Another View
The University of St. Thomas is the other Division I school in Minnesota, and its men’s and women’s basketball teams’ 2023-24 seasons are now in progress.
The goal of both UST programs, formerly longtime Division III and MIAC members, is to offer local players and others a second choice for attending a big-time college, if they choose to remain close to home and family.
The Tommies men won 19 games last season, in its second year of D-I, a nine-win improvement from year one to year two. That’s the second-best in the history of 50 schools that reclassified to D-I over the past 25 years.
The Tommies women loaded this season’s schedule with Power 5 competition, such as Wisconsin at home (December 13), and playing such schools as St. Mary’s, UC Irving, and Butler away from home in a California tournament over Thanksgiving.
The UST men are picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches Poll. Their home opener is on November 10, against Idaho State. Their women counterparts are picked eighth in their poll. Last season, UST made the league tournament and were victorious in their first appearance. The home opener is November 11, against UW-River Falls.
Junior guard Jade Hill (Minneapolis South) is one of three sistahs on the ‘23-24 squad, and is a returning two-year starter. “It’s nice,” the 5-foot-7-inch Minneapolis native told the MSR. “I wanted to go away from home, but it was a blessing in disguise [staying home to attend school]. I love being around my family and watching my siblings play.”
A two-time Minneapolis City Conference Player of the Year, Hill left South as the conference second-all-time scorer (over 2,700 points). She has played in all 58 games for St. Thomas and has finished among the team’s top three scorers each season.
Hill admitted playing with more composure is a goal for her this season, as well as being more consistent. “I’ve been doing a better job with that,” the junior said.
Sophomore guard Kendall Blue (East Ridge) was a starter in his first season at UST. The St. Paul school “feels like a second home,” admitted the Woodbury native. Last season, the 6-foot-6-inch guard played in 28 games and started in 22. He was an All-Metro, all-conference player at East Ridge High School.
Blue said he wants to improve his defense along with being consistent on the offensive end. “Going into my freshman year, I was a little nervous trying to fit into the rotation,” he said. “I think in year two, I will take a bigger stride.”
His coaches believe Blue can improve as well. “I’m probably harder on Kendall Blue than on any kid,” said UST Assistant Coach Cameron Rundles. “I feel he could be player of the year or first team or league at one point. His potential is there.”
“He’s one of those guys who can play a number of positions,” added Head Coach Johnny Tauer on Blue. “He’s always making the right basketball decision and a real good teammate. Really unselfish.”
“He’s a light to our team,” Rundles continued. “I think he has matured as a person more than as a basketball player.”
Both Hill and Blue want to be part of building a lasting foundation of big-time success at UST.
Hill said she likes being “one of the pioneers of starting St. Thomas as a D-I program. I think that’s really cool. It gives other kids who grew up in my neighborhood of North Minneapolis an opportunity. It’s not just kids from the suburbs or far out.”
“I’m hungry to get on the court and shock the world even more [than last season],” said Blue.
“Being one of two D-I schools here…I think it’s a real cool story,” concluded Tauer. “An unprecedented jump from Division III to Division I. I’m proud to have another D-I school in the state.”
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