Update from Head Men's Soccer Coach Dave Brandt -- May 2024

Dear Bucknell Men’s Soccer Alumni, Parents, and Friends,

Greetings to everyone from the men’s soccer office at Bucknell. I am checking in with what is essentially the post-Spring, post-academic year update, as it is now finals week at Bucknell as I write this, and the campus is clearing out in a hurry and a frenzy, as is usual at this time of year! In terms of an update from our end, here are a few things to mention and highlight:

1. Again, a HUGE and very genuine THANK YOU to all of you who supported us financially or by spreading the word during the annual One Herd One Day 24-hour giving challenge. That day and initiative were crucial to our program financially, and I am/we are humbled and thankful for the outpouring of support and care and the program momentum generated during that event. Your help and support were very much needed, and you all came through for us in a big way. It was a great day for men’s soccer - thank you, each of you, very, very much.

2. As most of you know, in today’s Division I, the “off” season is essential, and every program trains daily and plays as many spring matches as per NCAA rules. It is the reality of today’s Division I, and our program is no exception. In reporting on the spring season for our guys, it was an extremely positive, and, I believe, necessary spring for our guys. The team started “almost” daily training on January 18, conditioning and training in hopes of both a successful spring season and continuing to “push” the wheel in the bigger picture toward getting this program back to the top of the league and beyond. In the end, the team went 5-1-0 over six games, with wins over Lock Haven, Temple, NJIT, UMBC, and the alumni team in our final game, and all of that, with only 13 healthy field players for the majority of spring. It was a very positive spring for us and hopefully has given us great momentum as we head into summer and the Fall ’24 season.

3. Finally, we are fresh off of our annual Josh Butzke Memorial Alumni Golf Weekend, which, as of this writing, was just last weekend. Big thanks to everyone who returned to make the event a success and a lot of fun. This encourages everyone to consider taking a break from their weekly routine and plan to join us in the spring of ’25. Our Spring ’25 date will be firmed up soon, but you can generally count on it being one of the last two Fridays in April and a reminder that the event is open to men’s soccer alums, non-men’s soccer alums, current and former parents of soccer alums, and any “friends of the program.” The mix of these groups of people always serves to make it a great event and a chance to both be a part of and contribute to the life of the program. Thanks again to all of you who made it out this spring, and please make tentative plans for next spring already, and we’ll get a firm date for ’25 out to you all ASAP!

Have a great summer, and we’ll be back in touch as summer ends and the Fall season is upon us!

Dave Brandt
Head Men's Soccer Coach
db071@bucknell.edu

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Update from Head Men's Soccer Coach Dave Brandt -- May 2024