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Email: witt@uiwtx.edu or phone: 210.829.3828.

Football News

ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE TURNOUT FOR UIW TRYOUT -- posted Thursday, March 13 2008

Two things continue to be evident as related to open tryouts for Incarnate Word’s startup football program; there are players in the area that have skills, and the general interest for collegiate scholarship football in Greater San Antonio is at impressively high level.

“It is impressive,” Cardinals head Coach Mike Santiago said during Thursday’s session. “For this time of year when it is not truly football season, it is impressive the number of guys who are interested in Incarnate Word football.”

The Thursday event on campus was the second of three such open tryouts allowed. Back in November more than 90 potential Cardinals showed up. This time, the number surpassed 70 as players from inside San Antonio, Bexar County and surrounding counties were on hand. One potential UIW star acknowledged he had just arrived on campus from his home in Oklahoma City, having heard about the program from that distance.

“We did this because of the interest being shown from fans in San Antonio,” Santiago said. “This is after the official signing date and this was an opportunity for these guys to find a football home. These guys love the sport and no one ever wants to take the hat off.”

The first class of Cardinal football players will enroll in classes at UIW in August of 2008. They will work for one year as a redshirt group and then will take the field in September of 2009 for the first-ever NCAA Division II game at the University. On the official signing date in early February, the Cardinals coaching staff inked 28 players, and since that time have added three more.

Under construction at this time, and expected to be operational in August, is the Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium on campus which will include a 16,000-square foot field house and a 3,000-seat stadium.

SECOND TRYOUT SESSIONS SET FOR FOOTBALL -- posted Thursday, February 21 2008

Incarnate Word’s football coaching staff has announced the second set of dates whereby San Antonio area players can tryout for the new Cardinals program.

Coach Mike Santiago said the dates are Wednesday and Thursday, March 12 and 13. All events will be on the UIW campus.

All participants must have completed a physical examination before taking the field. If prospects have had a physical in the last six months they should bring the paperwork with them. If candidates need a physical they should report to the UIW Barshop Natatorium at 4:30 p.m. on March 12.

The actual on-field sessions will be from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on March 13. The tryouts will be at the Cardinals soccer training facility west of Sullivan Baseball Field.

Complete information is available by contacting the UIW football offices at the following numbers: (210) 805-3024 / 3062 / 3026.

The Cardinals will play their first-ever football game in September of 2009.

INCARNATE WORD HAS FOOTBALL SIGNING CLASS -- posted Wednesday, February 6 2008

(SEE FOOTBALL HOMEPAGE, "ROSTER", FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF NEW UIW PLAYERS.)

The fax machine beeped at 7:01 a.m. Wednesday and the biggest day in the history of football at Incarnate Word got a jump start when an NCAA national letter of intent arrived signed by quarterback Thomas Specia, a former San Antonio Reagan player.

With February 6 as the official signing day across the nation, the atmosphere in the UIW football offices was akin to that of a political convention when the delegates are being counted. All-in-all, Coach Mike Santiago and his hard-working staff registered 27 athletes who will be known forever as the Cardinals’ Class of 2008, the very first.

In April of 2007, Incarnate Word announced its intentions to begin a Division II scholarship football program from scratch. After having hired Santiago as the head coach and after he gathered the first three assistants, the University broke ground in November of 2007 on the Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium on campus.

But what brought the real electricity to the room was the Class of 2008.

Santiago was adamant. “It took real courage for these 27 guys to sign with us. They had to have as much if not more vision than anyone around about the UIW program. When they visited they were looking at a hole in the ground and they had to visualize a stadium. We had two, two uniforms to show them. They had no one already in the program to answer questions. These guys are really special.”

As for the game of football itself, Coach Santiago said the Cardinals are a good one-deep team right now based on the recruiting just concluded. “We addressed every position with the exception of fullback,” he said.

“And I am really excited because we got our offensive linemen who traditionally need the extra year, we got our secondary personnel including those hard-to-find cornerbacks because we will play the nickel package all the time, and we have our defensive tackles who, next to the corners, are the hardest to find.”

Then, Santiago said, “(running back) Trent Rios’ commitment was a really big deal to us and to Incarnate Word. He was the first and he is a good player and a quality young man. Plus he created a name for himself with his play inside a terrific football program at Smithson Valley.”

Santiago admitted that he and his three assistants have been through a real adventure. “This staff of three guys,” the coach emphasized, “has done the work of eight.”

The Cardinals coaches early on put together a profile of future Incarnate Word players. “Of course we want great football players,” Santiago explained. “But we also want strong academic guys, and we want people of great character. We will always recruit to this profile. We evaluated more than 1,000 players and these are the 27 who best represent the mission of UIW.”

He pointed out that the average grade point average of the 27 players from their high school days is 3.52 and the average score on the SAT was 1,020.

In thinking about his and his staff’s efforts beginning at ground level, Santiago was quick to say his biggest surprise was just how receptive all the prospective players were. “The program sold itself because Incarnate Word sells itself,” Santiago said. “The students on campus were phenomenal, the UIW admissions folks went overboard to help, President (Louis J.) Agnese even met with one of our weekend visit groups. This was a community effort.”

In concluding his overall thoughts about the Incarnate Word football Class of 2008, Santiago said the key to this group will be how many are playing for UIW in 2012. “You judge a class on its senior year and our goal is to have more than two-thirds of these guys still together in 2012.”

DIRT HAS BEEN TURNED AT BENSON STADIUM -- posted Thursday, January 17 2008

Several spades full of dirt were turned Thursday afternoon as formal work has officially begun on the Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium for football on the Incarnate Word campus.

It was the coldest day of the year and the wind was blowing but that didn’t dampen the spirits of nearly 200 Cardinals supporters who gathered for the event. The words were laudatory and plentiful, mostly directed to the two Bensons who several speakers called the “mother and father of Incarnate Word football”.

Back in April of 2007 the University and President Louis J. Agnese Jr. announced that UIW would become the only scholarship football program in the Greater San Antonio area, playing in the fall of 2009 at the NCAA Division II level. At that time, Benson was introduced as the principal backer in construction of a facility on campus.

Thursday, the process became visible to the eye when Gayle and Tom Benson joined with Dr. Agnese and an impressive lineup of involved persons to make the spades move and the dirt fly.

Others on the working ends of the shovels were UIW Athletic Director Mark Papich, Clear Channel Television Chairman Bill Moll representing the Incarnate Word Board of Trustees, Sr. Helena Monahan, Congregational Coordinator for the Sisters of the Charity of the Incarnate Word, and UIW head Coach Mike Santiago.

Construction will begin immediately on the Benson Stadium which ultimately will include a football field house with all the usual amenities of locker rooms, athletic training spaces, weight training areas along with offices and conference rooms. The fieldhouse will have approximately 16,000 square feet of space.

Also included in the project will be spectator seating of some 3,000 for the games themselves which begin in September of 2009.

And with that target date some 18 months away, Santiago and his staff have been combing the area for prospective UIW stars.

Coach Santiago has indicated that Incarnate Word has a target total of 20 players committing to the school during the first week of February, the official NCAA signing date. And next August, those 20 core players will join a group of other prospects to begin what will be a ‘redshirt year’.

BENSON STADIUM GROUNDBREAKING SET -- posted Wednesday, January 16 2008

The indicators are beginning to appear on Incarnate Word’s campus that construction is just around the corner for the Gayle and Tom Benson Football Stadium.

And with construction set to begin in the next several days, the Bensons will join with University representatives including President Louis J. Agnese Jr. for the formal groundbreaking ceremonies on Thursday, January 17.

Celebratory spades will go into the ground at 2 p.m. on Thursday to formally begin the process. Included in the Benson Stadium will be a football fieldhouse of approximately 16,000 square feet and spectator seating for up to 3,000.

The Stadium will be on the site of the present Cardinals soccer game field nearby the McDermott Center on campus.

In April of 2007 the University announced plans to begin playing football in the fall of 2009 as the only scholarship, NCAA Division II program in the Greater San Antonio area. In early summer of 2007 Mike Santiago came on board as the Cardinals head coach.

In the meantime, Coach Santiago has brought in three coaching staff members and that group has been in high gear recruiting UIW’s first group of players. Those players will enroll in classes in August of 2008 and will go through their redshirt year before competition in 2009.

IVICIC NAMED DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR -- posted Friday, December 7 2007

The football program at Incarnate Word took a significant step recently with the announcement that Todd Ivicic would be the Cardinals defensive coordinator.

Head Coach Mike Santiago said Ivicic is on board at UIW and already has joined the search for outstanding student-athletes to be among the first to play at Incarnate Word. Santiago and his staff will have their first group of athletes on campus in the fall of 2008 and those will complete a redshirt year before taking the field for NCAA Division II competition in the fall of 2009.

“I have known Todd for some 14 years now,” Santiago said. “We are fortunate to be able to pull him away from Tarleton State. He is very talented with a great football mind, especially in the areas of defense and special teams. He is a hard worker and his organizational skills are just outstanding.”

For the past three years Ivicic has been at Tarleton State helping the Texans to a 22-9 cumulative mark in that time. The last two seasons he coached the defensive line after spending his first year as the offensive line coach.

Led by Ivicic (EYE - vah- check), the Texan offensive line made way for several good running backs. In 2005, the line blocked for one of the best running backs at the Division II level. A Texan runner led the Lone Star Conference with 1,512 yards, and the offense averaged 383.4 yards per game.

In 2006, the Texan defensive line was instrumental in holding opponents to a league-low 90.5 yards per game on the ground. Ivicic also coached the LSC South Division defensive lineman of the year.

In 2007, Ivicic again coached an all-conference performer, and helped the Texans as a defensive team to the second highest sack totals of the season. The Texan special teams were first in the Lone Star Conference in kickoff returns, first in punting and third in punt returns.

Overall, Ivicic has 14 years coaching experience at the collegiate level.

Prior to his stint at Tarleton State, Ivicic worked six seasons at Stephen F. Austin where Santiago was the head man. Ivicic joined the SFA staff in January of 1999. In 2003, three of four of his starters along the defensive front earned All-Southland Conference honors. He also coached the special teams, which blocked eight kicks on the year. His defensive front produced SFA’s only first team All-SLC pick in 2004 and added six more blocked kicks.

Prior to his time at SFA, Ivicic was the defensive line and special teams coach at Sam Houston State from 1995-1998. He was the defensive line coach at Blinn Junior College in 1993-1994 and was a graduate assistant at SHSU in 1991-1992. He coached SHSU in the 1991 Division I-AA playoffs and coached Blinn Junior College in the Mineral Water Bowl in 1993.

Ivicic played defensive end for the Bearkats in 1989 and 1990 after transferring to SHSU from Blinn Junior College. He was a linebacker at Blinn in 1988 after playing at Trinity Valley Community College in 1987 as a defensive back.

A 1986 graduate of Taylor High School in central Texas, he was a three-time regional qualifier in track and was named All-Central Texas as a defensive back in 1985. Ivicic was a defensive back and a running back in high school.

He earned his a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from SHSU in 1991 and a master’s degree in kinesiology from SHSU in 1993.

TRYOUTS DECLARED SUCCESSFUL -- posted Wednesday, November 28 2007

Incarnate Word’s first action on the football field was pronounced a success as more than 80 candidates threw their hats into the ring for the fall of 2009.

UIW announced in the spring of 2007 its intention to compete in football at the NCAA Division II level with kickoff set for September of 2009. In the meantime, coaches have come on board, an intensive scouting and recruiting process is underway, ground will be broken shortly on the Gayle and Tom Benson Fieldhouse and stadium and the official uniform has been unveiled.

But no action on the field until this week.

The word went out that the Cardinals were looking for players and the 80-plus showed up. “A lot of people showed great enthusiasm for our football program just by the number of individuals who were here,” Coach Mike Santiago said afterward. “Some in this group showed really well while some must figure at this level it isn’t their game.”

The candidates fit into one of three categories. They were current UIW students, they currently are enrolled at a non-football playing school, or they are not enrolled at any school right now. Each of the candidates went through a series tests such as standing jump, bench press, shuttle run, and 40-yard sprint.

“It was nice to stand in front of a group of student-athletes again and talk to them,” Santiago said.

There were some basic messages in his talk with the group. “I told’em to hang onto their dreams of playing football,” Santiago said, “because the good news is that no one was being cut today.”

He then outlined the type of person Incarnate Word is seeking for the program. Santiago said the Cardinals want good football players, of course, and then they want student-athletes who are going to graduate from UIW. The third category is that of having athletes who will “represent Incarnate Word in the way it deserves.”

“Our coaches did a great job of organizing the tryout,” Santiago concluded. “Everyone who was involved was just great.”

Next stop for the Cardinals, the mid-February signing date for high school football players.

REAL FOOTBALL COMES TO UIW -- posted Monday, November 26 2007

On Monday and Tuesday (November 26 and 27) there will be tangible evidence that Incarnate Word is in the business of football.

Those two days there will be on-campus tryouts for athletes to fill roster slots when the Cardinals kickoff in the fall of 2009.

Since UIW announced plans for football in April last spring, there have been announcements of various kinds, staff hirings, uniform unveilings but no real evidence of players until now.

Tryout participants will report on campus Monday at 5 p.m. for physical examinations and to complete paperwork.

On Tuesday at 4 p.m., the Cardinals staff led by head Coach Mike Santiago will begin evaluating the prospects with a series of tests such as a 40-yard dash, bench presses, vertical jumps, broad jumps and shuttles.

All trials will center around the University’s main soccer field.

Those eligible to participate are athletes currently enrolled at Incarnate Word, athletes who would be transferring from a non-football playing school and athletes who are not currently enrolled in any college.

Successful candidates will be back on campus in the fall of 2008 as redshirt members of the Cardinals football team.

FOOTBALL UNIFORMS UNVEILED ON CAMPUS -- posted Saturday, November 17 2007

Incarnate Word alumni, parents and gridiron fans in general got their first look at UIW's football look Saturday afternoon as part of the annual Alumni and Family Weekend on campus.

Following UIW President Louis J. Agnese Jr.'s traditional state of the University address, Cardinals Coach Mike Santiago brought the audience up to date on football which will have its kickoff in September of 2009.

Santiago then introduced the official uniforms featuring Incarnate Word's colors of red, black and white. Through combinations, the Cardinals can take the field two years from now in one of four different looks.

OFFICIAL UNIFORMS TO BE UNVEILED -- posted Friday, November 9 2007

EVENT

Unveiling of the Cardinals football uniforms at Incarnate Word--This is the first time the official UIW football uniforms will be seen in public.

DATE

Saturday, November 17, 2007

TIME

4 p.m.

WHERE

Coates Theatre on the UIW campus (in the fine arts complex at the corner of Hildebrand and Broadway)

WHO

The unveiling will come as part of the annual Presidential Address by Dr. Louis Agnese during the Alumni & Parents Weekend at UIW.

Following Dr. Agnese’s address, UIW football Coach Mike Santiago will unveil the uniforms along with a powerpoint presentation about the progress of football.

UPDATE

Coach Santiago and his staff are busy scouting and recruiting and the first of several early commitments by athletes are expected shortly. The Cardinals will sign their first recruiting class in February.

On November 26 and 27 the UIW coaches will conduct an on campus tryout for current Incarnate Word students, transfers from non-football playing schools and athletes not currently enrolled in college.

The Cardinals will have their inaugural kickoff in the fall of 2009.

UIW CARDINALS SET FIRST FOOTBALL TRYOUTS -- posted Tuesday, November 6 2007

Incarnate Word’s football coaching staff will man the stop watches and whistles in late November as the Cardinals conduct their first live sessions in the search for players.

UIW Coach Mike Santiago has said the Cardinals will conduct an “on-campus tryout” on Monday and Tuesday, November 26 and 27.

Those eligible to participate are current Incarnate Word students, prospects who will be transferring from a non-football playing school, and those athletes who are not currently enrolled at a college or university.

On November 26, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., prospects will undergo physical examinations and complete the necessary paperwork. Then on November 27 beginning at 4 p.m. the hopefuls will go through a series of tests such as the 40-yard sprint, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump and shuttle.

All participants need to bring their own football shoes. The UIW coaches will be doing the evaluations.

Those invited back from these tryouts will begin formal training sessions in the fall of 2008. The Cardinals are slated to take the field of competition in the fall of 2009 as an NCAA Division II program.

Complete information about the tryouts is available by telephoning (210) 805-3024.

SANTIAGO DIALS UP A HEATER -- posted Monday, August 20 2007

Incarnate Word football Coach Mike Santiago showed his versatility recently prior to a San Antonio Missions baseball game.

As a special guest of the Missions, Coach Santiago threw out the first pitch to kickoff a doubleheader against Texas League rival Springfield (Mo). Afterwards there was a ripple of favorable response through the crowd of nearly 4,000 fans. “I want everyone to know it was a strike,” Santiago said.

While the pitch did reach the catcher, and was in the strike zone, the Wolf Stadium radar gun failed to register the throw’s velocity.

The next morning, Coach Santiago quickly was back on the football recruiting trail.

UIW COACHES VISITING WITH SAINTS -- posted Monday, August 13 2007

The VIP treatment can take any of several levels and in the case of Incarnate Word’s football coaching staff the level is very high at the New Orleans Saints training site.

UIW Coach Mike Santiago and his staff are in Jackson, Miss., this week to closely observe the goings-on of the Saints as they prepare for the upcoming 2007 National Football League season.

“We have all-access passes and they are treating us like VIPs,” Santiago said from the campus of Millsaps University. “We have been inside the ropes during practice and we are close to all the drills. We are living in the dorms with the coaching staff and we are eating our meals with the same guys.”

During their stay with the Saints, the UIW coaches will be able to use the teams’ video equipment. Santiago also said the Cardinals coaches will meet with the Saints video personnel as well as the equipment people. And, Santiago said there are plans to meet with Saints Owner Tom Benson and with General Manager Mickey Loomis.

Last spring, UIW announced its first venture into the football world in large part due to the financial support of Benson who is financing the construction of the Tom and Gayle Benson Fieldhouse on the UIW campus. In the fall of 2009 when actual competition begins, the Cardinals will become the first full scholarship football program in the San Antonio area, and the only faith-based program in all of South Texas.

The Cardinals coaches will return to the UIW campus on Wednesday (August 15).

KEENAN IS ON FOOTBALL STAFF -- posted Friday, August 10 2007

Kyle Keenan is the most recent addition to the Incarnate Word football staff and he brings extensive administrative experience to the job along with strong coaching genes.

His duties with the Cardinals will be as director of football operations as well as
coaching responsibilities.

For the last year, Keenan was a vice president of Coaches Inc., a company which worked with and represented football coaches. The five years prior to that he was with the National Football League Coaches Association. He also has spent working time with the NFL Players Association.

A graduate of Mandeville High School in Louisiana, Keenan earned his bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island.

The gene portion of his resume comes from his father Larry, who has worked 16 years as a coach in the NFL with such teams as the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks.

MARSHALL NAMED OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR -- posted Friday, July 27 2007

The new football program at the University of the Incarnate Word is picking up momentum with the announcement that Jim Marshall is on board as the Cardinals offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

UIW Head Coach Mike Santiago said Marshall is on campus and will join Santiago as the primary scouts and recruiters for the coming year.

“It was a coup for us to be able to bring Jim on board,” Coach Santiago said. “He is one of the top offensive line coaches in the nation and one of the guys I needed most was one with his experience. We got a wealth of experience in Jim.”

Santiago said he and Marshall first met some 18 years ago while recruiting Texas. Marshall has particular knowledge of the South Texas areas including San Antonio and Corpus Christi.

A veteran of 29 years of collegiate football coaching, Marshall most recently was an assistant at Alabama State University. His resume includes stops Arkansas State, Wyoming, Memphis, Tulane and UTEP, all Division I programs. For six years he was the head coach at the University of Richmond where in 1992 he was voted the Yankee Conference coach of the year. That same time he received the Virginia Division I coach of the year award as well as the Richmond Touchdown Club coach of the year honor.

A native of Crestline, Ohio, Marshall played football and baseball at Bowling Green State University and competed one year at the University of Tennessee at Martin where he earned his bachelor’s degree. At UTM he was a Small College All-American as a baseball catcher.

Incarnate Word announced the first scholarship football program in San Antonio last April and will play its first game in the fall of 2009. With financial support from New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, the University soon will begin construction on the Tom and Gayle Benson Fieldhouse on campus.

SANTIAGO DRAWS PRAISE -- posted Tuesday, June 19 2007

MIKE SANTIAGO
HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
INCARNATE WORD CARDINALS

...what they are saying

“We are very pleased and excited that Mike Santiago will be the first head coach of our new football team. He has a stellar coaching background and is a proven winner.”
UIW President Dr. Louis J. Agnese Jr.

“We brought in three exceptionally qualified candidates for our head football coaching position. In meeting with key persons on campus, all three presented a strong portrait on which to build an impressive football program.”
UIW Athletic Director Mark Papich

“The selection of someone who not only is interested in the sport but also interested in the academic aspect for each student-athlete was important to me and I believe our committee has made the best choice in selection of Mike Santiago to start our program.”
UIW Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Sandra Strickland

“More importantly, Mike fits in with the mission and values of Incarnate Word. We feel he will be a strong role model for our student-athletes and that he will do an excellent job in promoting our ideals with the external
community.”
UIW President Dr. Louis J. Agnese Jr.

“Experience was our first pre-requisite and all three final candidates were well qualified. It is important that our choice fit with our faith-based University. And then, it is important that our coach have an in-depth feel for the pool of Texas football talent.”
UIW Athletic Director Mark Papich

“As the UIW faculty knows, I have promoted the desire for this campus to start a football program for a long time, but probably not as long as President (Dr. Louis) Agnese. The competition for the coaches’ position was overwhelming and we interviewed highly qualified candidates.”
UIW Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Sandra Strickland

“I also want to thank Tom and Gayle Benson for their support in helping us to start the only scholarship
collegiate football program in San Antonio. Football at Incarnate Word is one of the most important endeavors we’ve ever undertaken, and it would have been impossible without the unwavering support of the Benson family.”
UIW President Dr. Louis J. Agnese Jr.

MIKE SANTIAGO, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH -- posted Tuesday, June 19 2007

MIKE SANTIAGO
HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

PERSONAL
Name: Michael Santiago
Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.
Education:
Graduate, Brophy College Prep, Phoenix, Ariz.
Degree, Glendale Community College, Ariz., 1974
BA, psychology, health and secondary education, Southern Utah University, 1977
Family wife Rochelle, son Dallas, son Tyler

HEAD COACHING CAREER
Stephen F. Austin University
1999 8-3 Southland Conference Champions (nation’s biggest turnaround from 3-8)
2000 6-5
2001 6-5
2002 6-5
2003 7-4
2004 6-5
Totals 39-27

ASSISTANT COACHING CAREER
Utah State University, 2005-2006, Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach
McNeese State University, 1990-1998, Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach
Southwest Texas State University, 1987-1989, Passing Game Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach
Western Michigan University, 1985-1987, Quarterbacks/Wide Receiver Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
Northern Arizona University, 1983-1984, Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers/Tight Ends Coach
North Carolina State University, 1982, Wide Receivers Coach
Lamar University, 1978-1982, Wide Receivers Coach

OTHER
Cleveland Browns Area Scout, 1983-1984

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Glendale Community College (Ariz.), two-year starter at cornerback and wide receiver
Southern Utah University, two-year starter at cornerback

SANTIAGO ARRIVES AT UIW -- posted Tuesday, June 19 2007

He has been a winner as a head coach, he has been an assistant at a variety of college and universities and he has been a professional scout, but Mike Santiago is set to embark on something entirely new to his 30-year coaching career in football.

Incarnate Word today said Santiago is coming on board as the head coach for the University’s first-ever football team. UIW Athletic Director Mark Papich said Santiago will begin work immediately as the lead person in the establishment of San Antonio’s only scholarship football program.

UIW in April announced the football program with the Cardinals having their first kickoff in the fall of 2009. At that same time, the University said San Antonio native and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson will fund construction of the new Gayle and Tom Benson Fieldhouse in support of the football endeavor.

Most recently, Santiago worked as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utah State University for two seasons. While there, he coached the top two Western Athletic Conference leaders in all-purpose yards, and two of his quarterback protoges set records for rushing yards.

His head coaching experiences were gained during six years as the leader at Stephen F. Austin University of the 1-AA Southland Conference. His cumulative mark there was 39-27 and the Lumberjacks won the 1999 conference title with an 8-3 mark which was the nation’s best turnaround for that year. To date, that is the school’s only conference championship.

In addition to his stints at those two schools, the Arizona native was an assistant at McNeese State, Southwest Texas State, Western Michigan, Northern Arizona, North Carolina State and Lamar. Over his career, he has worked on the offensive side of the football with either quarterbacks, wide receivers or tight ends.

Another element of his football education was the year he worked for the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns as an area scout.

Santiago’s personal playing career included two years as a cornerback and wide receiver at Glendale Community College in Arizona followed by two years as a starting cornerback at Southern Utah. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Utah with a double major in psychology and health and secondar education.

First up on Santiago’s agenda will be the hiring of two assistant coaches followed by a
comprehensive scouting and recruiting program covering the schoolyear 2007-2008. UIW will enroll its first class of
football players in the fall of 2008 while the recruiting process continues ahead of the 2009 kickoff.

UIW, BENSON TEAM TO LAUNCH FOOTBALL -- posted Tuesday, April 17 2007

The Cardinals at the University of the Incarnate Word will tee up the football in the fall of 2009 as today University officials announced a comprehensive plan to field a gridiron squad as part of the school’s continuing efforts to offer a well-rounded experience to its students.

Football at Incarnate Word will provide San Antonio fans their first look at the only scholarship, NCAA team in the entire metropolitan area.

In making the announcement, UIW President Louis J. Agnese also said the Cardinals, with major backing from San Antonio businessman and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, will construct, on campus, a 3,000-seat football facility including field house and offices.

Benson, a longtime University supporter and ardent sports person, will underwrite the facility with construction slated to get underway in June of 2007. It will be known as Gayle and Tom Benson Fieldhouse.

Dr. Agnese, in making the announcements of the UIW football program along with the Benson-endowed facility, said the timeline begins with the hiring of a head coach this summer followed quickly by employment of the first staff persons. The new coaches then will begin the scouting and recruiting process for the first class of players to enroll at the University in the fall of 2008.

One year later, the Cardinals will play their first-ever game, in September of 2009.

The new football program fits with the mission of the University which is to provide a total experience for students. In keeping with its reputation as a trail-blazer in higher education, UIW in the recent past introduced its new Feik School of Pharmacy to go with other named areas of study such as the Dreeben School of Education and the HEB School of Business Administration.

Now, with the addition of football, Dr. Agnese stressed that Incarnate Word’s athletic programs are near full circle with 19 teams representing 12 different sports, more than any other NCAA Division II school in the state. Incarnate Word also becomes just the second Division II, faith-based institution in the state of Texas to offer scholarship football.

CARDINALS FOOTBALL QUOTE SHEET -- posted Tuesday, April 17 2007

“Launching a football program at Incarnate Word is a goal we’ve had since we started offering intercollegiate athletics in the 1980s. But we needed to find the right partner, whom we have with Tom Benson.”
Dr. Louis J. Agnese Jr., UIW President

“This new endeavor with the University is one that I am very familiar with and am extremely pleased to take part in from the ground floor, the creation of a new football program coupled with the building of the Gayle and Tom Benson Fieldhouse that will support this program along with many other programs at the University. Sports is an important element in the development of our young people and we are honored to have our names associated with this project”
Tom Benson, New Orleans Saints Owner

“This is the next step in the growth of Incarnate Word athletics and in the athletic department as a whole. Football has been on the burner since I arrived here in 1995, and the timing is now right for us to take this giant step in offering the total package to our students and to our student-athletes.”
Mark Papich, UIW Director of Athletics


“As a UIW student-athlete, I readily welcome a football team to our athletic community. I believe a football program will help spark student involvement and support of all our athletic programs. I hope that providing the many resources needed to create a quality program will not prove too difficult.”
Carla Flink, UIW Student-Athlete Advisory Council President

“Tom was very excited and supportive when I presented him with the idea of the University offering the only collegiate, scholarship football program in San Antonio. Especially since our program will provide an option for those local high school athletes who want to play scholarship football in their hometown.”
Dr. Louis J. Agnese, UIW President

The University of the Incarnate Word has always been very special to me and my family. We are proud of the endowed Tom Benson Chair of Banking and Finance we have created. Education is one of the most important elements of a young person’s life and throughout the years both here in San Antonio and in New Orleans, my family and I have been committed to the betterment and advancement in the field of education.”
Tom Benson, UIW Benefactor

“All of us in the Incarnate Word community are grateful to Gayle and Tom Benson for their generosity. Football at Incarnate Word is one of the most important endeavors we’ve ever undertaken. It would have been impossible without the support of the Benson Family. The University is blessed to have had their support in our activities throughout the years.”
Dr. Louis J. Agnese, UIW President

CARDINALS FOOTBALL TIMELINE -- posted Tuesday, April 17 2007

CARDINALS FOOTBALL TIMELINE

April, 2007 Announcement of Cardinals football program
Announcement of funding for football facility

April, 2007 Search begins for head football coach

Spring, 2007 Head coach announced

June, 2007 Search for first two assistant coaches

June, 2007 Construction begins on football facility

August, 2007 Recruiting begins for first players

Spring, 2008 Search begins for remainder of staff

Spring, 2008 Signing of first Cardinals players

August, 2008 First group of Cardinals players enroll in classes for their red-shirt year

Spring, 2009 Second group of Cardinals players signed
August, 2009 Pre-season begins for inaugural season

September, 2009 First-ever UIW Cardinals football game