Proud Past, Bright Future
When St. Thomas was founded in 1885, an athletic program soon followed. Now, with more than 100 years of varsity intercollegiate history, St. Thomas is facing its next chapter with the opportunity to showcase our comprehensive excellence across the country.
A Tradition of Change
At the University of St. Thomas, change is in our DNA. It’s been that way since Archbishop John Ireland founded a small, Catholic liberal arts college where faith and reason walked together. Those convictions have guided St. Thomas’ evolution into a comprehensive, urban university – and will continue to guide it well into the future.
Tommies Pursue Comprehensive Excellence
Dear Tommies,
Athletics have always been an integral part of the St. Thomas experience. Every day, we work to provide conditions for our student-athletes to pursue comprehensive excellence, not only in competition, but in the classroom, our community, and their individual and collective character.
As a former Tommie baseball player, I was fortunate to experience this comprehensive focus first-hand. I know many of you have as well, whether in athletics or elsewhere. It is what makes this place truly special and why my wife Dani and I were blessed to bring our family back home two and a half years ago.
Now, our competitive spirit and continued drive for excellence has inspired a bold step forward – an unprecedented transition directly from Division III to Division I. We’re preparing to propel St. Thomas to national prominence, sharing the Tommie spirit and brand with the nation, as we compete as one of the top Catholic institutions in the country.
Our student-athletes work hard every day to pursue comprehensive excellence and bring pride and recognition to the campus community. The extraordinary transition to Division I will provide a platform to promote our vision of St. Thomas, and extend the reach, mission, and impact of this great university.
I hope you will join me as proud alumni in being an ambassador for St. Thomas. Wear your Purple with pride, come back to campus and support our student-athletes at games, keep up with what the latest news and download the Tommie Sports mobile app or follow us on social media, get involved with mentoring opportunities, come speak to our teams, and be a part of building an even stronger Tommie community.
Thank you for your continued support of St. Thomas and Tommie Athletics. We will always be proud of our past and look forward to embarking on our bright future together.
Roll Toms!
Phil Esten
Vice President, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics