Ranked 8th in the NESCAC championship tournament, the Bates men’s soccer team played in the quarterfinal game on Nov. 1, against the number one seed, Tufts, falling short 2-0. However, the appearance was their first one since 2019 the team has qualified for the NESCAC playoffs.
To recap a remarkable season, some notable wins included a 3-0 shutout against Amherst for the first time since 1992. The Bobcats also defeated Bowdoin in an away game, beating the Polar Bears for the second time in a row.
The team’s recent success can be attributed to a number of factors, including strong leadership from Head Coach Ben Brewster, an emphasis on team culture and significant contributions from a large first year class.
Brewster has made a substantial impact on the men’s soccer team over the past two years through his professional experience and profound leadership. Brewster played soccer for Bowdoin from 2010-2013, where he was a captain, a First Team All American (2013), Rookie of the Year (2010) and MVP twice. After graduating from Bowdoin, Brewster served on behalf of the head soccer coach, Fran O’ Leary, at UMass Amherst for seven years.
Brewster has implemented new routines and strengthened team culture for the men’s soccer team informed by his previous playing and coaching experiences.
Senior captain Lane Foushée believes that the coach’s D1 background helped him “fine tune the little things like nutrition, sports psychology, and recovery,” contributing to the team’s improvement in the past two years.
“Brewster really changed the program,” said Foushée. “He brought with him an air of professionalism, which he has instilled in the team, and he has also really bonded the team together.”
Brewster described some of the core values he holds for the team, listing selflessness, commitment and respect to individuals in the community. “Our team is a group of guys that really like each other, and everyone gets on well and is committed to furthering the success of the team,” he added.
“Our record the last two seasons has been a lot better, and I believe the coach has a lot to do with that,” Lane said, when asked about the difference between his first two and last two seasons at Bates.
This year, Brewster added ten first-years to the thirty-three-man roster, four of whom were starters and many of whom were key goal-scorers throughout the season.
When asked about any notable first-years, Brewster mentioned four: Luke Cunniffe, Chris Bianco, Will Stillman, and Alden Yu as being the leading scorers. “Luke played a large role in the NESCAC quarterfinals,” Brewster said.
While the freshmen were vital contributors to the team’s success, Brewster also played around with the formation on the field. He asked Antonio Mesa ‘27 to play forward instead of defense because Mesa mentioned how he liked playing forward in high school. This season, Mesa scored multiple goals against the University of Southern Maine, the University of New England and Husson University.
In addition to formation and roster changes, the team utilized the sports psychology program, Koomba, which offers group and individual mind and body coaching sessions for athletes in a partnership with Bates.
“We used Koomba last year as a team, and it was very beneficial. We also do some team sessions in the spring. The guys do more individual sessions in the fall when we are in season,” Brewster said.
“I didn’t do individual sessions this year, but I had three last year. I thought it was super useful for me and would recommend it to any athlete,” said Foushée.
As for the future, the team’s success this season will no doubt lead to increased motivation and excitement for next year. When asked how he thinks this year’s accomplishment will position the team for next year, Brewster said, “NESCAC soccer is very competitive. This experience has given a lot of guys on the team exposure to a playoff game, and how competitive they are. I think this will motivate the team to do it again next year.”
