The University of St. Thomas football team is entering the 2023 season with significant anticipation, and it appears the wider Pioneer Football League (PFL) shares this high outlook. Following their inaugural conference title win in 2022, the Tommies have been selected as the predicted champions of the Football Pioneer League.
This prediction comes directly from the PFL coaches themselves, who placed St. Thomas at the top of the preseason coaches’ poll released on Tuesday. The Tommies garnered an impressive 98 out of a possible 100 points, securing eight first-place votes out of ten. The remaining first-place votes were split between Davidson, who is ranked second in the preseason poll, and San Diego. It’s worth noting that coaches are not permitted to vote for their own teams in the poll.
St. Thomas is coming off a remarkable 2022 season, only their second within the Football Pioneer League, where they clinched their first PFL championship. Their success was built on a potent offense and a dominant defense, as evidenced by a significant 358-189 point advantage over their opponents. The Tommies concluded the 2022 season with a near-perfect 10-1 overall record, including an unblemished 8-0 in conference play. Against their Football Pioneer League rivals, their statistics were even more compelling. Beyond the scoring margin, St. Thomas amassed 1398 total offensive yards and recorded 729 tackles defensively in PFL matchups alone.
Adding to their strong position, the Tommies retain a significant number of key players from their successful 2022 roster. Out of the 16 players recognized as All-PFL honorees in 2022, nine are set to return for the 2023 season. This includes junior wide receiver Andrew McElroy (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook), who was unanimously selected for the First Team All-Conference in 2022. Joining McElroy are fellow First Team All-Conference returnee, junior Jonathan Bunce (Edina, Minn. / Edina), and other All-Conference selections: Shawn Shipman (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlin Park), Alec Rasmussen (Wayzata, Minn. /Wayzata), Yusef Leak (Orlando, Fla. / Master’s Academy), Shea Albrecht (Orono, Minn. / Orono), Luke Herzog (Mendota Heights, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy), Jason Laliberte (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove), and Grif Wurtz (Chaska, Minn. / Chaska).
The St. Thomas Tommies are scheduled to commence their 2023 season on Saturday, September 2, hosting Black Hills State University. The kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. Central Time in St. Paul, Minnesota.
