Bolivar, Mo. – With a full season under Head Coach Paul Hansen, SBU Football enters the 2026 campaign with greater experience, improved depth and increased confidence. The Bearcats return 35 letter winners and 16 starters while adding an athletic recruiting class built around speed.

"I am very excited for year two here at SBU," Hansen said. "After having a year underneath, us and seeing how competitive the GLVC is, we are ready to compete at a high level. We have a very athletic team returning and added a very good recruiting class."

SBU returns nine starters on offense, led by senior quarterback Jaron Saunders, who threw for 2,750 yards and accounted for 26 total touchdowns last season. All-GLVC running back Jobe Smith also returns after rushing for 631 yards and four touchdowns. The Bearcats bring back all five starting offensive linemen, including All-GLVC selections Wade Moore and Mason Dempsey, giving the unit valuable experience up front.

Defensively, new Defensive Coordinator Ethan Smith takes over a group returning seven starters. Two-time All-GLVC linebacker Ricky Woodhouse leads the unit after recording a conference-best 111 tackles in 2025 and ranking fifth in NCAA Division II with 11.1 tackles per game. Charos Sutton and Finn Smith also return following productive seasons, while several local players are expected to contribute along the defensive front.

"Overall, we have several key players back from last year and return 35 letter winners," Hansen said. "We have started to build good depth with our roster. If we can stay healthy and get better each day, we could have a great season."

The Bearcats begin their 2026 campaign Thursday evening at Plaster Stadium in Bolivar as they host the William Woods Owls. Kickoff for this game will be at 6pm with an exciting firework show to follow after the game.