LEWISTON, Maine -- Noah Riskind '16, entering his second year at the helm of his alma mater, has nothing but positivity when talking about the 2023 Bates College men's soccer team. There were a number of special moments during Riskind's maiden season leading the Bobcats as Bates posted a 6-5-4 record, including stalemates vs. nationally-ranked Hamilton and Wesleyan and a season-ending, 1-0 win at Colby College.
Is this the year the garnet-and-white cracks the NESCAC postseason for the first time since 2019? Time will tell, but Coach Riskind likes what he sees thus far.
"Preseason (was) a blast," Riskind said. "The boys really care about each other, push each other. The intensity and quality is there. We're a really good technical, ball-playing team and I think we will be pretty fun to watch this year."
Senior captain Seba Niehenke (Morristown, N.J.) tends to agree with his coach. "There is a great vibe with this group, something I haven't felt on a team in a while. In the past, we had a tendency to look too far ahead. We want to take it game-by-game, moment-by-moment this season."
And what does Niehenke think about being named the lone captain on the roster?
"It's a pleasure and an honor," Niehenke said. "I get the opportunity to lead 28 guys and represent them on and off the field. I've learned a lot the last three years from some great captains. My job is to set the tone and set an example for this team, I'm going to do my best."
Coach Riskind has no doubt that Niehenke is the right man for the job.
"Seba is a special person," Riskind said. "He's a natural leader with a consistent mentality. He possesses the ability to stay even-keel, even in difficult moments. When he speaks, everyone listens because he picks the right moment to speak up."
The Bobcats will look to Tife Agunloye (Jr.-Monroe, Conn.) to pick up where he left off a year ago as the junior forward comes off a 2022 campaign during which he led the NESCAC with four goals in conference play. The second-team All-Region selection will be assisted by seniors Harry Corman (Carpentaria, Calif.) and Rawson Welch (Denver, Colo.), and sophomore duo Cesar Hoover (San Diego, Calif.) and Wilson Smith (Seattle, Wash.), on the offensive end.
"We should be able to spread out the scoring load a bit," Riskind said. "The team is looking really dangerous at attack."
On defense, sophomore Sebastian Iacovitti (M-Florence, Italy) will play a vital role for Bates.
"He played almost every minute as a first-year and has shown massive heart," Riskind said. "In the back, Seba, Simon Clarke (Jr.-Redwood City, Calif.), and Henry Kuentsler (So.-London, England) will contribute. Rex Ah Chu (Jr.-Flower Mound, Texas) is a really talented defender. David Ortiz (So.-Wake Forest, N.C.) is a great midfielder. This is a team with a lot of ability and depth; guys are going to step up over the course of the year."
Sophomore Issac Nimako (D-Carpentaria, Calif.) will also be a contributor while midfielders Gerard Costa Farrè (Jr.-Barcelona, Spain) and Mauro Kalaora (So.-Istanbul, Turkey) will each be a presence across the pitch.
In net, look for the goalkeeping trio of Erik Janzon (So.-Ridgefield, Conn.), Hayden Bernhardt (So.-Leicester, Vt.), and first-year Trevor Hammond (Canton, Mich.) to all get opportunities for minutes.
The Bobcats open the 2023 campaign Tuesday evening with a 6:00 p.m. non-conference tilt at Emerson College.
