St. Thomas Coach’s Daughter Plays Key Role Against No. 1 NDSU

FARGO, North Dakota — When the University of St. Thomas faces North Dakota State University on Saturday, one of the key figures in the Tommie coaching staff will be Anna Caruso. As an assistant coach focusing on in-game strategy and data research, she plays an important role in preparing her team to take on the top-ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Anna Caruso, the daughter of St. Thomas head coach Glenn Caruso, is making her mark in a male-dominated field. She assists the coaching staff by analyzing opponents and providing insights on what strategies are effective. “What’s working, what’s not working,” she said. “I’m helping give the coaches input for making decisions as it gets later in drives.”

The presence of women in football is increasing, with figures like Sarah Evans at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Mickey Grace with the University of Connecticut also leading the way. “Females in football that I have witnessed over the last four years have exploded,” Anna said.

Having attended the American Football Coaches Association annual convention twice, Anna is part of a group called All Things Forward, which supports women in all roles in football. “It’s made a world that may seem very big and isolating feel a little bit smaller and more connected,” Anna noted. “There’s been a lot of men who have an interest to grow the game for women, support women and give tools and resources to help.”

In addition to her work as a coach, Anna Caruso is also nearing the end of her collegiate softball career at St. Thomas. However, she is keen on pursuing a professional path in football. She has previously worked with the Minnesota Vikings in their football operations.

“I would love to stick with it,” Anna said, reflecting on her future in coaching. “I love teams and cultures and leadership, and when it’s a passion of your family, football just feels like home to me.”

Football has been an integral part of her life, shaped by her family’s passion for the game. As a child, Anna would often accompany her father to practices, eager to learn and contribute. “I just loved hanging out, and I think it was something that dad was passionate about so it was something I was passionate about,” she recalled.

Now, as part of the coaching staff, she is actively involved in strategic decisions, such as a key play against Michigan Tech where Anna suggested a fake field goal that led to a touchdown. Her father, Glenn, praised her insight: “It blew the game wide open because they were going to sit back there on defense.”

With Saturday’s game, the Caruso family will share a special moment as 23 years will have passed since they last gathered in the Fargodome as a football family. Glenn served as an assistant coach at North Dakota State from 1997 to 2002, with his own father, Frank Caruso, frequently attending games. “Anna being on the sideline is kind of the physical representation of a dream that we’ve had for a long time,” Glenn said.