Although two decades separate them, the connections between the last Tommie football team to reach the playoffs and the 2009 squad run deep.
Sports Information Director Gene McGivern remembers the 1990 Tommies and knows that, although it’s difficult to compare teams of different eras, the two teams have striking similarities.
The St. Thomas women’s basketball team played its first home game of the season Wednesday at Gangelhoff Center against Concordia-Moorhead. And even though the Tommies returned four starters, the women struggled and shot just 30 percent from the field and 13 percent from the behind the arc.
The No. 3-ranked St. Thomas men’s basketball team jumped out to an early lead and never gave it up on the way to a 73-55 win Wednesday night over Concordia-Moorhead at the Gangelhoff Center at Concordia-St. Paul.
Like St. Thomas, Linfield College has won each of its two playoff games handily and now the two teams meet Saturday in McMinnville, Ore., to see who advances from the round of eight to the final four.
The St. Thomas football team earned its way to the quarterfinals of the Division III national championship playoffs with Saturday’s win. Now the Tommies travel to Oregon, where St. Thomas will take on the No. 5-ranked Linfield College Wildcats.
After St. Thomas’ decisive win over Coe College, a few players and coach Glenn Caruso sat down for the post game press conference.
Some former Tommies had not been to a game since their college days and others have made Tommie football games a tradition on autumn Saturday afternoons.
The Tommie defense harrassed Boyle’s freshman replacements grabbing two picks in a dominating 34-7 win over Coe College Saturday in O’Shaughnessy Stadium in the second round of the NCAA playoffs.
Ben Wartman rushed for 236 yards and two touchdowns to help St. Thomas roll to a 34-7 win over Coe College Saturday in O’Shaughnessy Stadium in the second round of the NCAA playoffs.
This Saturday’s matchup appears to be a game between the nearly unstoppable force – St. Thomas’ rushing attack – against the seemingly immovable object – Coe College’s stout run defense.
Senior Peter Mullee and junior Becca Ney were named MIAC Athletes of the Week in men’s and women’s swimming.
Both swimmers were honored for their performances at Macalester’s Roger Ahlman Invitational, where each won three events.
University of St. Thomas sophomore wide receiver and returner Fritz Waldvogel won the 2009 Jim Christopherson MIAC MVP award.
Waldvogel tallied 59 catches for 706 yards and four touchdowns in conference play. He added 313 yards and two touchdowns on 10 kick-off returns in eight games.
“I was a little surprised and completely humbled,” Waldvogel said, “but I’m more focused on the team’s success right now.”
For ordinary sports fans, traveling 452 miles to cheer on their home team may be out of the question. But for a special group of dedicated St. Thomas football fans, it’s loyalty over a long car ride.
After upsetting Monmouth College in the first round of the NCAA playoffs, No. 10-ranked St. Thomas will flip to the role of the favorite when the Tommies battle Coe College Saturday, in O’Shaughnessy Stadium.
Before St. Thomas takes the field against Coe, there are plenty of questions to be answered about what kind of team the Tommies will be facing.
The men’s basketball team swept the Wooster, Ohio, tournament this weekend with wins over Heidelberg University and the College of Wooster.
