University of St. Thomas Athletics
Tom Hodgson influenced many Tommies in a 35-year run as head swim-dive coach
Photo by: Mark Brown
Gene's Blog: Familiar Tom leads today's list of newsmaking Toms
4/25/2023 12:24:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving, Gene's Blog
Several people with St. Thomas ties have been in the news so far in 2023. Let's catch up on their happenings:
Hall Call
Longtime Tommie Swim-Dive Coach Tom Hodgson has been selected for induction into the 2023 class of the Minnesota Swimming Hall of Fame. The ceremonies are this Friday April 28 in Brooklyn Park, Minn., as part of Minnesota High School Swim-Dive Coaches Association all-state banquet. Hodgson is that Hall's 97th inductee among athletes and coaches over a 45-year span since its first class was announced in 1978.
Hodgson, who was inducted into the St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022, retired in May 2014 after a 35-run directing the Tommie programs. Hired in fall 1979 to coach of the women's swim team in year three of that program's existence, he added the men's team to his head coach responsibilities one year later. His teams were known for their culture and "Family" identity, a term coined by the student-athletes after he initiated co-ed practices in January 1981. His 35-year tenure as head coach in a single sport was at the time unprecedented in St. Thomas' first 110 years of varsity athletics. For most of his career, he recruited teams to and coached in the five-lane O'Shaughnessy Natatorium, a facility that opened in 1940. Despite that pool's limitations, he coached more than 100 MIAC champions and produced 46 All-Americas.
With the 2010 opening of the new Anderson Aquatic Center, St. Thomas swim-dive surged. The men's team won two of the next four MIAC championships, and his final women's teams built the foundation for multiple MIAC titles after he retired. Hodgson received seven MIAC Coach of the Year honors from when the award was created in 2002 until his 2014 retirement. His athletes received multiple CoSIDA Academic All-America honors; were consistently among the CSCAA's Scholar All-America teams; and built a proud community and campus service tradition, including its annual food shelf donation and active participation in the Ted Mullin Hour of Power fundraisers for cancer research.
Tom was previously inducted into the Rochester Sports Hall of Fame in April 2012. He won four state championships in three events and set a state record in the 200 IM while swimming at Rochester Mayo High. He went on to swim collegiately at the University of Minnesota, where he was a co-captain for the Gophers, broke a U of M school record in the 400 IM, and at the time ranked second all-time on the school's 200 IM and 100 backstroke lists.
Thirty and Counting
Seattle's John Schneider comes into the 2023 NFL season with the fifth longest tenure among all league general managers. Only Jerry Jones (Dallas), Mike Brown (Cincinnati), Bill Belichick (New England) and Mickey Loomis (New Orleans) have been with their franchises for longer spans. Schneider has 10 days longer tenure as a league GM than Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman.
Schneider, who turns 52 next month, is starting his 14th season with the Seahawks, and 31st working in the NFL. Along with Coach Pete Carroll, Schneider and his staff have helped build Seattle into a consistent playoff contender. Schneider has a reputation for numerous steals in the mid- and later draft rounds and with undrafted free agents.
A 1991 Tommie graduate and football alum, Schneider started his pro football journey with a summer internship in his hometown of Green Bay. He also has worked with the Kansas City and Washington organizations.
Living the Dream
The Green Bay Packers roll into this week's NFL draft with 68 players on their active and restricted free-agent rosters. That group includes one of the league's better underdog stories in former Tommie athlete Nick Guggemos. The 6-foot-5, 247-pound tight end was slowed by injuries and caught just one pass in his college years with St. Thomas after his prep career at Benilde-St. Margaret's.
During the Covid years in particular, Guggemos worked tirelessly to transform his body, and he lowered his 40-dash time under 4.50. He put himself onto the radar of some pro teams with a strong pro day and combine showing. By summer 2021 he landed a four-week stint with Seattle and later a three-week opportunity with Washington. Cleveland added him to its practice squad in December 2021, and now he's working to make the most of his shot with Green Bay.
Guggemos' younger brother Matthew started his college career with the Minnesota Gophers but joined the Tommie football team last fall. Their dad Neal is a St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Famer after excelling in football and track and field here in the 1980s and later playing five seasons in the NFL as a defensive back.
Closer to Home
Right-handed reliever T.J. Constertina graduated last May. He was an important piece of Tommie Baseball's Division III championship chase in 2021 and in the team's start of the D-I era in 2022. Now his college pitching days have continued this season as a graduate transfer in the Big Ten for the Fighting Illini of Illinois.
Last season the Arlington Heights, Ill., native had four saves and a 1.19 era in 17 appearances with a 2-3 record, and 26 Ks and 10 walks for St. Thomas. In helping the Purple take second place in the Division III national tournament in 2021, Constertina went 4-0 that spring with an 0.58 ERA in 18 appearances with 38 strikeouts and nine walks over 31 innings.
In helping Illinois build an 18-18 record so far this season, Constertina is 1-2 with a 3.80 ERA and three saves with 24 Ks and eight walks over 24 innings.
Grad Transfer, II
Anders Nelson is another 2022 graduate and prominent Tommie athlete as a four-year hoops starter. He's a rare St. Thomas player to surpass 1,000 points, 300 assists and 90 starts in his career.
The Edina, Minn., native took a D-I graduate transfer opportunity at William and Mary for the 2022-23 basketball season. Nelson ended up leading the Tribe in scoring (11.2 ppg), assists (4.3 apg) and minutes in helping the team post a 13-20 record. He converted at 47 percent from the 3-point line with 54 made.
Over his five-season college career -- including just seven games here in 2020-21 Covid reduced year -- Nelson finished with 127 games played, 1,796 points, 453 assists and 203 made three. He converted at 81 percent at the foul line and 38 percent at the 3-point line.
Hockey Honchos
What's better than one Tommie alum leading an organization? How about two Tommies?
Tommie Women's Hockey alum and former UST athletics administrator Michelle Radzik Morgan has been hired as commissioner of both the Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America conferences. In her new role, Morgan will work with another St. Thomas alum in associate commissioner of media operations and operations Todd Bell.
Morgan started her career working in a corporate role with the Minnesota Wild. She worked at St. Thomas from 2010-18, rising to roles as Senior Women's Administrator and Associate AD. She left five years ago to become athletics director at Division III John Carroll University in Cleveland. She becomes just the second commissioner in Atlantic Hockey history and the third commissioner in College Hockey America history.
Bell's resume in college and pro sports includes long stints at the American Football Coaches Association; game-night media duties with the Dallas Stars; and college media relations work at Power 5 programs Houston, Arkansas, Michigan and Alabama. He worked at the WCHA before joining the Atlantic and CHA staff one year ago.
Atlantic Hockey members are Air Force, American International, Army, Bentley, Canisius, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Niagara, RIT, Robert Morris and Sacred Heart. College Hockey America members are Lindenwood, Mercyhurst, Penn State, RIT, Robert Morris and Syracuse.
Champions
Two Tommie Athletics Hall of Famers were part of Minnesota high school championship teams this winter.
Tommie hoops alum Bryan Schnettler -- the school's all-time leader in 3-point baskets despite playing only three seasons here -- just completed season nine as head coach at Wayzata High. He recently guided the Trojans to a 75-71 overtime win over Park Center for the Minnesota large-class state championship. It was Wayzata's second state title in boys' hoops in the last three seasons -- the 2020-21 team won the school's first basketball state championship since 1959.
St. Thomas hockey legend Steve Aronson is the program's only three-time All-America on the ice. He holds both the school and MIAC all-time career scoring bests with 104 goals and 244 points during his era from 1996-2000. He helped the Purple to NCAA runner-up team finishes as a senior in 2000 in both hockey and baseball. The Minnetonka native has been a long-time assistant hockey coach at his alma mater, Minnetonka High, and he shared in the Skippers' state championship last month with a 2-1 win over Edina. Aronson assisted on Minnetonka's only previous state championship squad, in 2018.
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Hall Call
Longtime Tommie Swim-Dive Coach Tom Hodgson has been selected for induction into the 2023 class of the Minnesota Swimming Hall of Fame. The ceremonies are this Friday April 28 in Brooklyn Park, Minn., as part of Minnesota High School Swim-Dive Coaches Association all-state banquet. Hodgson is that Hall's 97th inductee among athletes and coaches over a 45-year span since its first class was announced in 1978.
Hodgson, who was inducted into the St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022, retired in May 2014 after a 35-run directing the Tommie programs. Hired in fall 1979 to coach of the women's swim team in year three of that program's existence, he added the men's team to his head coach responsibilities one year later. His teams were known for their culture and "Family" identity, a term coined by the student-athletes after he initiated co-ed practices in January 1981. His 35-year tenure as head coach in a single sport was at the time unprecedented in St. Thomas' first 110 years of varsity athletics. For most of his career, he recruited teams to and coached in the five-lane O'Shaughnessy Natatorium, a facility that opened in 1940. Despite that pool's limitations, he coached more than 100 MIAC champions and produced 46 All-Americas.
With the 2010 opening of the new Anderson Aquatic Center, St. Thomas swim-dive surged. The men's team won two of the next four MIAC championships, and his final women's teams built the foundation for multiple MIAC titles after he retired. Hodgson received seven MIAC Coach of the Year honors from when the award was created in 2002 until his 2014 retirement. His athletes received multiple CoSIDA Academic All-America honors; were consistently among the CSCAA's Scholar All-America teams; and built a proud community and campus service tradition, including its annual food shelf donation and active participation in the Ted Mullin Hour of Power fundraisers for cancer research.
Tom was previously inducted into the Rochester Sports Hall of Fame in April 2012. He won four state championships in three events and set a state record in the 200 IM while swimming at Rochester Mayo High. He went on to swim collegiately at the University of Minnesota, where he was a co-captain for the Gophers, broke a U of M school record in the 400 IM, and at the time ranked second all-time on the school's 200 IM and 100 backstroke lists.
Thirty and Counting
Seattle's John Schneider comes into the 2023 NFL season with the fifth longest tenure among all league general managers. Only Jerry Jones (Dallas), Mike Brown (Cincinnati), Bill Belichick (New England) and Mickey Loomis (New Orleans) have been with their franchises for longer spans. Schneider has 10 days longer tenure as a league GM than Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman.
Schneider, who turns 52 next month, is starting his 14th season with the Seahawks, and 31st working in the NFL. Along with Coach Pete Carroll, Schneider and his staff have helped build Seattle into a consistent playoff contender. Schneider has a reputation for numerous steals in the mid- and later draft rounds and with undrafted free agents.
A 1991 Tommie graduate and football alum, Schneider started his pro football journey with a summer internship in his hometown of Green Bay. He also has worked with the Kansas City and Washington organizations.
Living the Dream
The Green Bay Packers roll into this week's NFL draft with 68 players on their active and restricted free-agent rosters. That group includes one of the league's better underdog stories in former Tommie athlete Nick Guggemos. The 6-foot-5, 247-pound tight end was slowed by injuries and caught just one pass in his college years with St. Thomas after his prep career at Benilde-St. Margaret's.
During the Covid years in particular, Guggemos worked tirelessly to transform his body, and he lowered his 40-dash time under 4.50. He put himself onto the radar of some pro teams with a strong pro day and combine showing. By summer 2021 he landed a four-week stint with Seattle and later a three-week opportunity with Washington. Cleveland added him to its practice squad in December 2021, and now he's working to make the most of his shot with Green Bay.
Guggemos' younger brother Matthew started his college career with the Minnesota Gophers but joined the Tommie football team last fall. Their dad Neal is a St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Famer after excelling in football and track and field here in the 1980s and later playing five seasons in the NFL as a defensive back.
Closer to Home
Right-handed reliever T.J. Constertina graduated last May. He was an important piece of Tommie Baseball's Division III championship chase in 2021 and in the team's start of the D-I era in 2022. Now his college pitching days have continued this season as a graduate transfer in the Big Ten for the Fighting Illini of Illinois.
Last season the Arlington Heights, Ill., native had four saves and a 1.19 era in 17 appearances with a 2-3 record, and 26 Ks and 10 walks for St. Thomas. In helping the Purple take second place in the Division III national tournament in 2021, Constertina went 4-0 that spring with an 0.58 ERA in 18 appearances with 38 strikeouts and nine walks over 31 innings.
In helping Illinois build an 18-18 record so far this season, Constertina is 1-2 with a 3.80 ERA and three saves with 24 Ks and eight walks over 24 innings.
Grad Transfer, II
Anders Nelson is another 2022 graduate and prominent Tommie athlete as a four-year hoops starter. He's a rare St. Thomas player to surpass 1,000 points, 300 assists and 90 starts in his career.
The Edina, Minn., native took a D-I graduate transfer opportunity at William and Mary for the 2022-23 basketball season. Nelson ended up leading the Tribe in scoring (11.2 ppg), assists (4.3 apg) and minutes in helping the team post a 13-20 record. He converted at 47 percent from the 3-point line with 54 made.
Over his five-season college career -- including just seven games here in 2020-21 Covid reduced year -- Nelson finished with 127 games played, 1,796 points, 453 assists and 203 made three. He converted at 81 percent at the foul line and 38 percent at the 3-point line.
Hockey Honchos
What's better than one Tommie alum leading an organization? How about two Tommies?
Tommie Women's Hockey alum and former UST athletics administrator Michelle Radzik Morgan has been hired as commissioner of both the Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America conferences. In her new role, Morgan will work with another St. Thomas alum in associate commissioner of media operations and operations Todd Bell.
Morgan started her career working in a corporate role with the Minnesota Wild. She worked at St. Thomas from 2010-18, rising to roles as Senior Women's Administrator and Associate AD. She left five years ago to become athletics director at Division III John Carroll University in Cleveland. She becomes just the second commissioner in Atlantic Hockey history and the third commissioner in College Hockey America history.
Bell's resume in college and pro sports includes long stints at the American Football Coaches Association; game-night media duties with the Dallas Stars; and college media relations work at Power 5 programs Houston, Arkansas, Michigan and Alabama. He worked at the WCHA before joining the Atlantic and CHA staff one year ago.
Atlantic Hockey members are Air Force, American International, Army, Bentley, Canisius, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Niagara, RIT, Robert Morris and Sacred Heart. College Hockey America members are Lindenwood, Mercyhurst, Penn State, RIT, Robert Morris and Syracuse.
Champions
Two Tommie Athletics Hall of Famers were part of Minnesota high school championship teams this winter.
Tommie hoops alum Bryan Schnettler -- the school's all-time leader in 3-point baskets despite playing only three seasons here -- just completed season nine as head coach at Wayzata High. He recently guided the Trojans to a 75-71 overtime win over Park Center for the Minnesota large-class state championship. It was Wayzata's second state title in boys' hoops in the last three seasons -- the 2020-21 team won the school's first basketball state championship since 1959.
St. Thomas hockey legend Steve Aronson is the program's only three-time All-America on the ice. He holds both the school and MIAC all-time career scoring bests with 104 goals and 244 points during his era from 1996-2000. He helped the Purple to NCAA runner-up team finishes as a senior in 2000 in both hockey and baseball. The Minnetonka native has been a long-time assistant hockey coach at his alma mater, Minnetonka High, and he shared in the Skippers' state championship last month with a 2-1 win over Edina. Aronson assisted on Minnetonka's only previous state championship squad, in 2018.
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Gene's Blog is a sports column penned by Tommie sports information director Gene McGivern. Gene is working his 29th season at St. Thomas and 35th overall with Twin Cities college athletics teams. He blogs periodically on various topics regarding the Tommies and college sports.
If you have comments or questions, e-mail Gene at ejmcgivern@stthomas.edu
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