LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates women's soccer team's new era begins this Saturday, as head coach Jonny Macadam makes his debut when the Bobcats visit Williams for a match that gets underway at 10 a.m.

Originally from Scotland, Macadam comes to Bates from NCAA Division I program Fordham, where he was the first assistant coach for the women's soccer team. He won an NCAA Division II championship as an assistant coach in 2018 with University of Bridgeport women's soccer.

"It was an unbelievable experience," Macadam said on this week's episode of the Bates Bobcast. "I was there for several years and we always had a competitive team, always nationally ranked. But that season everything just clicked for us." 

Now, Macadam enters his first year as a head coach at Bates. He takes over a women's soccer program that returns their top five point-scorers from a year ago. 

"I knew a little bit about the NESCAC and I knew about the program, but it wasn't until I got here for the interview that I had an amazing feeling," Macadam said. "I really wanted the job after I left the interview and I had a good feeling meeting with the players, meeting some of the other head coaches, some other department heads, and I felt that we can do something here."

Junior captain midfielder Gwyn Jamison (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and senior captain defender Ruby Hill (Berkeley, Calif.) lead the Bobcats into the season.

"One of the main qualities that we look for in captains is they're two players that the rest of the group looks to, and it's on the field, it's off the field," Macadam said. "They command that respect with how they carry themselves. There's maturity there, and both are very good players as well." 

Jamison tied for the team lead in points last season, having tallied four goals and a team-high three assists. Hill notched a pair of goals despite playing on the defensive side of the ball. They are joined by junior forward Eleanor Martin (Oilville, Va.), senior midfielder Rachel Suh (Seattle), and sophomore forward Sydney Walker (Brick, N.J.) as top-five point-scorers from last year. Martin paced the Bobcats with five goals and added an assist as well to match Jamison for the team-lead with 11 points. Suh netted three goals while Walker found the back of the net twice during her rookie season. Meanwhile, sophomores Aurora Rella-Neill (Pownal, Vt.) and Lanie Riddle (North Richland Hills, Texas) proved to be talented distributors as rookies, tallying two assists apiece. 

Bates is also very experienced between the pipes. Senior Sydney Litney (Schaumburg, Ill.) started 14 matches last season, recording a save percentage of .794. Sophomore Brady Jacobson (Weston, Mass.) returns as well, having notched a save percentage of .804 in 11 matches as a rookie.

As for the style of play fans can expect this year, that's to-be-determined. 

"I wouldn't necessarily say there's a 'Jonny Macadam style' of playing," Macadam said. "For me, it's about looking at the group of players that we have and how we can best maximize this group. So that can mean many different things. And that's what preseason's going to be about for us is really learning what the strengths of this group are and figuring out our team identity."

Regardless of playing style, Macadam is excited for what's to come.

"I think we've got a special group here and there's a team that wants to do well," Macadam said. "We want to make the playoffs. We want to play an exciting brand of football. So if you've got some Tuesday nights free or some Saturday afternoons free when we've got games, we would love to have your support."