LEWISTON – After four years of tutelage from Dick Meader at the University of Maine at Farmington, Edwin Thompson has graduated to running his own program.

Thompson was announced head baseball coach at Bates College Wednesday. He succeeds Craig Vandersea, who resigned in June.

The 28-year-old Thomspon said he was impressed by Bates College and Director of Athletics Kevin McHugh’s vision for the athletic department and was enticed by the opportunity to coach at the college level in Bates’ academic and athletic setting.

“Just being around that environment, that competitive environment, it fits my needs,” he said.

“We had an outstanding group of finalists with a wealth of baseball playing and coaching experience among them. Edwin came across as the perfect fit for Bates and the baseball program,” McHugh said in a Bates press release. “In addition to the high baseball IQ he possesses, we are also excited about the leadership, energy and enthusiasm that Edwin will bring to the program.”

Thompson spent the last four years at the University of Maine at Farmington as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for Meader.

“I really enjoyed the experience at Farmington. Under coach Meader’s guidance, I was able to grow a lot as a coach. He was a big influence the last four years,” Thompson said.

The Bobcats finished 14-21 last season (3-9 in NESCAC). They return a number of talented underclassmen from last year, including infielder Jake Simon, who started 25 games and batted .402 with a team-high 26 RBIs and shared the team lead in homers with three.

Also returning are Tom Beaton, who batted .343 and scored 27 runs, and pitchers Ryan Horvath (3.97 ERA), Chuck Murphy-Romboletti (2-1, 2 saves, .250 opponents’ batting average) and Custer Cook (2-3, .248 opponents’ batting average).

“I actually recruited a few of those kids when I was at Farmington, so I have a good relationship with those guys already, and I know what type of kids they are,” he said. “We’re going to be a team that plays with a lot of passion.”

Thompson learned of the hiring last Wednesday and immediately hit the recruiting trail. He watched American Legion games the next day, then attended a showcase in Connecticut over the weekend. He’ll also be cutting into an upcoming vacation he’s had planned to scout out some more prospective talent to the south.

“Normally, I would take that time to go to see my family in Georgia and Washington, D.C., but now I’ve got to tie it into some recruiting with some academic showcases that are taking place real close, and then I’ll be in Massachusetts for some different events, so the next three weeks, I’ll be real busy,” he said.

Thompson played baseball at Division I Howard University and the University of Maryland before playing his final two years of college baseball at Webber University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration. He also had a two-year professional playing career with the Bangor Lumberjacks, an independent minor league team.

In addition to coaching at UMF, Thompson spent the last two years as varsity boys’ basketball coach at Jay High School. Thompson was among the coaches left in a lurch when the Jay school committee decided not to renew their contracts until a replacement was found for athletic director Kenric Charles. Tuesday night, he told his team, most of which he’d been coaching since junior high, that he would not be back .

Two weeks ago, the committee hired Mike Methvin in the new position as high school activities coordinator. Thompson, who was also an assistant football coach at Jay, said he wouldn’t have passed up the opportunity to coach at Bates regardless, but didn’t like the way things ended at his alma mater.

“I wasn’t happy with the state of things, from my end – not knowing if I was going to coach, I still coached the whole summer (program),” Thompson said. “I told the guys I’m not resigning from anything because I don’t have a contract, but I won’t be back (there) in the head coaching capacity next winter.”

“It’s tough because when I first took over, we had three wins. Then we had five (in his first year) and then eight last year and we were right on the brink of making that next step,” he added. “Somebody else will hopefully come in and do a good job.”