Bates Men’s Soccer Alumni and Friends, 

I hope you and your families are doing well, and you had a great Thanksgiving! All is going well in Lewiston and on the Bates campus. The team recently wrapped up the fall 2024 season, students returned to Bates this week from Thanksgiving Recess, and final exams will kick off next week. Below are a few updates from the fall, and information on the Alumni Mentorship Program launch. 

Fall 2024 Season Recap

The team finished the fall season 6-7-2, and in 9^th place in the NESCAC. We needed a win on the road vs. Colby in the final game of the season to clinch a NESCAC playoff berth, and ended up drawing 3-3. Despite being down 2-0 at halftime, the team showed great character to fight back in the second half. We equalized in the 88^th minute, and nearly scored the winner with 20 seconds remaining. This would have been a nice reward given the commitment, togetherness and selflessness the team displayed throughout the fall season. 

Despite falling just short of our goal this season, I am pleased with the progress we have made over the last 8 months. The team has embodied our core values, competed with energy and enthusiasm, stuck together through adversity, and created an identity (on and off the field) that we will continue to build on this spring, next fall, and for years to come! 

Senior Day Celebration

We celebrated our 5 seniors this year before our home game vs. Middlebury on October 26: Tife Agunloye, Simon Clarke, Henry Kuenstler, Rex Ah Chu, and Gerard Costa Farré. We thank them deeply for their commitment to the program over the last 4 years, and look forward to supporting them as they start to make the transition to the real world! See below for pictures of Senior Day. 

Post Season Awards

Tife Agunloye earns First Team All-NESCAC and United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-Region

Tife led the team in goals (6), assists (4), and points (16) this season. He became the first three-time All-NESCAC selection in Bates men’s soccer history, and the first Bates men’s soccer player to be named All-Region twice in their career since Terence O’Connell ’06. Congratulations to Tife on a great season and Bates career! 

2024 CSC Academic All-District

Junior captain Lane Foushée, junior Wilson Smith, and sophomore Ollie Schiff Stein were named to the 2024 CSC Academic All-District Men’s Soccer Team! Congrats to these three for their dedication to their studies and strong performance in the classroom.  

Bates Men’s Soccer Alumni Mentorship Program

I am working closely with Aleks Marceau (’19) to create a Bates Men’s Soccer Alumni Mentorship Program. The goal of this program is to connect the current student-athletes with alumni for guidance on internships, interviews, jobs post-graduation, and navigating soccer/school/life at Bates.

We will assign each student-athlete with 1-3 mentors (dependent on interest levels from alumni) in specific industries the student-athletes are considering entering after graduation. Having personally been a part of a few different mentorship programs, I know they can be incredibly valuable and rewarding for both the Mentee and Mentor. Please keep your eyes peeled for an email from Aleks in the coming month with additional information on how to join the program/become a mentor!

Closing Thoughts

I have enjoyed meeting many of you in person and virtually over the last 8 months. I hope to meet many more over the next year and see you at an alumni event in 2025. Your continued support of the program is much appreciated and plays a large role in our success on and off the field. 

The underclassmen are motivated and excited to take another step forward individually and as a team this offseason. The sophomore class will be thrust into leadership roles this spring, as our seniors have exhausted their eligibility, and the junior class will be abroad. They are excited and ready for the challenge. 

We have created a culture and identity over the last 8 months that will serve us well as we look to compete for NESCAC playoff berths, championships, and NCAA tournament appearances in future years.  

Please follow our Instagram page for offseason updates, and please consider donating to the Bates Men’s Soccer program. 

Have a great Holiday season. Best wishes to you and your families.

Go Bobcats! 

Ben Brewster
Head Men’s Soccer Coach