Saints host first practice ahead of inaugural season in MIAC

While the College of St. Scholastica (CSS) football team did not play a single game last season, they certainly didn’t take the year off.

Staying fit and focused in the off-season, they were able to hit the ground running in their first official day of 2021 fall practice on Thursday.

As one of the Saints just six returning seniors, Moose Lake’s Bryceton Butkiewicz said he’s ready to step up as a leader.

"It’s a big role to try and get all young guys up and ready to go. [There] are younger guys that haven’t even gotten to play a game yet," Butkiewicz said. "But I think all of us upperclassmen coming back are doing a good job of getting them used to how we practice up here, and what games are going to be like."

This fall will also mark the program’s first season in their new conference, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).

Making the transition from the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC), the Saints said they’re most looking forward to shorter bus rides with more matches in-state, and the MIAC’s tradition of tough competition."

"Any time you enter one of the oldest football conferences in the country, and in the history of college football, it’s a pretty sweet privilege and we’re excited to be there," said CSS head coach Mike Heffernan.

The Saints will kick off their first season since 2019 on September 4th hosting Sewanee: The University of the South. They are set to open MIAC play on September 25th welcoming Augsburg University to Duluth. For their full schedule, click here.