Bates College Athletics announced Ben Brewster as its 11th head men's soccer coach in February 2024.
In his first season at the helm, Brewster led the Bates men’s soccer program to a 6-7-2 record and a ninth-place finish in the highly competitive NESCAC. The Bobcats recorded six clean sheets—one of the top single-season marks in program history—while improving their goals-against average by a full goal per game (down from 1.6 to 0.6) and raising their goals-per-game average from 1.0 to 1.33.
Bates also earned eight additional points in conference play, highlighted by a home victory over Bowdoin—the program’s first since 1999. Off the field, the team received the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award with an impressive 3.75 GPA, the fifth-highest among all NCAA men’s soccer programs. Individually, standout forward Tife Agunloye became the first three-time All-NESCAC selection in program history and earned Second Team All-Region honors.
Brewster previously spent seven seasons at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, serving on the staff of head coach Fran O'Leary. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2019 after playing under O'Leary for three seasons at Bowdoin College (2010-13) during his four-year collegiate career.
Brewster helped coach the Minutemen to one of 14 at-large bids to the 2020 NCAA Tournament en route to a first-round bye. UMass ranked 15th nationally as a team in goals and 25th in assists.
In his first season as an associate head coach, Brewster guided the Minutemen to an Atlantic 10-leading goals against average of 0.93 while ranking inside the top-30 nationally in the category. Brewster's first two seasons saw UMass qualify for the Atlantic 10 Tournament while the Minutemen claimed both the A-10 regular season and tournament titles, becoming the first team to accomplish the feat since 1991. In 2018, Brewster helped the Minutemen reach their fourth consecutive A-10 Tournament, marking the second time in program history the program reached the conference postseason in four straight seasons.
No stranger to the NESCAC, Brewster was a team captain during his senior and junior seasons at Bowdoin and capped off his stellar career by being named a NSCAA First-Team All-American in 2013. A two-time team MVP, Brewster helped Bowdoin advance to the Division III Final Four in San Antonio, Texas while being named the NESCAC Rookie of the Year in 2010. In addition to his accomplishments on the pitch, Brewster was a first-team all-region and all-conference honoree and an all-America honorable mention selection for the Bowdoin Men's Lacrosse team. Brewster earned multiple Bowdoin College awards during his collegiate career as he received the Bowdoin Men's Soccer George Levine Memorial Award for sportsmanship, valor and desire in 2011 and 2013, while also earning the Sid Watson Award in 2013-14, which is presented annually to a Bowdoin student-athlete who has distinguished themselves through athletic performance and leadership of multiple teams.
Upon graduation, Brewster played semi-professionally with the Seacoast United Phantoms of the Premier Development League (PDL) in 2014. He was captain of a team that posted an 11-1-2 record on their way to winning the Northeast Division. In 2015, he signed with the Tulsa Roughnecks of the United Soccer League, starting 19 games. Brewster played for San Francisco FC in the PDL in 2016-17 while also commencing his coaching career as the head coach at The Bay School of San Francisco in 2016. He led the varsity boys' team to their first NCS playoff berth and win since the 2012 season.
A native of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Brewster graduated from Bowdoin with a Bachelor of Arts in history, and earned his master's in Sport Management in the Isenberg School of Management at UMass. Brewster holds a National B coaching license from the United States Soccer Federation.
What they are saying about Ben Brewster:
"Congratulations to the Bates Athletic Department on a fantastic hire! Ben is one of the top young coaches in the country and I am certain the progress Bates soccer makes in the coming seasons will add credence to this statement. He was a joy to both coach and then work with and I am certain the Bates players will enjoy playing for him. His work ethic and ability to relate to players are second to none. More importantly, his desire to develop his players for life after Bates will positively impact their lives. Ben is a great guy who will be truly missed by everyone at the University of Massachusetts. We look forward to what he will achieve as the new leader of Bates Men's Soccer!" -- Fran O'Leary, Men's Soccer Head Coach, University of Massachusetts Amherst
"When Ben was a student at Bowdoin he was an extra coach on the field for our soccer and lacrosse programs, and I am thrilled that his passion for coaching and mentoring student-athletes has brought him back to the NESCAC and the State of Maine. Ben will be a wonderful addition to the Bates campus community and the soccer community in Maine." -- Tim Ryan, Ashmead White Executive Director of Athletics, Bowdoin College
"Ben is a home run hire for Bates. He has a very high soccer IQ, is a tireless recruiter, and is an amazing educator. Most importantly, Ben is a fantastic person whose values and character will have an immediate and positive impact on the Bates soccer program for years to come. I'm thrilled for Ben to have this opportunity and wish him well on this next endeavor. Go Bobcats!" -- Kirsten Britton, Deputy Athletic Director for Sports Administration/SWA, University of Massachusetts Amherst
"Ben Brewster will be an outstanding new leader of the Bates Men’s soccer program. He will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, both on and off the pitch. Ben is a very good recruiter and is going to lift the program to prominent success. He's an excellent fit, congratulations to all!" -- Michael Mordocco, Head Men's Soccer Coach, Long Island University
