University of St. Thomas Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Specialists
- Email:
- bjhanson1@stthomas.edu
- Phone:
- 651-962-7900
Ben Hanson enters his 8th season on the football staff at the University of St. Thomas in 2026, continuing to play a pivotal role in elevating the Tommies’ special teams and offensive units.
After transitioning to coach the Tommies’ specialists in 2023, Hanson has assisted in developing a top-performing special teams units in FCS. In 2025, St. Thomas’ Punt unit ranked No. 1 in the Pioneer Football League and No. 3 nationally in FCS, while the Kickoff unit ranked No. 1 in the PFL and No. 9 nationally in FCS, establishing the Tommies as a premier special teams unit at the Division I level.
Individually in 2025, Hanson coached punter Elliot Huether to First Team All-PFL honors and helped him become a semi-finalist for the FCS Punter of the Year Award, marking one of the top special teams seasons in program history. Huether ranked 4th in punting yards per game in FCS in 2025.
During Hanson’s time assisting with the offensive line in 2022, four players earned FCS All-PFL honors — Matt Weimann, Alec Rasmussen, Shea Albrecht and Jason Laliberte. Weimann was named First Team All-Conference for the second consecutive season, earned PFL Offensive Player of the Year honors, and received Fourth Team All-America recognition at center.
From 2019–21, Hanson served as the Tommies’ tight ends coach, guiding the position group through the program’s transition from Division III to Division I competition. During that stretch, Zach Bennett was named 2020–21 Division III Football Academic All-America, and in the Tommies’ first Division I season, Max Zimmerman earned All-PFL honors.
Prior to returning to St. Thomas, Hanson spent 11 years coaching at four Twin Cities high schools, serving as both a varsity assistant and head coach. As head coach at Eagan (2017–18), he led the Wildcats to Academic All-State Silver honors with a team GPA above 3.0, while three players earned individual Academic All-State recognition. As defensive line coach at St. Thomas Academy, Hanson helped guide the Cadets to the 2015 AAAAA State Championship game. As defensive coordinator at Minnehaha Academy, his 2014 defense allowed just 13 points per game and forced 30 turnovers. His 2013 and 2014 teams earned Academic All-State Gold honors, and 11 players received All-Conference recognition across those two seasons.
A former Tommie himself, Hanson was a four-year starter on the offensive line from 2003–06, earning All-Conference honors as a senior. He graduated from St. Thomas in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and completed his master’s degree in education in 2015.
Hanson resides in Rosemount with his wife, Chris, and their sons, Chase and Crosby.
