For the first time in its five-year history, St. Thomas University's football team is heading to national playoffs.
The Bobcats are slated to face the Reinhardt Eagles on Saturday at noon at AutoNation Field in Miami Gardens. The university will also be hosting its women's volleyball and men's soccer championships.
St. Thomas' football team had a record of 8-3 for the 2023 season, but were undefeated at home.
"It's been a true blessing," senior outside linebacker Donnell Bennett III said. "I was at church when we found out. I was sitting in church, and to to hear the message of God, and to hear that we made it in, it was kind of just ironic. You know, everybody always said you give glory to God. But that was kind of a surreal moment for me. It was full circle."
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Bennett, who's been with the team since he was a freshman, said that he was not heavily recruited out of high school. But playing for the Bobcats has enabled his dream of participating in collegiate athletics to become a reality.
"We knew that we really had a chance to make a run at this thing. So, it isn't something that we just started prepping for. It's is something we've been prepping for since summer. We've had it on our board. We've had our goal in mind to make it the playoffs; not only make it, but make it all the way to the top and beat everybody we come in contact with," Bennett said. "That's one of the things we pride ourselves here at St. Thomas. We're never satisfied with just making our goals. We want to overachieve. We want to get everything that we can possibly get out of it."
That's why the team has been particularly focused during practice this week, looking forward to Saturday's matchup and, hopefully, additional post-season games beyond.
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"The community and the atmosphere around St. Thomas has grown immensely in the last four to five years," Assistant Coach Drew Davis told NBC6. "They know what's at stake. They know the privilege it is to continue to keep playing football. So, I would say that obviously their attitude, their energy and their effort over the last couple of weeks has been consistent."
Davis, whose father is famed coach Paul Hilton "Butch" Davis Jr., is responsible for the wide receivers and tight ends.
"It's an unbelievable honor, and, obviously, growing up as a kid, I had unbelievable experiences that I don't take for granted and I don't take lightly," he said. "I just want to be able to take what I've learned, what I've been around, and be able to implement it with the kids that we have here, and help change lives, and continue to help win games here at St. Thomas."
