Bolivar, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University football team celebrated a victory greater than anything achieved on the field Monday evening, as 12 Bearcats publicly declared their faith in Jesus Christ through baptism.

Joel Beshore, Bill Charles, Brandon Shaw, Kaleb James, Jaron Saunders, JJ Daniels, Charles Leguina, Vic Williams, Tyrone Scyrus II, Ashdyn Kahouch, Tevin Christian and Nathanael Hill each took the next step in their faith journey surrounded by their teammates and coaches.

"What an incredible night! I'm so proud of the guys that decided to get baptized and proclaim their acceptance of Christ," SBU head football coach Paul Hansen said. "Truly a great moment for our program, but most importantly a next step in our players faith journey. I'm very proud to coach these guys."

The evening reflected the Christ-centered mission of SBU and the football program's desire to develop young men beyond the game. As the Bearcats prepare for the upcoming season, Monday served as a reminder that greater than any victory is knowing and following Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.