St. Thomas Academy Athletics Still Without a Conference

The newly formed Metro East Conference rejected St. Thomas Academy's request to join the eight-member lineup this week, with seven of the eight voting against the Cadets. 

Schools needed six votes just to get in, according to a report filed by the St. Paul Pioneer Press. 

STA, which played athletics and conducted activities as members of the Classic Suburban Conference, was "involuntarily removed" from the Classic Suburban last year. The conference later disbanded. 

Activities staff and coaches at STA believed the Metro East, then, might present a solid fit for the school, with such high schools as Simley, Hill-Murray, Hastings, Henry Sibley, North St. Paul, South St. Paul and Tartan in the mix. Most are members of the former Classic Suburban, and Hastings is leaving the Suburban East after this year to join the group. 

Yet, only Hill-Murray agreed. 

"We expected to be rejected," said Mike Sjoberg, principal at STA. 

The academy will now wait for the Minnesota State High School League to place it into a conference for activities and athletics, meaning STA could still join its former colleagues in this new conference. The MSHSL has a placement committee to handle such issues. 

STA has also been rejected by the South Suburban Conference and the Suburban East in its search to replace the Classic Suburban, the PiPress reports.