The Bates Bobcast

It's the 200th episode of the Bates Bobcast! 

Take a trip down memory lane with us, with some of the highlights from the last five-plus years.

Interviews this episode:

0:35 -- Clayton Spencer, President of Bates. Episode 5: Talking Bates Athletics with President Spencer.

5:43 -- Ahmed Abdel Khalek '16. Episode 21: Back-to-back national titles.

10:25 -- Sounds of Bates Track & Field at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships.

19:49 -- Peter Lasagna, Head Coach, Men's Lacrosse. Episode 71: 2017 NCAA Championships Preview. (MLAX season recap.)

23:07 -- 2017 Football vs. Bowdoin Highlights. Episode 82: CBB! CBB! CBB! CBB!

25:58 -- Peter Steenstra, Head Coach, Rowing. Episode 108: National champions again!

34:00 -- Lena Rintell '19, Women's Rowing. Episode 146: The Bates Women's Rowing Dynasty.

37:16 -- Julia Panepinto '20 and Kirsten Pelletier '20. Episode 178: Senior Salute, Softball.

This week we’re checking in with a trio of Bobcat head coaches about how the fall practice season is unfolding. Needless to say, they’ve gotten very creative.

Interviews this episode:

0:33 -- Dani Ryder Kogut, Head Coach, Field Hockey.

8:21 -- Peter Steenstra, Head Coach, Rowing.

25:51 -- Tyler Sheikh, Head Coach, Men's Soccer.

This week we’re remembering the life of John Jenkins '74, the former mayor of Lewiston and Auburn. Former track and field and football teammates and coaches reflect on what he meant to Bates and to the community as a whole.

Interviews this episode:

1:03 -- Bob Littlefield '75 (Football and men's track and field teammate).

10:27 -- John Emerson '73 (Men's track and field teammate).

22:21 -- Vic Gatto, Head Coach, Football (1973-1977).

This week, experience the beauty of campus and the power of our community through our virtual 2020 Homecoming & Family Weekend. You can connect with fellow alums and parents, and learn more about life at Bates during this historic time, with Back @ Bates. We preview all the excitement on the latest Bates Bobcast.

Register for Back @ Bates by going to https://www.bates.edu/back-at-bates/.

Plus, the Department of Athletics named basketball players Meghan Graff and Jeff Spellman the Athletes of the Year! 

Interviews this episode:

1:00 -- Eric Foushee, Associate Vice President for Advancement (Back @ Bates preview).

12:30 -- Meghan Graff '23, Women's Basketball (2019-20 Bates Female Athlete of Year).

22:10 -- Alison Montgomery, Women's Basketball, Head Coach.

31:38 -- Jeff Spellman '20, Men's Basketball, (2019-20 Bates Male Athlete of the Year).

39:53 -- Jon Furbush '05, Men's Basketball, Head Coach.

On this week's episode, senior men’s track and field sprinter Miles Nabritt joins the Bobcast to discuss the Bates Votes initiative.

We're celebrating National Equipment Managers Week by chatting with Bobcat equipment managers Dave Haefele and Nicole Clark and the cross country teams are hosting their 49th annual alumni meet, but in a virtual setting.

Interviews this episode:

0:59 -- Jay Hartshorn and Al Fereshetian, Women's and Men's Cross Country Head Coaches.

12:39 -- Nicole Clark and Dave Haefele, Equipment Managers.

24:02 -- Miles Nabritt '21, Men's Track and Field (Bates Votes).

This week we’re taking a look at the start of fall sports practices at Bates. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our student-athletes and coaches are adjusting like never before.

Interviews this episode:

0:43 -- So Kim '21, Women's soccer.

1:32 -- Hannah Sweeney '21, Women's tennis.

3:47 -- Thomas Formus '22 and Erik Stephens '22, Football.

6:49 -- Melissa DeRan (Head Coach) and Angel Echipue '21, Volleyball.

This week we chat with Mike Milliken, Bates Manager of Community Wellness and Club Sports, about how the Bobcat community can use the B Well program to stay active this fall, even during a pandemic.

For more information on B Well head to bates.edu/b-well.

Over this past week, Bates students returned to campus.

We talk with senior women’s cross country captain Vanessa Paolella about her experience returning for what promises to be a year like none other.

Plus, Assistant A.D. for Athletic Performance Nick Cooke has an additional title now: he’s also the Director of the Bates Testing Center. That’s coming up, on the Bates Bobcast.

Interviews with episode:

1:18 -- Vanessa Paolella '21, Women's Cross Country captain and Bates Student Editor-In-Chief.

13:41 -- Nick Cooke, Assistant A.D. for Athletic Performance and Director of the Bates Testing Center.

Olivia Zurek was a star for the Bobcats on the Alumni Gym court in both volleyball and basketball during her time in Lewiston.

In volleyball, she helped lead the Bobcats to three 20-win seasons, including a 26-9 overall record in 2003, culminating in a run to the NESCAC tournament championship match. After earning second team All-NESCAC recognition in 2003, Zurek led the conference in kills per set as a senior, receiving first team All-NESCAC honors.

On the basketball court, Zurek was even better, earning All-NESCAC honors three times, culminating in a senior season that saw Bates advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament and Zurek earn first team All-American honors.

The third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder in Bates women’s basketball history, Zurek is now a Geriatric Psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Today, she joins the Bobcast to look back on her time as a Bobcat.

Will Boe-Wiegaard '06 was the national runner-up in 2005 but entered the 2006 NCAA men’s tennis singles championships as a senior unseeded in the field of 32.

He proceeded to run the table, winning the national title. He became the first non-track and field Bates student-athlete to capture an NCAA championship.

Then he went on to have a 13-year professional career, becoming the head tennis coach at Sacred Heart University in 2017.

Today, Boe-Wiegaard joins the Bobcast to discuss his time as a Bobcat and his long grind to make it in the professional ranks.