Communicators recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Congrats to these six on their work ethic and performance in the classroom and on the field!

Alumni Engagement + Closing Thoughts

Thank you to all the alumni, parents, and friends of the program who supported us throughout the fall season. Your presence was felt on the sidelines at games in garnet and white, fueling the team at the postgame tailgates, at our September 20 Alumni game, and through your donations made to the program. We have taken another big step forward this year as a team, and we could not have done so without this far-reaching support. Thank you!

2026 Alumni Mentorship Program

Aleks Marceau 鈥�19, Owen Keleher 鈥�22, Rex Ah Chu 鈥�25, and Hewitt Stevenson 鈥�28 are working behind the scenes to launch the 2026 Alumni Mentorship Program. The goal of this program is to connect current student-athletes with alumni for guidance on internships, interviews, post-graduation jobs, and navigating soccer/school/life at 乐播传媒.

In the program鈥檚 inaugural year (2025), we had over 100 Bobcats involved (70 alumni and 30+ student-athletes). Please keep your eyes out for an email in the coming weeks with information on how to become an alumni mentor in 2026!

Alumni Mentoring Night (April 10)

We will host our 2^nd annual Alumni Mentoring Night at 乐播传媒 on Friday, April 10. back to campus from different eras and industries for a night that includes: an alumni panel, Q&A with the current student-athletes, and a casual dinner in Commons with the team.

, and please reach out to me at bbrewster@bates.edu if you are interested in getting involved with this event in 2026!

Donate to the Men鈥檚 Soccer Program

I hope you will consider over the holiday season. From last year鈥檚 donations, we were able to use these dollars in the following ways:

1. Stipend to retain our 2^nd Assistant Coach
2. Team Bonding Events (Portland Hearts of Pine Game, Preseason Team BBQ at the coach鈥檚 house)
3. Nutrition, Hydration, and Recovery enhancements in the locker room
4. PlayerData GPS Tracking Devices, and Wyscout Video/Analytics platform, which has allowed the coaching staff to take a data-driven approach towards our training, scouting, development, and recovery protocols
5. New training jackets and travel attire for the team

Please .

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of the program. Have a fantastic holiday season and GO BOBCATS!

Ben Brewster
Head Coach, 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer

The weather this fall has been incredible! While we certainly miss our three juniors currently studying abroad in Copenhagen and Australia, they鈥檙e doing well, staying active, and making the most of their experiences. Since we began practicing on September 3, I鈥檝e been excited by the development and energy within our group.

• We鈥檝e added four first-year players who are already making an impact.
• The team has been focused on building our all-court game, and I鈥檝e been especially impressed with the progress in our volleys and transition play. The improvement over the past month has been outstanding.
• Our student-athletes are working hard in the weight room, and our returners came back from the summer looking strong and prepared.

Competition Highlights

• Final Fall Event: We’ll close out the fall on October 25 at Bryant (Division I), which gives us another great target to train toward.
• Middlebury Invitational: We opened the fall season at the Middlebury Invitational, facing strong competition and gaining valuable insight into areas for continued growth. The long trip also helped strengthen team bonds. Despite a few early injuries, we took advantage of the opportunity to get everyone involved in match play and saw steady progress from Saturday to Sunday.
• ITA Championships: We played excellent tennis here despite some narrow losses in both singles and doubles.
• Wallach Invitational: This was our best showing of the fall and the strongest performance at that event in several years. Our athletes鈥� maturity and confidence continue to grow, and it鈥檚 been inspiring to watch.

Focus: The Mental Game

I recently came across a great quote from mental coach Bob Rotella, who referenced Mark Twain: 鈥淭he inability to forget is far more devastating than the inability to remember.鈥� Rotella emphasizes that elite athletes master the ability to 鈥渇orget鈥濃�攖o move forward quickly after setbacks. Our players are embracing that mindset. Even when outcomes don鈥檛 go our way, they鈥檙e learning to process tough matches productively, focus on what went right, and trust that the results will come through consistent work. This team is resilient, fearless, and committed to improving a little bit each day. Our goal is to 鈥渢rust our training and let it fly鈥� in competition while continuing to be solution-based鈥攏o excuses. 

We strive to find a way – NO MATTER WHAT!   

Spring Travel News:

We鈥檙e excited to be heading back to Florida this winter from February 12鈥�19. If you鈥檙e in the area, we鈥檇 love to see you!

• Training Location: USTA National Campus in Lake Nona.
• Scheduled Opponents: St. Leo University, Rollins College, and Florida Southern College.

Your generosity over the years has made this invaluable training trip possible, helping us cover essential expenses such as travel, lodging, court time, and meals. Thank you again for your continued support鈥攊t means so much to our program and our student-athletes.

Facilities & Upgrades:

A huge thank-you to everyone who has supported our PlaySight Video System project over the past five years. It鈥檚 been a tremendous success, allowing our athletes to review matches and enabling 乐播传媒 Tennis to livestream all home contests.

• Technology Upgrade (PlaySight to SaveMyPlay): This summer, we successfully transitioned to SaveMyPlay, a platform used by the USTA National Campus. This upgrade:
  • Offers AI features to automatically clip highlights.
  • Gives us higher-quality video.
  • Significantly reduces annual costs.
  • Includes 12 new cameras for Merrill Gym and the Wallach Tennis Center.
• Court Repairs: We completed important repairs in August. Maine Tennis and Track addressed major cracks using the Armor Crack Mesh system and repainted the front four courts and courtyard, while the back courts were pressure-washed.

We redirected funds originally set aside for new bleachers to prioritize these court repairs and extend the facility鈥檚 lifespan. The Wallach Tennis Center, now 25 years old, has withstood many Maine winters, but it鈥檚 nearing the end of its resurfacing cycle. We鈥檒l continue working with the college to plan for future upgrades in the coming years.

Recruiting News:

Looking ahead, our projected 2026 incoming class could be one of our strongest in more than a decade. We鈥檒l share more details once the admissions process is complete this winter鈥攂ut the future is bright!

Go Cats!

Paul Gastonguay
Head Men’s Tennis Coach 

Welcome, Class of 2029!

We are excited to welcome a talented group of first-years to the team this fall. Each of them
brings unique energy, experiences, and perspectives that will strengthen our program and our
community.

• Rodrigo Chon Him 鈥� Santa Ana, El Salvador
• Parker Davis 鈥� Baltimore, MD
• Oscar Hecker 鈥� Westport, CT
• John Kim 鈥� Bellevue, WA
• Tommy Le 鈥� Portland, ME
• Tanish Tangri 鈥� Malvern, PA
• Albertine Gingrass 鈥� Denver, CO

We are eager to see the impact this group will have as they begin their 乐播传媒 journey, both on
and off the court.

Season Schedule & Save the Date

Our full Men鈥檚 and Women鈥檚 schedules for the 2025鈥�26 season are now live:

Please mark your calendars for our big rivalry weekend:

• Friday, February 6 鈥� vs. Bowdoin at 6 PM (Senior Day)
• Saturday, February 7 鈥� at Colby at 3 PM

We would love to see many of you there as we celebrate our seniors and continue one of the great rivalries in NESCAC squash.

Supporting the Program

As many of you know, last season was a challenging one with the coaching transition, and fundraising did not reach its full potential. This year, your support is especially meaningful. FBA dollars directly enhance our team鈥檚 experience鈥攃overing critical operational needs and making it possible for us to travel and recruit at top events, including the U.S. Open in December and Junior Nationals in March, both in Philadelphia.

We also want to provide the best experience possible for our players during competition. At Nationals this year, we hope to stay close to the Arlen Specter Center in Philadelphia, where the event takes place. Last season, the team had a great experience staying near the venue, and we know being close helps our players compete at their best.

If you would like to , please select Women鈥檚 and Men鈥檚 Squash as your designation. Thank you for being an important part of this journey.

Go Bobcats! 🐾

I hope you and your families are doing well, and enjoying the summer! Life has been busy in Lewiston for the Men鈥檚 Soccer staff with recruiting, hosting campus visits, camps, and gearing up for the fall 2025 season. We are now under four weeks away from the team reporting back to campus for preseason! Please read more below to learn more about our recent graduates, new Bobcats, alumni engagement initiatives, upcoming season, and much more.

Fall 2025 Schedule 

where you can see game dates and times. We open the season at home on September 3 vs. a challenging St. Joe鈥檚 team, and quickly get into our NESCAC schedule when we travel to Trinity on September 6. I hope to see many of you on the sidelines at Russell Field and at our away games in the fall. There is a palpable energy surrounding the program at the moment, and we have gained significant momentum both on and off the field over the last year. Your presence and support at our games will only add to this excitement! 

乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer Fan Store – OPEN NOW!

Buy your 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer gear before the Fall 2025 season kicks off at our ! 10% of all sales from the store goes to the 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer program. The store closes on July 28.

SAVE THE DATES/RSVP | Upcoming Alumni Events

Saturday, September 20: Men鈥檚 and Women鈥檚 Soccer Alumni Weekend 

• Join us on September 20 for a Men鈥檚 and Women鈥檚 Soccer Alumni Game. Dust off your boots, reconnect with old teammates, and support your Bobcats vs. Wesleyan at 2pm! We will have a pregame tailgate and postgame reception for Men鈥檚 Soccer alumni too. 
• RSVP and see additional details. A formal email/invitation will follow in mid-late August. 

Saturday, October 11: Men鈥檚 Soccer @Tufts (12:30pm)

• For our Boston-based alumni, mark your calendars to support the team vs. Tufts on Saturday, October 11. This is certain to be a pivotal game to decide our place in the NESCAC standings. More details will be provided regarding a pre- or post-game tailgate or reception.

FBA Challenge Recap

Thanks to the massive support of our alumni, parents, and friends of the program, we totaled 100 donors and raised $41,060 for the Men鈥檚 Soccer program. This placed us 5^th on the leaderboard in dollars raised among all 乐播传媒 Athletics teams! A special thank you goes out to the classes of 鈥�95 through 鈥�98 and the Men鈥檚 Soccer Alumni Leadership Team for their matching gifts. 

With the money raised, we have already enhanced the program in the following areas ahead of our 2025 fall campaign: 

• PlayerData (GPS tracking devices and vests) were purchased for the program. This will assist the coaching staff in monitoring daily, weekly, and season-long loads, tracking players鈥� physical development, providing further individual feedback for players, and much more! 
• Stipend to retain our 2^nd Assistant Coach– Ibrahim Achekh
• Wyscout (an advanced data and analytics tool) was purchased for the program. This will assist the coaching staff in player and team development, opponent scouting, and recruitment. 
• New training and travel gear for the team
• Nutrition and hydration enhancements in the locker room
• Recovery/Regen equipment purchased for the locker room

We strongly believe that we are building the most professional, competitive, and supportive environment in the NESCAC. We could not continue moving the program forward without your consistent engagement and support. THANK YOU!   

Bobcats Graduated

We had five seniors graduate from 乐播传媒 this spring and start the next chapter of their lives: Tife Agunloye, Simon Clarke, Rex Ah Chu, Henry Kuenstler, and Gerard Costa Farre. These five played an instrumental role for the Men鈥檚 Soccer program, on and off the field, and we wish them well as they transition to life as a college graduate! Read more below for information on their next steps: 

Tife Agunloye: Living and working in Brooklyn, NY as a Sales Representative. Tife is settling into NYC this summer/fall, finding a place to live with fellow 乐播传媒 Soccer grads (Henry and Simon), and looking forward to exploring the city and spending time with friends. 

Simon Clarke: Traveling before he starts work in early August. Simon will be working as a sales representative in NYC and is looking forward to his continued friendship with his former 乐播传媒 teammates and embarking on a new chapter as a 乐播传媒 graduate. 

Rex Ah Chu: Rex has been at home in Dallas, TX since graduation, and has been busy studying for the LSAT (which he plans to take soon!). Rex is also looking for legal work this fall in Portland, ME, Dallas, TX, or somewhere along the East Coast, and recently started a NIL/college sports newsletter with Tife. 

Henry Kuenstler: Henry is back in London this summer and started a new position working remotely at an underdog venture team as a Client Partnerships Intern. In his new role, Henry will be working closely with Max McKersie (鈥�23)! 

Gerard Costa Farre: Gerard graduated from 乐播传媒 after the fall 2024 semester, and has been enjoying traveling, attending some Champions League matches in the spring, and spending time in Spain. Gerard is looking for work in Boston/NYC this fall. 

Welcome to our Newest Bobcats!

The coaching staff has been hard at work and traveling around the country over the last year+ recruiting our 2025 and 2026 classes. We are adding 10 first-years to our team in the fall of 2025, and are thrilled with the quality of player and person that is joining the 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer program. Read more below for additional information on our newest Bobcats! (Click each photo to read more about our newest Bobcats!)

Alumni Mentorship Program + How to Support the Program

Mentioned in previous communications and the Spring Newsletter, the 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer Alumni Mentorship Program officially launched in February. In the program鈥檚 inaugural year, we had 70 Men鈥檚 Soccer alumni and 30 student-athletes involved. This engagement was fantastic, and we have heard numerous positive stories from mentors (alumni) and mentees (student-athletes) about the connections they have already made. 

If you would like to become an alumni mentor in 2025-26, please fill out the survey below. To stay in touch with the program and connect with former teammates/乐播传媒 Soccer alumni, please join our LinkedIn page and check out the Alumni Database that Aleks Marceau 鈥�19 put together. 

To donate to the 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer program, please click this link: . 

Closing Thoughts

The team has continued to impress me over the last year with their commitment to the program, commitment to each other, and work rate on the field, in the classroom (3.75 team GPA in 2024-25), in the weight room, and at early morning speed and agility sessions. The most immediate goals in front of us are the following: 1) Return to campus on August 18 fit, healthy, strong and ready to compete each day with energy and enthusiasm; 2) integrate our 8 seniors back into the team from their abroad experiences last spring; 3) welcome our 10 incoming First-Years into the team with open arms, and show them what it means to be part of the 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer team; 4) have a good first training session on August 20. 

I am confident that the identity that we are building on and off the field will result in further growth as a team in the fall 2025 season, and will soon lead to us accomplishing larger goals as a program, i.e., NESCAC playoff berths, NESCAC Championships, NCAA Tournament bids, and playing soccer in late November-December. The continued development of a strong mentality, competitive mindset, selfless/team-first attitude, and team camaraderie, in concurrence with the ability to focus on the short-term goals directly in front of us, will be the process that leads us to these on-field results. 

Thank you, as always, for your engagement and support for the 乐播传媒 Men鈥檚 Soccer program. I hope you never underestimate how important this support is for our continued success as a program. I look forward to seeing many of you at our Alumni Game on September 20^th. 

Have a great rest of your summer, and Go 鈥楥ats! 

Ben Brewster
Head Men’s Soccer Coach
乐播传媒 College