Miami Gardens, Fla. – The St. Thomas University Athletic Department revealed the next sport sponsored by the Bobcats will be Men's Lacrosse, marking the 33rd varsity sport on campus. Set to lead the Bobcats into their inaugural season in the spring of 2027 and beyond is Matt Blamey, who comes to Miami Gardens with over two decades of coaching experience and a proven track record of launching and elevating programs.
The addition of the sport marks the 16th under President David A. Armstrong, J.D. Other sports added under Armstrong include Beach Volleyball Men's and Women's Bowling, Flag Football, Football, Women's Golf, Women's Lacrosse, Men's and Women's Rugby, Men's and Women's Swimming, Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field, Men's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.
"Because of our investment in Women's Lacrosse, it made great sense to start Men's Lacrosse as it is a growing sport in the NAIA and within the Sun Conference," President Armstrong said. "The key was finding the right coach to build a program that fit STU's winning culture. In Coach Blamey, we believe we have found our champion."
"We are excited for the addition of Men's Lacrosse," STU's Vice President of Athletics Bill Rychel said. "Lacrosse will bring a great program to the department, giving another group of student athletes the opportunity to enhance their collegiate experience athletically and academically."
Blamey heads to STU from the University of Arizona, where he served as the Head Coach for the Wildcats that competed in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) from 2017-2025. Garnering Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC) Division I Coach of the Year after his second season at the helm, Blamey brought the Wildcats into the National conversation with a berth in the 2022 MCLA National Tournament and a top-five National Ranking in 2023. He ended his tenure at Arizona at the 2025 SLC Championship Game, the second-straight trip for the Wildcats with 2024 marking the first time in school history that they advanced to the Conference Championship.
No stranger to starting lacrosse programs, Blamey was the founder of the Northern Virginia Community College Men's Lacrosse program, the first NJCAA lacrosse program in the state, while guiding Dominican University (Calif.) through their inaugural season in the MCLA and earning Western Collegiate Lacrosse League Division I Coach of the Year accolades for his efforts.
"We are fortunate to have Blamey lead the launch of our Men's Lacrosse program," Rychel said of the inaugural Head Coch. "He is a great coach and recruiter, that has experience in starting and growing a program. With his background and passion I feel that we can grow the program quickly, providing a great collegiate experience for our new students. I look forward to working with Matt to get our Men's Lacrosse program ready to compete."
"First and foremost, I want to thank President Armstrong and Athletic Director Rychel for this tremendous opportunity," Blamey said. It is a true honor to be named the first head men's lacrosse coach at St. Thomas University. One of my greatest passions is building programs from the ground up, and I look forward to creating a winning culture rooted in hard work, accountability, and a shared vision. We're searching for uncommon men—student-athletes who are ready to grow in all areas of life, pursue excellence in the classroom, and compete with pride on the field. I'm inspired by STU's commitment to developing ethical leaders and well-rounded individuals, and I'm excited to begin recruiting student-athletes who are ready to become leaders for life."
Announced as the 29th National Championship sport this past fall and crowning their inaugural champion this spring, Men's Lacrosse had 30 institutions competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) during the 2025 season. Prior to this season, Men's Lacrosse had eight years at invitational status.
