LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates men's soccer program enters a new era in 2024 with the arrival of new head coach Ben Brewster, and the Bobcats hope to get things started on the right foot when they travel to Saint Joseph's College of Maine to begin the season Wednesday at 6 p.m.

"The guys came to fall camp in good shape," Brewster said. "So we've been able to train at a certain level of intensity, which has been really good." 

Bates is led by two-time All-NESCAC selection senior forward Tife Agunloye (Monroe, Conn.), who scored four goals and dished out one assist last season. This came on the heels of a superlative sophomore campaign when Agunloye led the conference in goals scored in NESCAC matches with all four of his goals that season coming in conference action.

"Tife studied abroad in the spring but came back this fall and had a good preseason," Brewster said. "He's an attacking player who can be quite dynamic, so we're looking forward to seeing what he can do this fall."

The Bobcats can count on juniors Cesar Hoover (San Diego, Calif.) and Wilson Smith (Seattle, Wash.) to distribute the ball, as Hoover led the team in assists last year with three and Smith chipped in two. 

Bates has two captains, with junior Lane Foushée (Brunswick, Maine) and senior Simon Clarke (Redwood City, Calif.) wearing the bands this season. Foushée scored two goals a year ago, while Clarke missed almost the entire season due to injury. The defender has battled injuries through the years, but has been a key contributor when healthy. 

"Leading by example is a key thing that we've talked about," Brewster said. "They've done a good job in terms of their consistency levels, how they've taken care of their bodies, and how they interact with their teammates. They're both doing a nice job in their roles so far."

Bates has a strong defensive unit, led by senior Henry Kuenstler (London, England) and sophomore Noah Greiff (Washington, D.C.), with senior Rex Ah Chu (Flower Mound, Texas) another force to be reckoned with on the back end.

In the opener against the Monks, Brewster wants to see Bates show both mental and physical strength. 

"It's been a good preseason for the whole group because they're all working hard, they're getting along well, and we're just trying to get better each day."