St. Thomas Athletics Director Phil Esten extended his invitation in an email on April 14 for St. Thomas community members to join an open discussion with key athletics leaders at noon on April 22 via Zoom and to join an open panel with the commissioners of St. Thomas’ new athletic conferences at noon on May 7.
The email also noted athletics advances this fiscal year such as kicking off the Shed a Little Light initiative, attracting a more diverse student-athlete population and securing far more donation commitments this fiscal year than the past two.
Esten hopes the St. Thomas community can join these sessions to “see, hear and feel the excitement and energy that comes with this transition,” Esten wrote in the email.
St. Thomas’ fall 2021 recruiting class is the most geographically diverse ever, representing 14 states and 3 countries.
Esten referenced President Julie Sullivan’s 2025 Strategic Plan which lays out new and emerging priorities that include fostering belonging and dismantling racism.
The plan set a five-year fundraising goal of $37.5 million. The email announced that St. Thomas received just under $7.5 million in donation commitments this fiscal year.
The university also signed a Letter of Intent with the top multi-media rights and licensing company in the country, but the name of that company hasn’t been released yet.
April 22’s open discussion will include Senior Associate Athletic Directors Jemal Griffin and Megan Jacobson, men’s basketball coach John Tauer and faculty athletics representative Mary Dougherty.
May 7’s open panel will feature commissioner’s Tom Douple of the Summit League, the Pioneer Football League’s Patty Viverito, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s Don Lucia and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Bill Robertson. Those interested in attending can register here.
“I am energized by what lies ahead and I have tremendous gratitude for our coaches, staff, and student-athletes for their resiliency in such an unprecedented year,” Esten wrote in the email.
Joey Swanson can be reached at swan5350@stthomas.edu.