Bobcat men looking for rookies to step up
BU soccer season kicks off at home on Saturday
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Matheus Ruffini doesn’t just see 10 fresh faces at Brandon University training sessions.
The fifth-year midfielder notices what those new players bring to the Bobcats men’s soccer team.
“Doing it over and over again, it becomes routine but every new year is more exciting,” Ruffini said. “A bunch of new rookies, pretty good guys coming in, they’re just as excited as the vets, so that’s pretty nice.”
Matheus Ruffini and the Brandon University men’s soccer team begin their season at home on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
BU begins the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference regular season at the Healthy Living Centre Field on Saturday at 1 p.m., against the St. Boniface Les Rouges, with the women following at 3:15 p.m.
The Bobcats stay home on Sunday to host the Providence Pilots, then make their first road trip on Sept. 19 to take on the defending champion Canadian Mennonite University Blazers.
Ruffini admitted the 2025 gold-medal match is still on his mind, as the Bobcats suffered their only home loss of the year, 2-1 in extra time due to a penalty kick in the dying minutes.
“It still stings a bit. You get to the final and can’t do it,” Ruffini said, adding that following it up with an MCAC futsal title a few months later helped a bit.
“We’re still a winning team and futsal proved it, but it still stings. There are things we can definitely do better looking back at that season, and we’re coming back for the championship this season.”
The massive recruit class this year is due to a few key departures from last season, and a few more anticipated after the 2026 campaign. The core of Ruffini, Brazilian goalkeeper Matheus Souza, defenders Victor Andrade and Victor Lamb and striker Camilo Rodriguez, are on their way out soon.
Ruffini knows it’s important to leave the program in a good place, but selfishly also knows he needs some of the new guys to step up if he’s to return to Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association nationals one more time this fall.
He’s confident the veterans will show them the way.
T.J. Bodunrin stretches for the ball during practice on Wednesday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
“We have a lot of leadership guys. VA (Andrade), even Nano (Camilo Rodriguez) as well as Souza, they bring a good leadership base to us, as well as good skill, of course,” Ruffini said.
“The guys coming in now, the second-years and third-years, know what it’s like to play here and bring the same mentality of hard work and technical ability.
“We tell (the rookies) to enjoy it. We, who have been doing it for a couple of years, know it goes by fast so we’re just telling them to enjoy it, have fun.”
Head coach Diego Rodriguez Jr. is hopeful for this rookie class. The first things he’ll point out about them are their hunger to win and eagerness to improve. Now in his second season at the helm, with a full off-season to recruit and plan, he feels ready to lead and already sees plenty of strengths in the rookie crop.
“Elijah (Carlson-Lee) is a great player, lots of good quality on the ball. We also have Cash Melo, good distribution, players like Ben (Ibitoye) and Anser Khan, who like to play on the wings and really surprised us this pre-season. Gourgy (Akuei) already played one year at another school and showed great quality,” Rodriguez Jr. said, adding he isn’t sure who will emerge as the star of the group.
“It’s hard to pinpoint someone, but a good problem to have as a coach is not knowing who to pick for your starting 11 because the quality is high all over.”
The Bobcats travelled to Saskatoon for pre-season games against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and Astra Academy.
The U Sports program took it to them to the tune of a 7-0 or 8-0 victory — Rodriguez Jr. has understandably erased the specifics from his memory — but Brandon beat Astra 5-1.
Victor Lamb receives a pass during BU men’s soccer practice on Wednesday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
“The Huskies might have been a one-sided score,” he said. “But then the guys know where the bar is and we should not just meet it but pass it in the future.”
The 12-game regular season wraps up on Oct. 24 and 25 with a pair of home games against Providence and Assiniboine College, respectively.
The top seed hosts the final four on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, with the winner heading to nationals in Edmonton on Nov 11-14.
FREE KICKS: If you’re planning to attend this weekend’s matches at the Healthy Living Centre field, bring bug spray.
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com