MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Thomas University (STU) is proud to announce the appointment of Drew Davis as the new Head Coach of Bobcat Football. Coach Davis succeeds Bill Rychel, who has been promoted to Senior Vice President for Athletics.
Coach Davis has spent the last four years with STU Football, following three bowl appearances with the FIU Panthers. Under his leadership as an Assistant Coach, the Bobcats reached the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and earned national rankings for four straight years. In only seven years, Bobcat Football has firmly established itself as one of the premier programs in the NAIA.
"At STU, we had a vision to use athletics as an enrollment and brand driver," said David A. Armstrong, J.D., President of St. Thomas University. "The goal was to set a standard of excellence and compete at the national level. The one person who can take the credit for achieving that goal is Bill Rychel. First as the founding Football Coach, adding Director of Athletics and then AVP of Athletics, Bill has led us to conference and national prominence. It is time to elevate him to Senior Vice President of Athletics to focus on the continuation of furthering our athletic programs and hand over the reins of football to a very promising new Head Football Coach in Drew Davis. Drew has the background as a player, coach, and recruiter to take us to the next level. We are happy that one of our own is ready to lead the program."
Drew Davis is the son of former University of Miami and Cleveland Browns Head Coach Butch Davis. He grew up on the football field and went on to start at quarterback for three seasons at East Chapel Hill High School in North Carolina, finishing as the most productive passer in school history. During his college career at Ole Miss, he was part of two New Year's Day bowl teams, including the Rebels victory over then No. 2 Alabama on their way to a 10-3 season in 2014, and a win against Oklahoma State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2015.
"Coach Davis brings a lifetime of football experience to our program, and I am excited for him as he takes on this new role," said Senior Vice President Rychel. "I loved working alongside him, and I look forward to seeing the continued evolution of our program and future championships under his leadership."
Last fall, Coach Davis was selected to the 2025 AFCA 35 Under 35 Class. The AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute is a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession.
"I am beyond honored and humbled for the opportunity to serve as the Head Football Coach of St. Thomas University," said Coach Drew Davis. "I want to sincerely thank President Armstrong and SVP Bill Rychel for their trust and confidence in me. Together, we will continue to pursue excellence that represents the university and competes at the highest level."
The rise of STU Football reflects the overall trajectory of St. Thomas University during the last eight years. Since President Armstrong's installation, STU has celebrated seven years of record enrollment and secured its first team National Championship in 2024 with Men's Swimming and Diving, followed by two Men's Rugby National Championships in spring 2025, one in 15s, then two weeks later, one in 7s. During this same period, the University has added more than 600,000 square feet of new facilities, renewed the energy and spirit on campus, and quintupled the size of campus housing. The University continues to advance its mission to become the Great Catholic University of the South.
About St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (STU) is one of the South's premier Catholic universities. It is a private, nonprofit institution committed to fostering students' academic and professional success and developing them to become ethical leaders in the global community. Rich with cultural and international diversity, STU is the only Archdiocesan university in Florida, and one of just 11 nationwide. STU offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degree programs online and on the university's beautiful Miami Gardens campus via its College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences & Technology, College of Law, Gus Machado College of Business, and Biscayne College for Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. President David A. Armstrong, J.D.'s new "Pursue Excellence" strategic vision seeks to build a new 99,000-square-foot STEM and nursing building, expand the College of Law, and construct new athletic facilities.
Media Contact:
Belkis Mejia Perdomo
pr@stu.edu
(305)628-6601
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SOURCE St. Thomas University
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