MEN’S HOCKEY

2024–2025 RECORD: 9–13–3 (7–8–3 NESCAC)

Coming off of a stronger season than the record might suggest, the men’s hockey team is looking to get back to their winning ways. Earning the fourth seed in the NESCAC tournament, the Polar Bears hosted Tufts University in the quarterfinals, losing a hardfought 1–2 game in overtime. The team returns plenty of its playmakers, and there is no shortage of depth on the ice led by a trio of forwards in Gabe Shipper ’26, Aidan Lyons ’26 and Michael Dinges ’26.

Head Coach Ben Guite remarked on the up-and-down nature of the team last season, from impressive wins to disappointing losses.

“We saw a lot of young guys take steps.… We beat three top-ten opponents throughout the year, and we ended up hosting a NESCAC playoff game [by finishing] in the top half of our league, which is really difficult to do,” Guite said. “But at the same time, I thought we were really inconsistent, almost a Jekyll and Hyde type of team last year.”

Shipper remarked that he hopes to see more offensive play from the team in addition to the team’s consistent defense.

“The biggest thing is we played a lot of defense last year, so [now we are] just trying to clean up our breakouts,” Shipper said. “I think offensively, too, we tend to throw the puck away. I just think keeping the intensity up, which we’ve been doing [in practice so far].”

With the tangible goal of returning to the NESCAC tournament with a high seed, Guite emphasized that offense is not the sole focus of his team.

“But to me, I think what’s going to dictate the success of our team is how well we play every day, the type of intensity and focus we bring.”

Shipper agreed with his coach, also discussing his goal to lead his team to victory however he can.

“I think for me, a successful season would just be winning,” Shipper said. “I can put up zero points this year if that helps us win, and I just want to do whatever I can, sacrifice whatever I need to help us win.”

FIRST GAME: Today vs. Middlebury College at home at 7 p.m.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

2024–2025 RECORD: 16–8–0 (10–6–0 NESCAC)

After their best regular season record since the 2012–2013 NESCAC winning team, women’s ice hockey is looking to continue their success in the coming season. The fourth seed in the NESCAC tournament last season, the team ultimately lost to Hamilton College in the quarterfinals.

“I think coming out of last year, we were disappointed in the loss, but we knew that we had so much more to offer,” captain Abigail Ainley ’26 said. “And taking that to this year, we were all very impressed at the talent and the speed that we’re playing at currently.”

Even with the graduation of six key players, the team is full of talent, with four strong shifts at the forward position, a lockdown defense and four goalies to rotate between.

Ainley noted the offensive tone of the team.

“Having a very strong forward front is gonna really help us out in the long run,” Ainley said. “I think we’re trying to score some more goals.”

Captain Abby Matusovich ’26 commented on the team’s defensive intensity so far this season.

“I feel like defensively, we have a lot of speed,” Matusovich said. “I think that that helps a lot and we have two [first-year defenders]…. They’re kind of fitting like puzzle pieces and have picked it up really well.”

As for the team’s outlook, Matusovich is excited for what the team can accomplish in the regular season and the NESCAC tournament.

“I think we should aim to be back hosting a NESCAC playoff game again,” Matusovich said. “[First year], we didn’t make the playoffs. Sophomore year, we were the eighth seed and lost in the first round. I think that our goal this year should be to win a playoff game and see how far we can get.”

FIRST GAME: Today at Wesleyan University at 7 p.m.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

2024–2025 RECORD: 11–13 (1–9 NESCAC)

Despite a sub .500 record last season, the men’s basketball team has plenty of star power to have a winning season this year. With last year’s NESCAC Rookie of the Year Ray Cuevas ’28 ready to start his sophomore season and plenty of talent from all classes, the team has size on the inside to score in the paint as well as hawk-eyed shooters ready to fire from beyond the arc.

Kevin Reeves ’26 noted how the team dealt with numerous injuries last season that hampered its competitiveness within its conference.

“Last year did not end how we planned,” Reeves said. “It’s definitely not our strongest showing, but I think we are looking to make a big impact in the NESCAC this year, because we’re finally a team that’s at almost full health.”

With the return of players from injury as well as the addition of a strong first-year class, Reeves mentioned that the team has implemented a quicker pace of play so far in practice.

“The biggest emphasis that we’ve started to focus on this year is playing with more pace,” Reeves said. “We felt we were a bit stagnant on offense, and we felt like we didn’t really optimize our talent that much. This year we’re focusing a bit more on playing with freedom and generating more possessions.”

With this injection of pace on the court, Head Coach Alex Lloyd hopes this translates to excitement off the court and within the community, especially among middle and high school players.

“I think our games are going to be really exciting—just our ability to get up and down the floor. And our guys have competed at a really high level,” Lloyd said. “To me, one thing that’s spoken really highly of our group’s commitment over the past four years is there’s been a growing group of community members and fans that come to our games.… That’s really fun.”

FIRST GAME: Today at University of New England at 7 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

2024–2025 RECORD: 29–1 (10–0 NESCAC)

The back-to-back NESCAC champions of Morrell Gymnasium look to continue their reign over New England basketball. Despite three key team members graduating, the team is full of talent up and down the bench.

Head Coach Megan Phelps ’15 acknowledged that, given its success over the last few years, the team has a target on its back, but she has worked with her players on embracing the pressure.

“[The] fear of failure has been just a big focus for us this offseason, like how do we combat fear [and] failure, and how do we get more comfortable taking risks,” Phelps said. “Bowdoin students are so high-achieving, so learning how to fail is an important skill … and not getting too wrapped up in the noise and trying to stay focused on the process of improving.”

Carly Davey ’26 noted this shift in how the team approaches its personnel, but the senior believes it could be to the Polar Bears’ advantage.

“I think we will have a different leading scorer every game, which is something that makes us a little bit more dangerous because you don’t know who’s gonna step up on any given night,” Davey said. “I think that’s something that’s really special about our group that I’m excited about.”

Even though the team hasn’t yet played a game, Phelps knows what her team can achieve come March.

“I am really excited about this group because I think we have so much room to grow, and I think we have a really high ceiling,” Phelps said. “We’ve got a lot of young talent, and I’m excited to see them get a chance to contribute to the team.”

Going into her final season, though winning remains the goal, Davey simply wants to have fun on court with her teammates.

“I just want to have a fun year with my friends. We talk about that a lot, [that] we’re just going to go out and play basketball with our best friends,” Davey said. “So, I think I will just enjoy every minute and not take anything for granted.”

FIRST GAME: Today at Gordon College at noon.

MEN’S SQUASH

2024–2025 RECORD: Men’s 10–9 (4–4 NESCAC), seventh in NESCAC, 23rd overall

Coming off of an up-and-down season, the men’s squash team is gearing up for its first match, with hopes of breaking into the top twenty this season. Captains Aryan Singh ’26 and Fotis Zafiriou ’27 hope to lead the team to a steady season with an emphasis on training hard and remaining competitive in close matches.

“Our goal coming out is to remain fit and ready for our first couple matches,” Singh said. “They’re against the Naval Academy and [Franklin and Marshall College]. Navy, last year, we lost 5–4. And F and M, we had some upsets, but we couldn’t pull it through as well. So we’re hoping to take revenge this year.”

Head Coach Brendan McClintick explained that both the men’s and women’s team are focusing on preparing for various match situations as the players get ready to face tough competition and aim to climb in the rankings.

“We’ve taken a pretty broad approach, making sure that when we go into the season, our toolboxes are filling up,” McClintick said. “So, [we are] spending some time working on our patterns of play and working on trying to introduce a couple shots here and there in the right situations and then making sure that we’re composed and ready to go when the situations are there.”

Having graduated three of its top nine players, the team will see some players getting real starting opportunities while others look to improve their spot on the ladder. Singh noted that the three new first years have smoothly integrated into the team, joining a group of players with a close and supportive team dynamic.

“One thing we are focusing on is building everyone up together. We all are an extremely close group of friends now,” Singh said. “When we train together, we push each other a lot, and we just enjoy each other’s company. So, it’s a lot more fun training with your friends rather than on your own.”

FIRST MATCH: November 22 at Naval Academy at 2 p.m.

WOMEN’S SQUASH

2024–2025 RECORD: Women’s 12–6 (4–4 NESCAC), 6th in NESCAC, 17th overall

After a successful 2024–2025 campaign and a top-20 overall finish, the women’s squash team looks to sustain its success with a relatively young team. Led by captains Mira Karande ’26 and Eshika Tangri ’27, the players hope to build on last year’s momentum and remain competitive in the NESCAC.

“There was just a lot of energy, a lot of momentum,” Karande said. “Going into the season, our goal is to maintain that…. We’ve worked harder than previous years in preseason, so we’re ready to fill that gap and be a top-20 team again.”

With two juniors abroad during the fall semester, the team currently has only three upperclassmen, making the contributions of its younger players particularly important. As a result, the players have put extra effort toward conditioning and injury prevention in preseason to ensure the team stays healthy. The team has also welcomed three walk-ons, something Head Coach Brendan McClintick notes has brought a new energy to the team.

“I think a big thing from a coaching perspective is that walk-ons are all about energy. Can you come in and bring some positive energy? Are you excited to improve?” McClintick said. “And, so far, the three of them, they’ve been with us for a week, are doing a wonderful job.”

Looking ahead, the players are especially anticipating the weekend of February 6, where both squash teams will play Colby College and Bates College in one weekend for the first time in an unofficial Maine championship.

“The Colby head coach, Chris [Abplanalp], said that he was going to make a trophy for whoever wins Colby-Bates-Bowdoin (CBB) each year of the squash program. So I think that’ll be fun and it’ll be the start of a new tradition with the three schools,” Karande said

McClintick also expressed his hopes for fan support on the road, particularly during this Maine championship weekend.

“If we got some fans to hop in their cars and come with us to Bates for that match, I think that would be really cool,” he said. “I would love to see some Polar Bears in Bobcat territory come that weekend.”

FIRST MATCH: November 22 vs. Georgetown University at Naval Academy at noon

SWIMMING AND DIVING 

2024–2025 Men’s NESCAC Championship Result: Seventh in NESCAC

The future of the men’s swim and dive program is looking strong after a consistent performance in last year’s NESCAC championship. The 200 free relay group of Raphael Grand’Pierre ’27, Penn Lee ’25, Alex Grand’Pierre ’25 and Jack Tran ’26 swam a program-best time and looks to retool after graduating two swimmers. The team aims to continue building team chemistry  to keep up results.

Captain Theo Veru ’26 was abroad last fall and has enjoyed getting back into the team’s environment. He looks forward to going down to Florida this January with the team to train prior to the championships in February and March. Veru said the training in Florida is a good opportunity to bond with the team as well as to train in a different environment.

“Building team chemistry has been really awesome. All the [first years] are great. It’s been super great to know them. And Florida is always that moment where we really get close as a team, and I’m really excited for that,” Veru said.

Veru also mentioned that a few of his teammates are studying abroad this semester, which impacts overall team success, yet allows each swimmer to improve individually.

“We had a small team in the fall, but honestly, it’s been really great because we all get to focus more on their individual goals. And when the team comes back to full strength, and we have everyone from abroad, we’re gonna be ready to rip it,” Veru said.

FIRST MEET: November 22 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology at noon.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

2024–2025 Women’s NESCAC Championship Result: Seventh in NESCAC

Six women qualified for the NCAA Nationals last season, including returners Elizabeth Walsh ’26, Harper Stevenson ’27 and Ava Harrington ’28. At the NESCAC championships, Walsh was the runner up in the 400 IM and third in the 200 IM. The team has been smaller than usual this fall due to the number of juniors studying abroad, but heading into this upcoming season with a big roster covering all strokes, the team hopes to continue its success both individually and as a team.

Captain Nina Fearon ’26 emphasized how this training and bonding time will set the team up well for the championships.

“I think that we always compete our best when everyone’s having a good time and working together,” Fearon said. “I think, so far and into January, and then eventually to championships in February and March, [we] will be set up really well to swim fast [and] dive well at those meets because we’ve built up this strong team culture.”

The team has two competitions ahead of winter break to put its time and effort into use, boosted by its camaraderie built in the season thus far.

FIRST MEET: November 22 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology at noon.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

2024–2025 Men’s New England Championship result: Sixth out of 31 teams

2024–2025 Women’s New England Championship result: Tenth out of 28 teams

After a pair of top-ten finishes at last year’s New England Championship, the track and field team is ready to return to competition this indoor season. On the men’s side, captain Kane Demers ’26 earned All-New England honors in the 60m hurdles, long jump and 200m race. The men’s 4x400m and 4x800m relays also earned All-New England honors with fifth-place and sixth-place finishes, respectively. On the women’s side, Kennedy Kirkland ’27 won the long jump and placed fifth in the 200m, and Rose Jenkins ’27 earned All-New England honors in the pentathlon. The team is also bolstered by a returning 4x800m relay team with sprinters Lex Davis ’26, Emma Randall-Jarrard ’26, Kaylee Hale ’28 and Astrid McGuire ’28. The women’s team has also brought home the Maine State Championship title for the last three years, a title they are hoping to defend this year.

“I think our team is very much oriented on doing work now that we can see in four or five months down the road,” Demers said. “Last season we did a really good job of making that one of our core team values.”

This year, the team hopes to refine its skills competing on the track specifically.

“We’re excited to keep learning about how to approach track races like puzzles in some ways and just really manage our energy throughout the races,” captain Tori Bacall ’26 said.

Bacall is also excited for the specialized events the start of the track and field season brings.

“I think everyone really loves the ability to specialize on the track. And I think all of the first years are really looking forward to that environment of getting to cheer each other on,” Bacall said.

Head Coach LJ Que said that the team will continue to train hard and invest in each other through the transition to the track season.

“I hope we continue that same work, integrate our first-year class in what it is to be a Polar Bear track and field athlete and embody our team values of trust, accountability, passion and empathy,” Que wrote in an email to the Orient.

This year, in addition to 24 new first-year athletes, the team has welcomed Assistant Coach Abby Minott, who specializes in coaching the jumps, pole vault and multi’s.

“[Minott] has been bringing an awesome new energy. I think that’s a really exciting thing for the entire team that’s new and different,” Bacall said.

Demers added that, despite the individual nature of track and field events, competing as a team is a priority.

“Our goals this season are simply to just get better and keep competing, show up for each other [and] show up at meets,” he said.

Bacall and Demers are both looking forward to their final season with the team.

“I’m just looking forward to savoring every day and every race, even when it is hard and you’re running in the dark, in the rain, just enjoying the time with teammates,” Bacall said.

FIRST MEET: December 6 UBears Alumni Invitational at Bowdoin

NORDIC SKIING

2024–2025 EISA Ranking: Fifth out of 14 teams

The Nordic skiing team ended last year’s season with a Maine State Championship title and three athletes qualifying for the NCAA championship. Now-captain Emma Crum ’26 also secured the team’s first-ever Eastern Collegiate Ski Association (EISA) title at the St. Lawrence Carnival and went on to achieve a second title at the EISA Regional Championships.

“I would say we’ve gained some confidence,” Crum said. “Last season put us up there with a lot of bigger teams, so that was really cool. Hopefully, we bring that confidence into this season.”

This season, the team will look to defend their Maine State Championship title and send a handful of skiers to the NCAA championships, which will be held in Bozeman, Mont. from March 11 to 14.

“[Winning the Maine State Championship is] something we’ve only done a handful of times over the years, and we’re trying to defend that title from last year,” Head Coach Nathan Alsobrook said.

The men’s team is a younger group than the women’s team, which has several successful upperclassmen, including Crum. This year, the team is adding four new first-year members to its roster: three on the men’s team and one on the women’s.

“We have that group of seniors back [on the women’s team] who have been leading the charge for the last several years…. We know they’re gonna be really good this year. On the men’s side, it’s a large team, and it’s a young team,” Alsobrook said. “There’s a lot of energy there, and there’s so much potential, so we’re really excited about trying to channel that group into really thriving this year. But we also recognize that as such a young team, they need to gain experience.”

Crum hopes that last season’s success will drive the team forward this year.

“We definitely had one of our better seasons last year.

So we were all just hoping to keep that momentum pushing forward rather than moving backwards,” Crum said.

Alsobrook emphasized the team’s focus on fostering positive relationships with each other and the sport.

“We’re very much about creating a healthy team culture. You know, having a group of people that work hard, that support each other, that are ready to take skiing very seriously but not to approach it in a way that’s super uptight,” Alsobrook said. “We’re trying to ski with joy.”

FIRST CARNIVAL: January 4–6 at St. Lawrence University