2022 (*SENIOR): Earned First-Team All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches as a kickoff specialist in his lone season at Arkansas … Led the SEC and finished fourth nationally with an average of 64.47 yards per kickoff thanks to an SEC-best and third nationally 64 touchbacks … Led all of FBS in touchback percentage with 64 of his 75 kickoffs resulting in a touch back for a percentage of 85.3 … Attempted one onside kick, recovering it against Alabama (Oct. 1).
At Texas State
2021 (JUNIOR): Played in 12 games, assuming kickoff duties for Texas State … Averaged 62.76 yards per kickoff … Recorded 35 touchbacks on 53 kickoffs … Totaled 253 yards and two touchbacks on four kicks against Baylor (Sept. 4) … Kicked off four times for 257 yards and two touchbacks against Florida International (Sept. 11) … Totaled 384 yards and three touchbacks on his six kickoffs against UIW (Sept. 18) … Kicked off four times for 243 yards and two touchbacks versus Eastern Michigan (Sept. 25) … Finished with 310 yards and five touchbacks on five kickoffs against South Alabama (Oct. 10) … Kicked off four times for 251 yards and two touchbacks against Georgia Tech (Oct. 23) … Totaled 65 yards on one kickoff against Louisiana (Oct. 30) … Kicked off six times for 390 yards, puncturing six touchbacks versus ULM (Nov. 6) … Combined for 389 yards on six kickoffs with five touchbacks against Georgia Southern (Nov. 13) … Kicked off three times for 194 yards and two touchbacks versus Coastal Carolina (Nov. 20) … Finished with 266 yards on five kickoffs and a touchback against Arkansas State (Nov. 27).
2020 (SOPHOMORE): Played in 12 games as a kicker on kickoffs…helped Texas State lead the Sun Belt Conference in kickoff coverage…averaged 61.6 yards on 60 kickoffs…had 32 kickoffs result in touchbacks…averaged a net average of 42.1 yards per kickoff.
At UCA
Played soccer for two seasons at Central Arkansas… started 29 of 36 games in his two-year career… made started 11 of 18 matches as a sophomore… ranked second on the team with nine points after scoring three goals and handing out three assists as a sophomore… earned a spot on the collegesoccernews.com National Team of the Week, and was named the topdrawersoccer.com National Player of the Week and the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week after scoring the lone goal after helping Central Arkansas clinch its second straight MVC championship with a 1-0 victory over Missouri State… started 18 matches and finished with one goal and four shots on goal as a freshman.
HIGH SCHOOL: Earned All-District First Team and District 20-5A Offensive MVP for Tomball’s soccer team… named All-District Honorable Mention in soccer as a sophomore and All-District 40-4A Second-Team in soccer as a freshman.
PERSONAL: Son of Jonathan and Mariana Bates… has three siblings: Jordan, Cole, and Travis… brother, Jordan, played soccer at UCA and later served as the Bears’ Director of Soccer Operations… majored in Business Administration.
