Football: History of the Saints

On September 8, 1990, Thomas More College competed in its first intercollegiate football game. Thomas More College squared off against the Panthers of Kentucky Wesleyan College at Dixie Heights High School. In front of 2,020 fans TMC would capture its first-ever intercollegiate football victory with a 30-0 shutout of Kentucky Wesleyan. Thomas More would conclude its first inaugural season with a record of 3-6.

Thomas More College opened its second season in 1991 by traveling Owensboro, Kentucky for a night game against Kentucky Wesleyan. TMC defeated the Panthers 37-7. Thomas More joined the newly formed Association of Mideast Colleges conference, which included Bluffton, Defiance and Wilmington as the inaugural members. Thomas More amazed college football fans everywhere in the 1991 season by winning every game of the 1991 campaign and capturing the first-ever A.M.C football title. At the conclusion of the season TMC set a new NCAA record, by becoming the first second-year football program to go undefeated.

As the 1992 season began, Thomas More was aiming for the only goal that eluded them in 1991, a berth in the NCAA Division III Championship Playoffs. TMC finished the season 9-1 and captured their second straight A.M.C. conference championship. TMC accomplished its' goal of reaching the 1992 NCAA Division III Championships. TMC received a berth in the South region. TMC would travel to Emory, Virginia for their game against Emory and Henry College. Emory and Henry dashed TMC's hopes of reaching the next round by shutting out TMC 17-0.

Hopes were high entering the 1993 season. TMC was ranked in the pre-season top five. "The Sporting News" ranked TMC 4th. TMC opened the season with a 16-8 loss to Ferrum College. Thomas More would then capture eight of its' next nine games, on the way to a 8-2 season and its' third straight A.M.C conference championship.

The 1994 season began with five straight victories. The Saints finished the 1994 campaign with a record of 7-3 and its' fourth straight A.M.C. Conference championship.

The 1995 season was spectacular, as the Saints marched to ten straight victories. Highlighted by a 37-29 come from behind win over NCAA I-AA Butler University at the Butler Bowl in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Saints would capture its fifth consecutive A.M.C conference championship and finish the season 10-0.

Former Thomas More greats include Mike Wolf, who is the all-time leader in tackles (445); Joe Shriver, who had 20 sacks in 1993 and finished with 45 for his career; Ryan Reynolds, who is the all-time leading rusher (3,666); Chris Haliburton who was a 4-time 1st team all conference selection and Mike Bramlage who was the 1997 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete of the year. It is quite remarkable that in nine years of inter-collegiate football Thomas More has had eleven athletes named to All-American teams.

On February 1st, 1999 Dean Paul was named as the 2nd Head Football Coach in Thomas More College history, and with this he announced plans to build on the impressive tradition that has been established, and help it flourish to even greater heights. The new coaching staff has established "DEMAND EXCELLENCE" as the program theme. The message that they intend to send is that they desire to recruit and develop individuals into the program who will demand excellence in all areas of their life allowing those in the program to reach their full potential as students, people and athletes.

A big part of this excitement will be realized on September 18, 1999 when the Saints play their first-ever home game and "defend their own soil" against Kentucky Wesleyan College. Today's heroes include junior running back Will Castleberry, who set the single game rushing record; Derek Bosse, who has received post-season awards each of the last two seasons and Craig Rieck, who had 11 touchdown catches last season.