It’s a good time to be a St. Thomas University student-athlete as its athletics program continues to expand.

The school’s new football program, which includes Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School and Moore Haven High School graduate Andrew Fish (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma), wrapped up its inaugural season on Nov. 16.

A few weeks earlier, St. Thomas announced wrestling and men’s and women’s swimming and diving have been added to its sports roster starting in the fall of 2020.

St. Thomas now has 21 varsity sports which compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

“Over the past year, St. Thomas University has gained a lot of momentum and notoriety, due to our record fundraising and being ranked No. 1 for social mobility for regional universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report,” St. Thomas President David Armstrong said in a press release. “We know that students who participate in athletics are more engaged, socially and academically. We look forward to these new students continuing the positive momentum.”

Positive momentum is certainly something the football team will take into the offseason after the Bobcats concluded their first season with a 24-14 win against Faulkner University of Mobile, Alabama.

St. Thomas trailed 7-0, but then reeled off 21 unanswered points in a momentum-changing second quarter en route to its first-ever home victory in front of 1,850 at Monsignor Pace High School in Miami Gardens.

The Bobcats concluded the season with a respectable 4-6 record for a first-year program. Other wins came against Union College, Allen University and Warner University.

The night before the season finale Fish showed support for his alma mater as he watched Moore Haven advance in the FHSAA playoffs with a win against Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale.

Fish said the triumph against Warner – a 38-31 come-from-behind win in Lakeland – had been the team’s best win.

Fish, a left tackle, started every game. He said the offense improved throughout the season and that he’s looking forward to next year.

The offensive line did not allow a sack in the season finale against Faulkner and helped pave the way for 266 yards of total offense.

St. Thomas won two of its final three games with the lone setback coming against Keiser University, 39-32, a game Fish said St. Thomas should have won.