On Feb. 28, Bates Men’s Lacrosse beat Wesleyan 13-11 in their NESCAC opener. The Bobcats had previously not had a win over the Cardinals since March 5, 2016. So what has changed for the team?
Right out of the gate, the Bobcats are leading their season with a 2-2 streak in the NESCAC conference and a 6-2 record overall. They are currently ranked No. 14 nationally, and took down No. 13 Wesleyan on Feb. 28.
Their mindset this season has been focused on going “all in,” meaning everyone at all times putting in 100% of themselves out on the field.
Eddie Lin ‘28 shared that “last year our goal was to bring this program out of the mud and show people that Bates is a respectable program.”
In 2025, Bobcats had their best start since 2017. But the idea of a national championship was not in the books for them last year. 2026 could be a different story.
“This year our mindset is full on. We think we are the best in the country and we can do it,” Lin said. “A lot of this mindset shift is thanks to the new offense coach who recently was at Boston University. As far as technique, the new coaching strategies as well as the freshmen really changed the flowing culture of Bates Men’s lacrosse.”
Similarly, the team since last year has connected tremendously. The Bobcats are moving better together because of this new respect for each other on and off the field. The culture and the positivity that have grown with each new set of recruits have created a fresh set of standards for the team.
“I can see the team being more positive in a way, being less negative towards each other in certain traditions we had in the past,” Lin said. “Now those traditions are either leaving, or we are creating a new environment to which we can grow more and connect more as a team.”
The win was a true accumulation of a variety of things the Bobcats have been training for during practice. The team has picked up a unique tradition where players shout “hedgehog” for goals and big defensive stops. It isn’t a broad goal like winning the NESCAC playoffs. The “hedgehog” concept is a process oriented objective. It keeps the team’s focus narrow.
“Our goal is to be the best in the country at stopping runs and be the best at creating runs. This creates a momentum for the team,” Lin said.
This mindset has fueled the Bobcat’s success, helping them score consistently and stop other teams from gaining momentum. Last year, when the Bobcats played the Cardinals on Garcelon Field, the Bobcats were up four goals by the fourth quarter. Then Wesleyan went on a five-goal scoring streak that resulted in a 16-12 Cardinals win.
This year, Bates had a five-goal lead going into the fourth quarter. In the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter, Wesleyan scored four goals quickly.
Lin described the Wesleyan coach on the sideline shouting “Here comes a melting of Bates again.” Not wanting to repeat last year’s loss, the Bobcats turned on the jets.
Their mindset quickly changed to a more patient and defensive one. “We started playing more Bates lacrosse, which is more controlled,” Lin said. This steady and consistent mindset throughout the fourth quarter helped the Bobcats secure the win and beat Wesleyan for the first time in ten years.
Overall, the Bates Men’s Lacrosse team is climbing the rankings bit by bit and continues to make strides nationally. Their next games are versus Williams on Mar. 28 and Bowdoin on April 1, both at home.
