University of St. Thomas Athletics
Tommies picked to finish third in PFL preseason poll
7/27/2026 1:00:00 PM | Football
Link: Single Game Tickets
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The University of St. Thomas football team is once again expected to be one of the best in the Pioneer Football League (PFL). The Tommies were picked to finish third in the conference Preseason Poll, receiving 87 total points and one first place vote from the PFL head coaches.
St. Thomas took the PFL by storm when it joined the conference in 2021, earning top-3 finishes in each of its first five seasons of Division I play. After winning their first conference title in 2022, the Tommies finished second in the PFL standings in 2023 and were in the hunt for a conference title entering the final weekend of the regular season. The same was true in 2024, as St. Thomas finished in a tie for third place thanks to a 4-0 start in PFL play. During that stretch, the Tommies earned marquee wins over San Diego, the 2025 PFL favorite, Marist and Stetson before capping the season with a dominant 32-9 win over Dayton.
The 2025 season was another success for the Tommies, as they finished with an overall record of 7-5 and a 5-3 record in PFL play. St. Thomas opened the 2025 season with a resounding 35-13 win over (RV) Lindenwood before a narrow 37-30 loss at #11 Idaho. In conference play, the Tommies scored 50+ points three consecutive weeks and won five straight games from October 11 to November 8. St. Thomas was also the only team to defeat eventual PFL champion Drake in PFL play.
Since joining the PFL in 2021, the Tommies have posted a 31-9 conference record while suffering just nine overall losses. The San Diego Toreros were selected to win the conference for the second consecutive year, receiving five first place votes and 90 total points, while three-time defending champion Drake was selected to finish second.
Behind St. Thomas, Dayton was picked to finish fourth, while Butler and Marist round out the top-6.
St. Thomas will once again be a strong contender for the PFL title thanks to a core group of returners on the offensive side of the ball. Quentin Cobb-Butler (Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury), Luke Schuler (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) and Patrick Wagner (Crofton, Md. / Archbishop Spauling) are three of the top returning skills players in the PFL, while Amari Powell (Valencia, Calif. / Chaminade College Prep) and Anthony Policare (Endwell, New York / Maine-Endwell) are the top contenders for the Tommies QB1 job this fall.
Defensively, St. Thomas will need to retool after losing six starters at the conclusion of the 2025 season, including All-Conference linebacker Ryan Sever. Fifth year seniors Charlie Boucher (Minneapolis, Minn. / Southwest), Rod Finley (Farmington, Minn. / Farmington), Den Juette (Chicago, Ill. / Fenwick), Mitchell Schares (Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Kennedy) and Evan Tyler (Hudson, Wis. / Hudson) will all play significant roles in the team's defensive scheme this season.
St. Thomas will officially kick off the 2026 season on Thursday, August 27 when the team hosts the Winona State Warriors for the first time in the DI era. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at O'Shaughnessy Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota, and single game tickets are now on sale at www.tommiesports.com/tickets.
