Bucknell University Athletics
Update from Head Men's Soccer Coach Dave Brandt -- October 2025
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Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends,
Greetings to all from the men’s soccer office at Bucknell. It feels as if it’s been TOO LONG since I’ve reached out to you. In that sense, this update is overdue. There is a lot to report from our end, and I am anxious to keep everyone in the loop. We are, of course, in full swing now, with summer and preseason behind us.
The team is off to an excellent start. As of this writing, we are 5-2-2, 1-1-1 PL, with a win over nationally-ranked Hofstra. We also earned a come-from-behind tie at nationally-ranked Maryland in front of a capacity crowd of over 5,000. We had a very narrow loss at nationally-ranked George Mason. This week, we are proud to be ranked No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. It is our first time ranked in a national coaches poll since the mid-1970s. We also hit an RPI high of 10 after our 4-1 win over visiting Old Dominion on September 7.
That being said, the bulk of the Patriot League schedule is upcoming and right in front of us. All will hinge on that. Regardless, the guys and the program are growing and strengthening in every way. We are intentionally moving in a focused direction toward one of our real objectives: earning national respect for how we respect the game. We are proud of our brave style of play, our ability to punch above our weight, and our results. We will aggressively continue to pursue this goal. Good things are happening here right now, and we will keep pushing that envelope!
Last two things, but both super important …
A HUGE THANK YOU to all of you for your support over the past year, including your interest, your emotional support, and being in it with us, and for your financial support as well. These things are literally what allow our guys to have the opportunity to play at Bucknell, and we are faithfully and honestly doing our very best to be the very best stewards we can of all of your support. We strive to provide this generation of Bucknell Men’s Soccer players with a four-year experience that is meaningful, profound, and provides lessons and values applicable to their entire lives. We believe it's BIGGER than “just” the soccer itself. We will need your support again this year, but we truly hope you feel very good about the help you provide to this program, as we try to create an extremely special and life-impacting experience for the young men here.
Finally, a big, big shout-out of CONGRATULATIONS to 1985 grad Bob Rhein, who will be inducted into the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday evening, October 3. Bob played both soccer and lacrosse at Bucknell and is a dual-sport inductee. Our whole team will be in attendance on that Friday evening to help honor Bob and make it a very special evening for him. Congratulations Bob!!
With kind regards,
Dave Brandt
Head Men's Soccer Coach
db071@bucknell.edu
PAST VIDEO REPORTS:
September 2023:
April 2023:
March 2023:
PAST WRITTEN REPORTS:
Bison Club support is the driving force behind Bucknell Athletics. Your donations directly impact the holistic development of student-athletes from 27 Division I varsity programs who are building a foundation at Bucknell to become leaders and difference-makers around the globe. Make your gift online, or call 570-577-1771 to support your favorite Bison team today.
Greetings to all from the men’s soccer office at Bucknell. It feels as if it’s been TOO LONG since I’ve reached out to you. In that sense, this update is overdue. There is a lot to report from our end, and I am anxious to keep everyone in the loop. We are, of course, in full swing now, with summer and preseason behind us.
The team is off to an excellent start. As of this writing, we are 5-2-2, 1-1-1 PL, with a win over nationally-ranked Hofstra. We also earned a come-from-behind tie at nationally-ranked Maryland in front of a capacity crowd of over 5,000. We had a very narrow loss at nationally-ranked George Mason. This week, we are proud to be ranked No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. It is our first time ranked in a national coaches poll since the mid-1970s. We also hit an RPI high of 10 after our 4-1 win over visiting Old Dominion on September 7.
That being said, the bulk of the Patriot League schedule is upcoming and right in front of us. All will hinge on that. Regardless, the guys and the program are growing and strengthening in every way. We are intentionally moving in a focused direction toward one of our real objectives: earning national respect for how we respect the game. We are proud of our brave style of play, our ability to punch above our weight, and our results. We will aggressively continue to pursue this goal. Good things are happening here right now, and we will keep pushing that envelope!
Last two things, but both super important …
A HUGE THANK YOU to all of you for your support over the past year, including your interest, your emotional support, and being in it with us, and for your financial support as well. These things are literally what allow our guys to have the opportunity to play at Bucknell, and we are faithfully and honestly doing our very best to be the very best stewards we can of all of your support. We strive to provide this generation of Bucknell Men’s Soccer players with a four-year experience that is meaningful, profound, and provides lessons and values applicable to their entire lives. We believe it's BIGGER than “just” the soccer itself. We will need your support again this year, but we truly hope you feel very good about the help you provide to this program, as we try to create an extremely special and life-impacting experience for the young men here.
Finally, a big, big shout-out of CONGRATULATIONS to 1985 grad Bob Rhein, who will be inducted into the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday evening, October 3. Bob played both soccer and lacrosse at Bucknell and is a dual-sport inductee. Our whole team will be in attendance on that Friday evening to help honor Bob and make it a very special evening for him. Congratulations Bob!!
With kind regards,
Dave Brandt
Head Men's Soccer Coach
db071@bucknell.edu
PAST VIDEO REPORTS:
September 2023:
April 2023:
March 2023:
PAST WRITTEN REPORTS:
- February 2023
- May 2023
- August 2023
- October 2023
- November 2023
- December 2023
- January 2024
- February 2024
- April 2024
- May 2024
- September 2024
- December 2024
Bison Club support is the driving force behind Bucknell Athletics. Your donations directly impact the holistic development of student-athletes from 27 Division I varsity programs who are building a foundation at Bucknell to become leaders and difference-makers around the globe. Make your gift online, or call 570-577-1771 to support your favorite Bison team today.