Behind St. Thomas men's football is a team of women helping them find success

Behind the 118-man University of St. Thomas football roster is a team of women helping them succeed on the field.

Ellen Parkey is the assistant director of strength and conditioning for several Tommie sports, including football. She's a crucial part of a players recovery journey.

"Getting to see them get back to where they were wanting to be is just extremely rewarding," she said.

Also along the sidelines is Caitlin Warren, director of football operations

"I'm kind of the catch-all category so travel logistics, recruiting, operations on a daily basis, pretty much anything and everything. Working with equipment, medical, nutrition, strength, a bunch of different departments across campus," she said.

There's also Kelsey Whaley, the assistant athletic director for communications and media and several other women on staff from nutrition to athletic trainers and equipment staff.

"You can be a women who works with a male team, but still feel out of place. And I think it's really important how much effort and how much intentionality the football coaching staff and the football staff in general puts into making a comfortable environment for women to work with them in their program," said Whaley.

Having so many women running a men's D1 football program is an intentional move by head coach Glenn Caruso.

Caruso's daughter Anna used to work alongside her dad, doing in-game strategy, and now works football operations for the Vikings.

"Some of my proudest moments as a father and a coach occurred at the same time, which was really cool," he said.

Her work ethic and impact on the team opened the door to being intentional for adding more women to the Tommie football staff over his 19 years as head coach.

Now, St. Thomas has the highest number of full-time female staff members supporting a football program in the Pioneer Football League.

The women are hoping that stat is nothing unique anymore because women is football is so normal.

"To the females out there too, like keep working, you belong there. If you have a passion for it, just stick with it. You're meant to be there," said Warren.

Tommie football is currently 3rd in the Pioneer league. Saturday is their last home game of the regular season against Drake at 1 p.m.