University of St. Thomas Athletics
Aaron Swanson and his teammates have a busy home hockey weekend with two men's games and two women's games over three days
Photo by: University of St. Thomas
Men's Hockey back on home ice to highlight busy sports weekend
10/20/2021 9:46:00 AM | Men's Hockey
St. Thomas Men's Hockey gets its home-ice debut this Friday and Saturday night in Mendota Heights with a pair of 7 p.m. games against conference opponent Ferris State.
Tickets are available at Tommiesports.com. The games also air live on Skor North AM 1500 Radio, and a live stream can be accessed for a fee on FloSports.
The Tommies (0-6 overall, 0-4 CCHA) have faced five road games -- one against a top-three-ranked team and four against teams receiving votes in the national poll. They played one contest in downtown St. Paul on neutral ice against St. Cloud State, a 2-0 loss.
The Purple have been competitive in five consecutive games and are close to a breakthrough performance in season one of Division I play. They rank among the national leaders in power-play goals (eight) and power-play conversion (24 percent).
Ferris State (1-3) is playing its first CCHA games. The last time these programs met on the ice was 44 years ago in Michigan, a 6-4 and 4-2 sweep by Ferris.
So much has changed for Tommie men's hockey since its last home game played at Saint Thomas Ice Arena -- 33 weeks ago this Friday, on March 5, 2021:
Women's Hockey
St. Thomas is home Saturday and Sunday afternoon for a pair of WCHA clashes against Minnesota-Duluth. The puck drops each day at 2 p.m. in Mendota Heights.
The Toms (2-3-1 overall, 2-3-1 WCHA) are coming off a productive four-point conference series against St. Cloud State with a 3-2 home victory and 2-2 road tie in overtime. In those contests, five different players scored the five Tommie goals and two goalies took the win (Saskia Maurer) and tie (Alexa Dobchuk). The Toms' last seven goals have come seven different players.
The UMD Bulldogs (2-4, 2-4) have split two lively series with Minnesota State and Minnesota. They just played No. 1-ranked Wisconsin close in 3-0 and 5-4 losses, the latter in overtime.
Both games will stream live on Big Ten-Plus for a fee/subscription.
Volleyball
St. Thomas faces another tough weekend with Thursday night and Saturday afternoon home Summit League matches against top opponents.
Second-place Denver (16-2 overall, 7-1 Summit) plays here Thursday (7 p.m.), and first-place Omaha (10-8, 8-1) faces the Toms on Saturday (3 p.m.)
Coach Thanh Pham's Tommies (2-17, 1-8) continue to battle and find the positives in this transition season. They have reached the halfway point of the 18-game league schedule and close out the season over the next five weeks with nine more conference tests.
Men's Soccer
St. Thomas is gearing up for its final three contests of its inaugural fall season starting Saturday at home at South Field against Omaha (1 p.m.).
This is just the fifth home game for the Purple, who play next Tuesday at UW-Milwaukee and finish Oct. 30 at home against Kansas City.
The Tommies (0-11-2 overall, 0-4 Summit) have eight losses by one or two goals as well as their two ties.
Omaha (4-7-1, 2-1) has allowed just 11 goals over 11 games -- three in a 3-2 loss to first-place and 9-1-1 Oral Roberts.
Swim-Dive
St. Thomas travels to UW-Green Bay for a Saturday dual meet for both men and women. The competition starts at 1 p.m.
Coach Scott Blanchard's Tommies competed two weeks ago at home against Augustana (S.D.) to start its Division I era. Freshman Alex Foti broke a school record in the 1000 free in his first college race. The St. Thomas men and women each won 10 of 16 events.
This is UWGB's season-opening meet.
Women's Tennis
Coach Lois Arterberry will get a chance to see her Tommie players in action for the second time this fall. Her group travels to Iowa City for a regional meet sponsored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
St. Thomas is preparing for the 2022 season, which starts in February. The Purple are scheduled to play 14 dual contests plus some spring-break play in March.
Women's Soccer
St. Thomas (3-9-1 overall, 1-4 Summit) hits the road to play its ninth and 10th away games of 2021. The Purple face two more experienced Summit League teams in Oral Roberts (Friday, 7 p.m.) and Kansas City (Sunday, 1 p.m.).
St. Thomas has a 2-2-1 home record with just three goals allowed, the latest a 1-0 defeat of Western Illinois. St. Thomas was 0-5 in one-goal decisions before that WIU victory. Overall the Toms have given up a modest 20 goals over 13 games in their debut D-I campaign.
Oral Roberts (4-9-2, 1-4-1) is 2-3-2 at home this season. The Eagles went 2-12-1 last spring but has been solid on offense the entire calendar year. This fall they have recorded 24 goals in 15 games.
Kansas City is just 1-5 at home going into Friday's game with Western Illinois, and overall this fall is 5-4 in one-goal games. The Roos are coming off a 2-1 road win over Omaha.
Other Sports
Football (4-2 overall, 3-1 Pioneer) has a bye week and resumes play at home Oct. 30 against Marist.
Cross Country teams are off this week and close their inaugural D-I seasons on Oct. 30 in Tulsa, Okla., in the Summit League Championships.
Tickets are available at Tommiesports.com. The games also air live on Skor North AM 1500 Radio, and a live stream can be accessed for a fee on FloSports.
The Tommies (0-6 overall, 0-4 CCHA) have faced five road games -- one against a top-three-ranked team and four against teams receiving votes in the national poll. They played one contest in downtown St. Paul on neutral ice against St. Cloud State, a 2-0 loss.
The Purple have been competitive in five consecutive games and are close to a breakthrough performance in season one of Division I play. They rank among the national leaders in power-play goals (eight) and power-play conversion (24 percent).
Ferris State (1-3) is playing its first CCHA games. The last time these programs met on the ice was 44 years ago in Michigan, a 6-4 and 4-2 sweep by Ferris.
So much has changed for Tommie men's hockey since its last home game played at Saint Thomas Ice Arena -- 33 weeks ago this Friday, on March 5, 2021:
- The Toms have since closed out their D-III and MIAC hockey era and now are competing in D-I and in the newly resurrected CCHA
- All St. Thomas games now air on Skor North AM-1500 and can be seen on FloSports live streams
- Rico Blasi was working at Providence College as an athletics administrator and now is St. Thomas' head coach
- Assistants Leon Hayward (at Colorado College) and Cory Laylin (Hamline) were coaching elsewhere in college hockey
- Winning goalie Jacob Berger was in net that night in a 4-3 victory over St. Mary's, one of 12 Tommies in uniform that made the transition to this year's D-I team
- Seven current Toms were on other D-I rosters at that point, and nine were playing in Juniors hockey
- St. Thomas students had a near 50-50 split between in-person and online classes in that stretch, with Covid at a different phase; a lot of uncertainty existed as vaccines were not available for most people and MIAC protocols were more cautious
- Tommie hockey legend Jeff Boeser -- who contributed four decades as a player assistant and head coach -- worked his final home game as St. Thomas
Women's Hockey
St. Thomas is home Saturday and Sunday afternoon for a pair of WCHA clashes against Minnesota-Duluth. The puck drops each day at 2 p.m. in Mendota Heights.
The Toms (2-3-1 overall, 2-3-1 WCHA) are coming off a productive four-point conference series against St. Cloud State with a 3-2 home victory and 2-2 road tie in overtime. In those contests, five different players scored the five Tommie goals and two goalies took the win (Saskia Maurer) and tie (Alexa Dobchuk). The Toms' last seven goals have come seven different players.
The UMD Bulldogs (2-4, 2-4) have split two lively series with Minnesota State and Minnesota. They just played No. 1-ranked Wisconsin close in 3-0 and 5-4 losses, the latter in overtime.
Both games will stream live on Big Ten-Plus for a fee/subscription.
Volleyball
St. Thomas faces another tough weekend with Thursday night and Saturday afternoon home Summit League matches against top opponents.
Second-place Denver (16-2 overall, 7-1 Summit) plays here Thursday (7 p.m.), and first-place Omaha (10-8, 8-1) faces the Toms on Saturday (3 p.m.)
Coach Thanh Pham's Tommies (2-17, 1-8) continue to battle and find the positives in this transition season. They have reached the halfway point of the 18-game league schedule and close out the season over the next five weeks with nine more conference tests.
Men's Soccer
St. Thomas is gearing up for its final three contests of its inaugural fall season starting Saturday at home at South Field against Omaha (1 p.m.).
This is just the fifth home game for the Purple, who play next Tuesday at UW-Milwaukee and finish Oct. 30 at home against Kansas City.
The Tommies (0-11-2 overall, 0-4 Summit) have eight losses by one or two goals as well as their two ties.
Omaha (4-7-1, 2-1) has allowed just 11 goals over 11 games -- three in a 3-2 loss to first-place and 9-1-1 Oral Roberts.
Swim-Dive
St. Thomas travels to UW-Green Bay for a Saturday dual meet for both men and women. The competition starts at 1 p.m.
Coach Scott Blanchard's Tommies competed two weeks ago at home against Augustana (S.D.) to start its Division I era. Freshman Alex Foti broke a school record in the 1000 free in his first college race. The St. Thomas men and women each won 10 of 16 events.
This is UWGB's season-opening meet.
Women's Tennis
Coach Lois Arterberry will get a chance to see her Tommie players in action for the second time this fall. Her group travels to Iowa City for a regional meet sponsored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
St. Thomas is preparing for the 2022 season, which starts in February. The Purple are scheduled to play 14 dual contests plus some spring-break play in March.
Women's Soccer
St. Thomas (3-9-1 overall, 1-4 Summit) hits the road to play its ninth and 10th away games of 2021. The Purple face two more experienced Summit League teams in Oral Roberts (Friday, 7 p.m.) and Kansas City (Sunday, 1 p.m.).
St. Thomas has a 2-2-1 home record with just three goals allowed, the latest a 1-0 defeat of Western Illinois. St. Thomas was 0-5 in one-goal decisions before that WIU victory. Overall the Toms have given up a modest 20 goals over 13 games in their debut D-I campaign.
Oral Roberts (4-9-2, 1-4-1) is 2-3-2 at home this season. The Eagles went 2-12-1 last spring but has been solid on offense the entire calendar year. This fall they have recorded 24 goals in 15 games.
Kansas City is just 1-5 at home going into Friday's game with Western Illinois, and overall this fall is 5-4 in one-goal games. The Roos are coming off a 2-1 road win over Omaha.
Other Sports
Football (4-2 overall, 3-1 Pioneer) has a bye week and resumes play at home Oct. 30 against Marist.
Cross Country teams are off this week and close their inaugural D-I seasons on Oct. 30 in Tulsa, Okla., in the Summit League Championships.
Players Mentioned
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