Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) will kick off its inaugural football season next year, school officials said this week, touting the program as a way to attract more students and bolster school pride.
The move comes as the 131-year-old private university struggles with declining enrollment and the surprise departure of its president.
The OLLU Saints football team, expected to have 100 players, will compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Sooner Athletic Conference. Competition, scheduling and ticket information haven’t yet been finalized, according to university officials.
“The board saw an opportunity to reach students who want to keep playing football while earning a college degree,” OLLU Board Chairman Steve O’Donnell said in a statement. “As we build the program, our priority is to give those students the support they need to succeed in the classroom from their first semester through graduation.”
OLLU secured money for the program from an unnamed donor, who agreed to fund its startup costs. The program will spend the 2026-27 academic year building the team, including hiring coaches, recruiting student-athletes and evaluating potential home venues.
Starting the following academic year, the board will review and manage the team’s operating costs annually as the program develops.
In announcing the team, OLLU officials emphasized that academics remain a priority.
“Football gives us an opportunity to meet students where their aspirations already exist and show them what is possible through an OLLU education,” said Tom Norris, OLLU’s executive director of strategic operations and athletics. “Our responsibility extends far beyond what happens on the football field. We want our student-athletes to graduate prepared to lead, serve their communities, build successful careers and make a difference in the lives of others.”
School officials said they would administer financial aid and scholarships for student-athletes in accordance with university and NAIA policies. Administrators added that the university has enough housing to accommodate incoming student-athletes.
OLLU has faced significant financial uncertainty as enrollment has fallen 44% since fall 2020. The school lost $14 million in tuition revenue between 2021 and 2025, leading it to discontinue 16 academic programs, according to the San Antonio Report.
Last month, the university’s president, Abel Chávez, resigned. The administration named Morgan’s Wonderland CEO Brent Fields interim president.
Despite the upheaval, OLLU officials said they hope the Saints football program will strengthen ties throughout San Antonio through youth programs and community partnerships.
“Athletics has a tremendous ability to build belonging and pride,” Fields said. “Football will bring students together, give alumni another reason to come home and create new opportunities for the San Antonio community to connect.”
