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SEASON PREVIEW
Experience and talent is in plentiful supply as the Saint John’s University basketball team gets set to start the 2024-25 season.
The Johnnies return all five starters from a squad that finished 20-6 (18-2 MIAC) and won the MIAC regularseason title a year ago, including a trio of All-MIAC honorees in senior guard Blake Berg (West Fargo, N.D./ Sheyenne), senior wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) and senior guard Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.).
SJU finished as the NCAA Division III leader in shooting percentage (.516) and three-point percentage (.409) in 2023-24, and fourth in free-throw percentage (.804). The Johnnies are expected to return 87.6 percent (1,886 of 2,154) of their points scored, 82.4 percent (709 of 860) of their rebounds and 84.7 percent (4,406 of 5,200) of their minutes played from last season.
Berg, Thissen and another starter from last season, senior wing Connor Schwob (Waconia, Minn.), return thanks to the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last season’s conference title was the 11th in program history and fourth in the last six seasons (no MIAC season in 2020-21). The 20-win season was also the Johnnies' 15th overall and fifth in the past eight seasons. Four of the Johnnies' six losses were decided by three points or less.
Head coach Pat McKenzie ’04 begins his 10th season with a .767 winning percentage (174-53 record), which is good for 12th among all NCAA active head coaches; 131-33 in MIAC play (.799)
5th-Year Thissen
A two-time All-MIAC honoree, Thissen led the Johnnies in assists (53) and
minutes played (26.3 mpg.), and was second in scoring (13.7 ppg.) last season. He became the 40th Johnnie in school history to eclipse 1,000 career points last December, and finished the season with 1,255, which is good for 15th on the all-time list. Off the court, Thissen is a two-time MIAC Elite 22 Award recipient who collected his second-consecutive Academic All-America honor from College Sports Communicators in 2024.
NCAA Leader Returns
Vaughn led Division III in three-point percentage (.490/76-for-155) and was ninth in free-throw percentage (.909/80-for-88) last season. He started all 26 games and led SJU in scoring (13.8 ppg.), three-pointers (76), threepoint percentage (.490) and free-throw percentage (.909) overall. He enters his senior season third in SJU history in both three-pointers made (205) and attempted (477), and second in free-throw percentage (.885, 207-for234). He needs 27 three-pointers to tie Patrick Strom '18 for second in school history and 18 points to become the 41st Johnnie in program history to reach 1,000 for a career.
Strong Finish for Berg
Berg finished second in the MIAC in shooting percentage (.645/98-for-152) and was 10th in blocked shots (0.6 bpg.) in conference play. One of two Johnnies to start all 26 games last season, Berg finished third in NCAA Division III in shooting percentage (.650), second on the team in blocked shots (15) and third in scoring (12.9 ppg.) in just 23.0 minutes per contest. He scored a career-high 28 points and was 9-for-11 shooting in the Johnnies' loss in the MIAC semifinals and averaged 18.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 24.0 minutes per game, while shooting 79.2 percent (38-for-48) from the field, over his final five contests.
More Guard Power
The Johnnies return three guards
who played 25 games last season: seniors Luke Healy (Hudson, Wis.) and Zach Longueville (Eagan, Minn. St. Croix Lutheran), and junior Kyle Johnson (Prior Lake, Minn./DeLaSalle). Longueville started 25 games and averaged 5.8 points in 18.3 minutes per contest. He finished second on the team in assists (50) and shot 52.5 percent (53-for-101) from the floor, including 45.6 percent (26-for-57) from behind the three-point arc. Johnson averaged 15.8 minutes in 25 games off the bench and finished fourth on the team in scoring (7.3 ppg.). Healy also appeared in 25 games and averaged 4.8 points per game with 45 assists, 14 steals and shot 56.2 percent (41-for-73) from the field.
Athletic Bigs
SJU returns four athletic wings that played the post position last season. Senior wing Connor Schwob (Waconia, Minn.) saw the court in 25 games, with 22 starts, and averaged 4.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per contest with a .688 shooting percentage (44-for-64). Senior Luke Budzyn (St. Paul, Minn./East Ridge) started the season’s first four games before a hand injury held him out until January. He then returned to play 13 more games off the bench. He posted a .764 (42-for-55) shooting percentage with 5.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest. Senior Griffin Rushin (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) played all 26 games, with one start, and led SJU with 23 blocked shots last season. He shot 45 percent (50-for-111) from the field, including 39.3 percent (22-for-56) from long range, and averaged 5.6 points per game. Sophomore Vincent Hillesheim (Minneapolis, Minn./ Hopkins) made 10 appearances off the bench as a freshman and totaled 19 points and 19 rebounds.
Home-Court Advantage
SJU once again led the MIAC in per-game attendance (944 avg.) and finished 12th in NCAA Division III in continued on page 4 2
2023-24. The Johnnies tout a 469-152 (.755) all-time record at Sexton Arena (Warner Palaestra), including a 72-11 (.867) mark over the last seven seasons.
New MIAC Format
The 2024-25 schedule will look a little different than past years, as the MIAC coaches and administrators approved a reduction in conference games from 20 to 16 as part of a four-year trial. This season, SJU will only play Gustavus Adolphus, Hamline, Macalester and Saint Mary's once (and the other six MIAC members twice).
The reduced conference schedule was announced in August and is intended to provide better scheduling flexibility for teams to add quality non-conference games to match the needs of their programs, while also allowing coaches to maintain increased autonomy over their schedules. Coaches and administrators will assess the philosophy midway through the four-year trial.
In addition, the MIAC games will be played in a doubleheader format. The men's games will be played first (5:30 p.m. on weeknights, 1 p.m. on weekends) followed by the women's games (7:30 p.m. on weeknights, 3 p.m. on weekends) for the first nine
weeks of the 2024-25 season. The doubleheader order will flip on the 10th play date, with the women's games being played first followed by the men's game for the remainder of the season.
The 2024-25 Schedule
Four of SJU’s nine non-conference games will be played in two out-ofstate tournaments. The Johnnies open the 2024-25 season by hosting Wisconsin-Oshkosh Nov. 9, then travel south to Iowa for road games at Central (Nov. 15) and Simpson (Nov. 16).
SJU flies to Grand Rapids, Mich., for the Great Lakes Invitational Nov. 22-23 against a pair of NCAA Tournament teams from last season, Hope (Mich.) and the event's host, Calvin. Hope went 23-7 and ended the 2023-24 season in the NCAA's second round, while the host Knights reached the NCAA's Elite 8 with a 25-5 record.
The Johnnies return home to host Wisconsin-La Crosse the night before Thanksgiving (Nov. 27) and visit Minnesota-Morris Dec. 9. SJU wraps up the non-conference schedule Dec. 18-19 in Washington, D.C. The Cardinal and Blue face Marymount (Md.) in the opener and play another NCAA Tournament team, either host Catholic (D.C.) or Rowan (N.J.), the following day.
Johnnies
The defending MIAC regular-season champions begin conference play with back-to-back home games against St. Olaf (Dec. 4) and Carleton (Dec. 7) before a Dec. 11 trek to Saint Mary's. Three of 2025's first four games are in Collegeville: Jan. 4 vs. Hamline, Jan. 8 vs. Bethel and Jan. 18 vs. St. Scholastica. The lone road game during that stretch is a Jan. 15 trip to Concordia. The Johnnies then play four-consecutive road games: Jan. 22 at Augsburg, Jan. 29 at St. Olaf, Feb. 1 at Carleton and Feb. 5 at St. Scholastica.
SJU plays host to Concordia for Alumni/ Senior Day Feb. 8 and Macalester Feb. 12 before traveling south Feb. 15 for a Saturday matinee at Gustavus, the reigning MIAC playoff champion. The Johnnies host Augsburg Feb. 19 and end the regular-season schedule Feb. 22 at Bethel.
The MIAC Playoffs begin with the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Feb. 25, followed by the MIAC semifinals on Thursday, Feb. 27. The MIAC championship game, as well as the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III tournament, will be determined on Saturday, March 1. The high seed hosts in all three rounds.
Sports coverage to yo u . J o h n n i e s
ANDY RENNECKE Sports Editor
BASKETBALL
PAT MCKENZIE
Pat McKenzie enters his 10th season as the head coach of the Saint John’s University basketball team in 2024-25.
The 2004 SJU graduate became the 15th coach in the 113-year history of Johnnie basketball when he was hired to replace Jim Smith in April of 2015. Smith, the winningest coach at any level in Minnesota college basketball history, retired following the 2014-15 season after coaching the Johnnies for 51 seasons.
McKenzie was one of his players. As a point guard at SJU from 2000-04, he recorded 305 career assists, which ranks seventh in program history. He was part of an NCAA Division III Sweet 16 team as a freshman in 2000-01 and led the MIAC in assists as a senior in 2003-04. He then went on serve two seasons as director of basketball
COACHING STAFF
operations at Division I WisconsinGreen Bay from 2004-06 before returning to Collegeville, where he spent nine seasons as an assistant on Smith’s staff from 2006-15.
In his tenure as the Johnnies’ head coach, McKenzie has compiled a record of 174-53 (.767) and has led SJU to four conference championships and four appearances in the NCAA Division III tournament. He has been named MIAC coach of the year three times - in 201718, 2021-22 and last season.
‘During the 2019-20 season, he led the Johnnies to a 27-2 record and two NCAA tournament wins before the season was halted as a result of the onset of COVID-19.
His family connections to SJU basketball run deep. His father Pat McKenzie Sr. ’79 was a point guard on four national-tournament teams at
JERRY FOGARTY - Fogarty is in his 25th year as an assistant coach for SJU in 2024-25. A 1964 graduate of St. Thomas, Fogarty played basketball for the Tommies and became a basketball assistant at Rochester Lourdes High School after earning his degree. In 1969, he became the school’s head coach and guided Lourdes to a state independent crown in 1973. He was inducted into the Lourdes Sports Hall of Fame in December 2009. Fogarty and his wife, Becki, live in Avon. They have three children.
SEAN RYAN - Ryan is in his fourth season as an assistant coach for the Johnnies in 2024-25. A 2020 graduate of Saint John’s, Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in global business leadership and is working towards his master’s degree in sport management from the University of Minnesota. Ryan was a four-year member of the SJU basketball team that won two MIAC regular-season championships, two MIAC Playoff championships and made three national tournament appearances, including a trip to the NCAA’s Sweet 16 in 2019-20. He ended his career with 253 points, 110 rebounds, 74 assists and 17 steals.
DAVID STOKMAN - Stokman is in his second season as an assistant coach for the Johnnies in 2024-25. A 2019 graduate of Saint John’s, Stokman was a three-time Academic AllAmerican, two-time All-Region and two-time All-MIAC honoree. He ended his career as the program’s all-time leader in three-pointers (266), fourth in scoring (1,492 points) and fifth in assists (321), as well as second in three-point percentage (.457, 266-for-582) and fourth from the free-throw line (.864, 310-for-359).
SJU from 1975-79 before going on to become the longtime team physician of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
His younger brother, Kevin ‘14, also played point guard for the Johnnies from 2010-14.
McKenzie and his wife Jillian (CSB ‘09) reside in Sartell and have two daughters, Evelyn and Margaret, and a son, Patrick.
DANNY QUINN - Quinn is in his third season as an assistant basketball coach at Saint John’s in 202425. He served as an assistant basketball coach at another MIAC institution, Saint Mary’s, in 2021-22 and spent one season on the coaching staff at his alma mater, Loras (Iowa), in 2020-21. Quinn was a graduate assistant coach at La Verne (Calif.) In 2019-20. A 2017 graduate of Loras, Quinn played four seasons for the Duhawks. He was a team captain as a senior and helped the team to its first Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) championship in 10 years. In that season, he started all 26 games and averaged 8.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per contest. Quinn also served as vice-president and then president of the school’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and earned his bachelor’s degree in finance.
ALEX RASMUSSEN - Alex Rasmussen enters his second season as an assistant coach at SJU in 2023-24. A 2022 graduate, Rasmussen was a member of two MIAC regular-season and three MIAC playoff championship teams during his time as a player for the Johnnies.
LUCAS WALFORD - Walford is in his first season as an assistant at SJU in 2024-25. In three seasons as a Johnnie, Walford managed to become the program’s all-time leader in blocked shots (131) and recorded 26 double-doubles, the program’s second-most since 1983-84. The 6-foot-8 post graduated from SJU in 2020 and fell 26 points shy of 1,000 for his career, including 104 points in 31 games as a freshman (2016-17) at Division II Augustana University (S.D.). He was a two-time All-MIAC second-team selection and was named to the MIAC All-Defensive team three times.
KOOPER VAUGHN
So much of who Kooper Vaughn is as a basketball player was shaped on a small court in a shed in his backyard in St. Charles, a southeastern Minnesota community of around 4,000 located halfway between Rochester and Winona on U.S. Highway 14.
Vaughn said. “You get to the top of the key and that’s all the room you have. But we made it work.
“My dad (David) built it. He never played basketball himself, but he knew it was something his kids were passionate about and he wanted to help us succeed. So he did everything he could to make that happen.”
Vaughn was constantly on that court growing up, shooting with his father or taking on his older brother Kaden, who went on to play at Bethany Lutheran
into the starting lineup immediately during the 2021-22 season –averaging 11.6 ppg and shattering the school record for 3-pointers by a freshman with 70.
He hit 59 3-pointers as a sophomore, when he averaged 11.8 ppg. Then, as a junior a year ago, he averaged a team-best 13.8 ppg and hit 76 3-pointers.
“He’s three years older than me and he’s a little
180-pound Vaughn said. “He never took it easy on me, so it
“We
know that our season can be over at any moment, so we can’t take anything for granted. We have to show up ready to play anytime we step on the court.”
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BASKETBALL
The means he enters his senior season with 205 career treys – 61 back of David Stokman’s schoolrecord 266 from 2015-19.
Vaughn led NCAA Division III in 3-point percentage (.490) last season while his team led Division III in shooting percentage (.516) and 3-point percentage (.409).
“He’s always been a great shooter, but he’s really improved in all the other aspects of his game since he got here,” SJU head coach Pat McKenzie said. “He’s become better playing without the ball. He’s gotten significantly better defensively.
“A lot of that has some through his work in the weight room. He’s put the time in to get stronger and it’s paid off.”
Vaughn helped lead SJU to MIAC regular-season and playoff titles and a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament as a freshman. He and his teammates then fell to Carleton in the conference title game in 2022-23, and lost a heartbreaker to Hamline in the MIAC semifinals a year ago, despite having finished first in the conference standings.
“I think that makes us a little hungrier now,” Vaughn said. “We know that our season can be over at any moment, so we can’t take anything for granted. We have to show up ready to play anytime we step on the court.”
With nine seniors returning this season, including nine of their top 10 scorers, Vaughn feels the Johnnies have the talent and experience to do big things.
“We’ve all played together quite a few years now,” said Vaughn, a global business leadership major. “We know what we’re all good at and we’re able to play off each other’s strengths.
“We’ve all gone through the same things and been to the same places, and we know what it’s going to take to get back there.”
SENIORS
3 BLAKE BERG Sr. - G - 6-4 - 205 - West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne
2023-24: Started all 26 games…second on the team with 15 blocks…tied for second on the team with 17 steals… shot 65 percent (132-203) from the field…averaged 12.9 points per game and totaled 335 points for the season… All-MIAC.
2022-23: Played 26 games with 12 starts for the Johnnies…second on the team with 15 blocks…averaged 6.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game…shot 47.9 percent (69-144) from the field.
2021-22: Played all 28 games for the Johnnies with three starts…averaged 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds…shot 56.5 percent (61-108) from the field and 45.5 percent (10-22) from three-point range.
2020-21: Appeared in four games for the Johnnies…collected four points and five rebounds in 28 minutes of play.
Personal: A 2020 graduate of West Fargo (N.D.) Sheyenne High School…coached by Thomas Kirchoffner…Global Business Leadership major…son of Kyle and Connie Berg of West Fargo, N.D.
35 LUKE BUDZYN Sr. - W - 6-7 - 210 - St. Paul, Minn./East Ridge
2023-24: Played 17 games with four starts for the Johnnies…averaged 5.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 16.5 minutes…shot 76.4 percent (42-55) from the floor.
2022-23: Appeared in four games for SJU.
2021-22: Played four games for the Johnnies…recorded two points and three rebounds in 11 minutes of play. Personal: A 2021 graduate of East Ridge High School…coached by Josh Peltier…Global Business Leadership major…son of Bill and Cathy Budzyn of St. Paul, Minn.
10 LUKE HEALY Sr. - G - 5-10 - 185 - Hudson, Wis./Hudson
2023-24: Played 25 games…averaged 4.8 points in 14.8 minutes per game…totaled 45 assists…College Sports Communicators Academic All-District…Academic All-MIAC.
2022-23: Played 19 games with five starts for the Johnnies…averaged 1.7 points in 10.3 minutes per game. Personal: Transferred to SJU from Division II Sioux Falls (S.D.) …played 14 games, with one start, and averaged 4.3 points and 12.9 minutes per game for the Cougars…a 2021 graduate of Hudson (Wis.) High School…coached by John Dornfeld…Accounting major…son of Brian and Terri Healy of Hudson, Wis.
2 ZACH LONGUEVILLE Sr. - G - 6-2 - 180 - Eagan, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran
2023-24: Made 25 starts…second on the team in assists (50) and steals (17)…averaged 5.8 points in 18.3 minutes per game…shot 52.5 percent (53-101) from the floor and 45.6 percent (26-57) from three-point range.
2022-23: Played all 27 games with 22 starts for SJU…led the team with 89 assists…averaged 5.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game.
2021-22: Appeared in 15 games for the Johnnies…averaged 4.1 points and recorded 14 assists…shot 42.6 percent (20-47) from the field and 46.2 percent (18-39) from three-point range.
Personal: A 2021 graduate of St. Croix Lutheran Academy…coached by Drew Koch…Finance major…son of Jane Longueville and Joe Longueville…father played football at South Dakota.
SENIORS
21 GRIFFIN RUSHIN Sr. - W - 6-8 - 210 - Baxter, Minn./Brainerd
2023-24: Played all 26 games with one start…led the team with 23 blocked shots…averaged 5.6 points in 14.3 minutes per game…shot 45 percent from the floor (50-111) and 92.3 percent (24-26) from the free-throw line.
2022-23: Played 15 games for the Johnnies…averaged 2.2 points and recorded 15 rebounds in 6.3 points per game.
2021-22: Appeared in 15 games for the Johnnies…recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds…shot 55.6 percent (10-18) from the field.
Personal: A 2021 graduate of Brainerd High School…coached by Charlie Schoeck…Biology major…son of Chad and Jennifer Rushin of Baxter, Minn.
32 CONNOR SCHWOB Sr. - W - 6-5 - 210 - Waconia, Minn./Waconia
2023-24: Played 25 games with 22 starts…led the team with 24 steals…averaged 4.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game…shot 68.8 percent (44-64) from the floor…Academic All-MIAC.
2022-23: Played 17 games, with one start, for the Johnnies…averaged 1.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.1 minutes per game…shot 64.3 percent (9-14) from the field...College Sports Communicators Academic All-District… Academic All-MIAC…NABC Honors Court.
2020-21: Played two games for the Johnnies…scored two points and collected three rebounds in eight minutes of play...Academic All-MIAC.
Personal: A 2020 graduate of Waconia High School…coached by Pat Hayes…Global Business Leadership major… son of Dave and Lynn Schwob of Waconia, Minn…mother played volleyball at CSB.
24 RYAN THISSEN Sr. - W - 6-6 - 215 - Rosemount, Minn./Eastview
2023-24: Started 25 games…led the team with 53 assists and 26.3 minutes per game…second on the team with an average of 13.7 points per game…All-MIAC…College Sports Communicators Academic All-America third team…College Sports Communicators Academic All-District…Academic All-MIAC.
2022-23: Started 25 games for the Johnnies…led the MIAC in assist/turnover ratio (+3.7) and was second in free-throw percentage (.866), fourth in shooting percentage (.562) and seventh in scoring (17.6 ppg.) in 18 conference games...led SJU in scoring (18.1 ppg.), minutes (34.9 mpg.), 20-point games (10) and steals (22) with a .546 shooting percentage...D3hoops.com All-Region 9 third team…All-MIAC…MIAC All-Playoff team…College Sports Communicators Academic All-District…College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first team… Academic All-MIAC…earned MIAC’s Elite 22 Award for having the highest GPA among the six playoff teams… NABC Honors Court.
2021-22: Started all 28 games for SJU…averaged 13.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game…shot 52.0 percent from the field (145-279) …recorded a double-double Feb. 27 vs. Macalester (11 points and 11 rebounds) ...earned MIAC’s Elite 22 Award for having the highest GPA among the two teams playing in the MIAC championship game...AllMIAC second team...Academic All-MIAC.
2020-21: Started all seven games for the Johnnies…averaged 13.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game…totaled 20 assists…shot 55.1 percent (38-69) from the field and 46.7 percent (7-15) from three-point range…81.3 percent (1316) from the free-throw line.
Personal: A 2020 graduate of Eastview High School…coached by Paul Goetz…Biochemistry major (pre-medicine emphasis) …son of Jon and Michelle Thissen of Rosemount, Minn…father played football at Division I Minnesota… older brother, Zach, played football at Division II Southwest Minnesota State.
SENIORS
14 KOOPER VAUGHN Sr. - G - 6-1 - 180 - St. Charles, Minn./St. Charles
2023-24: Started all 26 games…led NCAA Division III with a .490 three-point percentage (76-155)…led the team in scoring (13.8 ppg.)…shot 49.5 percent (102-206) from the floor and 90.9 percent (80-88) at the free-throw line…All-MIAC…College Sports Communicators Academic All-District…Academic All-MIAC.
2022-23: Started 25 games for the Johnnies…finished fifth in the MIAC among those with 100 attempts or more, at 38.3 percent (44-115) from three-point range and his 44 treys were good for seventh in league play…led SJU in three-pointers (59) and free-throw percentage (.890, 65-73)…was second in scoring (11.8 ppg.) and steals (20)… shot 42.2 percent (86-204) from the field and 39.1 percent (59-151) from three-point range...All-MIAC honorable mention…MIAC All-Playoff team…College Sports Communicators Academic All-District…Academic All-MIAC. 2021-22: Started all 28 games for SJU…finished second on the team in scoring with an average of 11.6 points per game…shot 43.5 percent (97-223) from the field and 40.9 percent (70-171) from three-point range...broke SJU’s single-season record for three-pointers made by a freshman - 53 by Chris Schwartz ‘11 in 2007-08 - with 70…AllMIAC third team...MIAC All- First year team.
Personal: A 2021 graduate of St. Charles High School…coached by Terry Knothe…Global Business Leadership major…son of David and Jackie Vaughn of St. Charles, Minn.
20 ANDREW WAGNER Sr. - G - 6-0 - 175 - Prospect Heights, Ill./Hersey
2023-24: Appeared in nine games off the bench.
2022-23: Played 22 games off the bench for SJU…shot 45.2 percent (14-31) from the field…averaged 1.5 points and 7.8 minutes per game.
2021-22: Appeared in 14 games for the Johnnies…recorded nine points and four rebounds in 38 minutes of play. Personal: A 2021 graduate of Hersey (Ill.) High School…coached by Austin Scott…Global Business Leadership major…son of Patrick and Jeannine Wagner of Prospect Heights, Ill.
JUNIORS & SOPHOMORES
1 KYLE JOHNSON Jr. - G - 6-2 - 190 - Prior Lake, Minn./DeLaSalle
2023-24: Appeared in 25 games off the bench…shot 42.0 percent (63-150) from the floor and 37.5 percent (3696) from three-point range…averaged 7.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game…College Sports Communicators Academic All-District…Academic All-MIAC.
2022-23: Played 22 games off the bench for SJU…shot 44.4 percent (24-54) from the floor and 42.5 percent (1740) from three-point range…averaged 3.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 7.9 minutes per game.
Personal: A 2022 graduate of DeLaSalle High School…coached by Travis Bledsoe…Psychology major…younger brother, Justin, is a freshman on the SJU basketball team…son of Joe and Tina Johnson of Prior Lake, Minn.
11 THOMAS MENK Jr. - G - 6-4 - 210 - Lewiston, Minn./Lewiston-Altura
2023-24: Played eight games off the bench for SJU.
Personal: A 2022 graduate of Lewiston-Altura High School…coached by Michael VanderPlas…Accounting major… son of Brian and Nichole Menk of Lewiston, Minn.
0 BAIDEN BEAN So. - G - 6-1 - 170 Farmington, Minn./Farmington 2023-24: Appeared in eight games off the bench…averaged 5.6 minutes per game.
Personal: A 2023 graduate of Farmington High School…coached by Tharen Johnson…Global Business Leadership major…son of Trenton and Heather Bean of Farmington, Minn…father played basketball at Valley City State (N.D.).
13 VINCENT HILLESHEIM So. - P - 6-5 - 215 - Minneapolis, Minn./Hopkins
2023-24: Played 10 games off the bench…averaged 7.1 minutes per game and shot 44.4 percent from the floor (8-18).
Personal: A 2023 graduate of Hopkins High School…coached by Ken Novak…Finance and Global Business Leadership double-major…son of David and Renee Hillesheim of Minneapolis, Minn…father played football at North Dakota.
42 ELI LAPOSKY So. - G - 6-2 - 180 - Pequot Lakes, Minn./Pequot Lakes
Personal: Transferred to SJU from Division II Bemidji State…a 2023 graduate of Pequot Lakes High School… coached by Rich Spiczka…Biology major (pre-medicine emphasis) …son of Nathan and Missy Laposky of Pequot Lakes, Minn.
30 A.J. MCCLEERY So. - G - 6-2 - 195 - Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi 2023-24: Appeared in five games.
Personal: A 2023 graduate of Mahtomedi High School…coached by Keith Newman…Economics and Hispanic Studies double-majorr…son of Andy and Heather McCleery of Mahtomedi, Minn…mother ran cross country and track at West Point.
51 ANTHONY THORMAN So. - P - 6-7 - 220 - Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson
Personal: A 2023 graduate of Bloomington Jefferson High School…coached by Jeff Evens…Biochemistry major… son of Jason Thorman and Laura Agrimson of Bloomington, Minn…younger brother, Ben, is a freshman on the SJU football team.
5 BROCK REMME Fr. - P - 6-7 - 220
Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park
Personal: A 2024 graduate of Spring Lake Park High School…coached by Oliver Major…Exercise and Health Science major…son of Tim and Heather Remme of Blaine, Minn.
33 CHARLIE BIRK Fr. - W - 6-6 - 180
St. Paul, Minn./Eagan
Personal: A 2024 graduate of Eagan High School…coached by Kevin McKenzie…Finance major…son of Ben and Dana Birk of St. Paul, Minn.
12 LIAM FARNIOK Fr. - G - 6-3 - 185
Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest
Personal: A 2024 graduate of Minneapolis Southwest High School…coached by Keenan Shelton…Finance major…son of Maren Bassett and Bill Farniok of Minneapolis, Minn.
4 ELI HOELZ Fr. - G - 6-1 - 165
Baxter, Minn/Brainerd
Personal: A 2024 graduate of Brainerd High School…coached by Charlie Schoeck…Global Business Leadership major…son of Nick and Rachel Hoelz of Baxter, Minn.
23 JUSTIN JOHNSON Fr. - G - 6-2 - 175
Prior Lake, Minn./DeLaSalle
Personal: A 2024 graduate of DeLaSalle High School…coached by Todd Anderson… Accounting major…older brother, Kyle, is a junior on the SJU basketball team…son of Joe and Tina Johnson of Prior Lake, Minn.
22 ANDREW KING Fr. - W - 6-3 - 175
Blaine Minn./Spring Lake Park
Personal: A 2024 graduate of Spring Lake Park High School…coached by Oliver Major… Accounting major …son of Kyle and Paula King of Blaine, Minn.
31 KYSON LEENDERTS Fr. - P - 6-7 - 200
Rosemount, Minn./Rosemount
Personal: A 2024 graduate of Rosemount High School…coached by Lance Walsten…Economics major…son of Rae Lynn and Aric Leenderts of Rosemount, Minn.
25 CHARLIE THEIS Fr. - P - 6-4 - 210
Cottage Grove, Minn./East Ridge
Personal: A 2024 graduate of East Ridge High School…coached by Josh Peltier…Global Business Leadership major…son of John and Renne Theis of Cottage Grove, Minn.
FRESHMEN
15 HENRY TSCHETTER Fr. - G - 6-4 - 195
Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville
Personal: A 2024 graduate of Stewartville High School…coached by Parker Iyga…Economics and Political Science double-major…son of Kasey Morlock and Garth Tschetter of Stewartville, Minn…father played football at North Dakota State…mother played basketball at North Dakota State, where she was a three-time All-American and is the Bison’s all-time leading scorer.
45 PARKER WELLMANN Fr. - G - 6-0 - 185
Prior Lake, Minn./East Ridge
Personal: A 2024 graduate of East Ridge High School…coached by Josh Peltier…Global Business Leadership major…son of Kellie Shuwayhat and Jason Wellmann.
TEAM MANAGERS
C.J. CUMMINS ANDREW NERUD KENDALL SEVERSON
2024-25 Schedule
Nov 9 5 p.m. UW-Oshkosh Collegeville
Nov 15 7 p.m. at Central Pella, Iowa
Nov 16 6 p.m. at Simpson Indianola, Iowa
Nov 22-23 at Hope Great Lakes Invitational Grand Rapids, Mich.
Nov 27 7 p.m. UW-La Crosse Collegeville
Dec 4 7 p.m. St. Olaf Collegeville
Dec 7 1 p.m. Carleton Collegeville
Dec 9 7 p.m. at Minnesota-Morris Morris
Dec 11 5:30 p.m. at Saint Mary’s Winona
Dec 18-19 at Tom McKavitt Classic Washington, D.C.
Jan 4 1 p.m. Hamline Collegeville
Jan 8 7 p.m. Bethel Collegeville
Jan 15 5:30 p.m. at Concordia Moorhead
Jan 18 1 p.m. St. Scholastica Collegeville
Jan 22 5:30 p.m. Augsburg Minneapolis
Jan 29 7:30 p.m. at St. Olaf Northfield
Feb 1 3 p.m. at Carleton Northfield
Feb 5 7:30 p.m. at St. Scholastica Duluth
Feb 8 3 p.m. Concordia Collegeville
Feb 12 7 p.m. Macalester Collegeville
Feb 15 3 p.m. at Gustavus Adolphus St. Peter
Feb 19 7 p.m. Augsburg Collegeville
Feb 22 3 p.m. at Bethel Arden Hills
PROUD
SPONSOR AND CONTRACTOR FOR JOHNNIE
ATHLETICS
FRANKLY SPEAKING
By Frank Rajkowski
Dick Matchinsky’s basketball career was almost over before it started.
When the 1957 Saint John’s graduate was 13, he and his twin brother Bob were diving into the Sauk River in Melrose when he struck a rock and broke his neck.
“Of course, he walked home,” his daughter Amy (Matchinsky) Miller said. “He said he got 30 stitches in his head. When we were growing up, he’d show us the scar.
“He always had neck issues, and later in life, his doctor couldn’t believe he’d been able to play sports after that happened. Much less at a high level.”
But Matchinsky did play at a high level, starting four seasons for the Johnnies and finishing his career with 1,581 career points – a total that still ranks second in school history and is even more amazing when one considers it came before the advent of the 3-point shot.
He earned All-MIAC honors as a junior in 1955-56 when he ranked second in the conference in scoring with a 21.6 points per game average in league
play. Matchinsky averaged in double figures scoring all four seasons in Collegeville, including averaging more than 20 points per game as a junior and senior.
That resume is why Matchinsky - who passed away in March of 2021 - was part of this year’s class of inductees into the SJU J-Club Hall of Honorjoining other Johnnie greats like Bill Sexton, Frank Wachlarowicz, Paul Bernabei (who passed away earlier this year) and Troy Bigalke among others.
“He was a great outside shooter who came in and started right away as a freshman,” Sexton recalled. “I got to play with him for two years and I thought he was just excellent.”
Matchinsky’s exploits were not confined to the basketball court. He also played end on the SJU football team, including during legendary head coach John Gagliardi’s first season in Collegeville in 1953.
And, for a time, he was a thrower in track and field.
“My Dad was always very active,” said Miller, the youngest of six siblings. “He
hunted and fished a lot, and he instilled a love of athletics in all us kids. We each played some sport or another, and we did a lot of activities outside.”
Matchinsky was part of ROTC at Saint John’s and served in the military following graduation. He also continued playing basketball at the semi-pro level for the Kansas City Kaycees of the National Industrial Basketball League.
He then moved on to a long career in the insurance business.
Matchinsky married his high school sweetheart Jackie in 1955, and the family resided in St. Cloud, Detroit Lakes and Perham before moving to Arizona in 1980. But wherever they went, a connection to SJU followed.
“He was a member of the J-Club and I know he supported the school,” said Miller of her father, who passed away in March of 2021.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Luke Healy
5-10, 185, guard, Hudson (Wisconsin) High School
What is something most people wouldn’t know about you?
I can play the piano.
If you were trapped on a desert island, what teammate would you want with you and why?
A.J. McCleery. He showed me a fort he built at his house, so he could probably build some shelter for us.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
The Reef because I love eating.
Connor Schwob
6-5, 210, wing, Waconia High School
What made you decide to come to Saint John’s?
The tight-knit community and the unrivaled winning culture.
Who is someone you really admire and why?
My dad. I admire how much he cares and how hard he works - no matter the situation.
What is the most interesting place to which you’ve traveled?
Meteora in Greece.
Ryan Thissen
6-6, 215, wing, Eastview High School
What made you decide to come to Saint John’s?
It was mainly for basketball. The coaches did a good job of making me feel wanted. I also liked the nature aspect Saint John’s has.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
There’s a little spot behind upper campus that has benches next to Lake Sagatagan that I really like.
What are some of your hobbies?
Outside of basketball, I really enjoy taking and editing pictures.
Griffin Rushin
6-8, 210, wing, Brainerd High School
What is your best memory of your time here - on or off the court?
Getting to go to Greece with the team. It was fun to be able to travel with everyone.
What is your funniest memory from basketball at SJU?
Probably the bus rides back (to campus) after big wins - the conversations and the time we’ve spent with each other has been funny and fun.
Who is someone you really admire and why?
My parents. They push me to do my best every day. They are the hardest working people I know, and they have always been there for my brother and I whenever we’ve needed it. I will always look up to them.
Luke Budzyn
6-7, 210, wing, East Ridge High School
What made you decide to come to Saint John’s?
The winning culture. On and off the court, it felt like the Johnnies were just winners. Whether it was winning championships or securing great jobs, I wanted to surround myself with the success SJU had to offer.
What is your funniest memory from basketball at SJU?
All our Secret Santa parties where we gave and received some pretty interesting gifts.
What are some of your hobbies?
I enjoy fishing, hunting when I get the opportunity and trying different restaurants and foods.
COACHING RECORDS
Coach Unknown
Year Overall
1902-03 0-2
Frank Tewes
1 season
1903-04
4-0 (1.000)
Year Overall
1903-04 4-0
Peter Tierney
2 seasons
1904-06 5-2 (.714)
Year Overall
1904-05 3-0
1905-06 2-2
Coach Unknown
Year Overall
1906-07 3-1
1907-08 9-1
John Siebel
1 season
1908-09
4-0-1 (.900)
Year Overall
1908-09 4-0-1
Coach Unknown
Year Overall
1909-10 5-7
Edward Flynn
10 seasons
1910-1920
47-44-1 (.516)
Year Overall MDIC Notes
1910-11 2-0
1911-12 2-6
1912-13 4-5
1913-14 7-4
1914-15 6-3-1
1915-16 9-1 RS
1916-17 1-8
1917-18 6-5
1918-19 6-6 3-3
1919-20 4-6 3-2
Edward Cahill
2 seasons
1920-22
16-12 (.571)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1920-21 8-6 5-3
1921-22 8-6 4-5
Fred Sanborn
2 seasons
1922-24 9-19 (.321)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1922-23 5-9 2-8
1923-24 4-10 1-6
Eugene Aldrich
1 season
1924-25 6-8 (.428)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1924-25 6-8 3-5
Wilfred Houle
5 seasons
1925-30
34-36 (.486)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1925-26 10-7 5-5
1926-27 5-5
1927-28 8-7 3-5
1928-29 7-6 5-4
1929-30 4-11 1-8
Joe Benda
7 seasons
1930-37
33-74 (.308)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1930-31 4-11 3-8
1931-32 5-10 2-9
1932-33 6-7 4-7
1933-34 0-12
1934-35 5-9 5-7
1935-36 5-14 2-10
1936-37 8-11 6-6
George Durenberger
4 seasons
1937-41
32-44 (.421)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1937-38 5-11 1-11
1938-39 10-7 8-4
1939-40 12-11 4-8
1940-41 5-15 2-10
Joe Benda
7 seasons, 14 seasons total
1930-37, 1941-48
35-77 (.312), 68-151 (.310)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1941-42 3-13 1-11
1942-43 3-13 3-11
1943-44 2-8
1944-45 6-5 5-5
1945-46 5-13 3-6
1946-47 12-8 7-5
1947-48 4-18 1-10
John “Buster” Hiller
5 seasons
1948-53
40-71 (.360)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1948-49 9-11 6-6
1949-50 4-21 2-10
1950-51 8-15 4-8
1951-52 11-10 4-8
1952-53 8-14 4-12
Bill Osborne
6 seasons
1953-59 60-91 (.397)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1953-54 11-12 8-8
1954-55 14-11 7-9
1955-56 11-14 6-10
1956-57 11-11 8-8
1957-58 5-19 2-14
1958-59 8-24 6-10
Ed Hasbrouck 5 seasons
1959-64
35-79 (.307)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1959-60 3-18 3-13
1960-61 7-17 3-13
1961-62 8-16 4-12
1962-63 7-15 4-12
1963-64 10-13 4-12
Jim Smith 51 seasons
786-556 (.586)
Year Overall MIAC Notes
1964-65 9-15 6-10
1965-66 11-13 10-6
1966-67 17-7 11-5
1967-68 15-10 10-6
1968-69 20-9 12-4 RS, NAIA
1969-70 11-12 7-9
1970-71 12-12 10-6
1971-72 12-13 10-6
1972-73 11-16 8-8
1973-74 10-16 7-9
1974-75 8-19 6-12
1975-76 17-10 12-6 NAIA
1976-77 14-12 11-5 NAIA
1977-78 23-8 15-3 RS, NAIA
1978-79 27-3 18-0 RS, NAIA
1979-80 20-8 14-4 NAIA
1980-81 18-9 12-6
1981-82 16-11 13-5 NAIA
1982-83 18-12 12-6 NAIA 1983-84 20-8 16-4 NAIA
1984-85 16-12 13-7 PO, NCAA
1985-86 23-5 16-4 RS, PO, NCAA
1986-87 19-8 16-4 RS
1987-88 19-10 13-7 PO, NCAA
1988-89 16-10 13-7
1989-90 19-8 16-4
1990-91 10-15 10-10
1991-92 14-11 11-9 1992-93 20-8 17-3 RS, NCAA 1993-94 18-8 15-5 1994-95 17-9 15-5 NCAA 1995-96 12-12 10-10
1996-97 14-10 12-8 1997-98 11-12 10-10 1998-99 12-11 10-10 1999-00 20-7 14-6 PO, NCAA 2000-01 22-6 17-3 RS, PO, NCAA 2001-02 15-11 13-7 2002-03 12-15 10-10 2003-04 8-17 6-12 2004-05 8-17 6-12 2005-06 16-10 14-6 2006-07 21-8 17-3 NCAA 2007-08 14-12 11-9 2008-09 14-12 12-8 2009-10 14-12 11-9 2010-11 14-11 10-10 2011-12 16-11 11-9 2012-13 12-14 11-9 2013-14 15-11 13-7 2014-15 16-10 14-6 Pat McKenzie 9 seasons 174-53 (.767)
Year Overall MIAC Notes 2015-16 19-8 13-7 2016-17 19-9 13-7 2017-18 23-4 19-1 RS, NCAA 2018-19 23-5 17-3 PO, NCAA 2019-20 27-2 19-1 RS, PO, NCAA 2020-21 3-4 2-3 2021-22 23-5 17-2 RS, PO, NCAA
2022-23 17-10 13-7 2023-24 20-6 18-2 RS
LAST SEASON IN PICTURES
Johnson thriving on and off the court at SJU
Kyle Johnson always thought it sounded a bit cliche … this notion of realizing a college is the right fit the moment one first sets foot on campus.
But then the DeLaSalle High School graduate visited Saint John’s.
“I used to joke about people who would always say ‘it just felt right,’” said Johnson, now a junior guard on the Johnnie basketball team. “But I really did experience that when I took my tour. I knew right away this was a place I wanted to be.”
Johnson has gone on to make a huge impact at SJU. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder saw extensive action off the bench as a sophomore a year ago, hitting 36 3-pointers and averaging 7.3 points per game.
But he has also excelled away from the court where he is now in his second year as a resident assistant on the third floor of Mary Hall. The psychology major is also working closely with his advisor Aubrey Immelman, an associate professor of psychology at CSB and SJU, in preparation for what he hopes will be a future career in criminal justice.
“His psychological profiles of world leaders have gotten a lot of attention,” Johnson said. “And he’s really been helping me a lot when it comes to navigate what a future career path might look like.
“All the psychology professors here have a crazy amount of special connections and experience in their fields.”
But Johnson said his Saint John’s experience might not have been possible were it not for the
assistance scholarships provide.
He currently receives the Helen and Robert Gavin Scholarship, an academic achievement scholarship and an alumni achievement scholarship.
“I knew this was where I wanted to go, but I wasn’t sure about the financial side of things,” he said. “Scholarships really played the biggest role in making this happen for me. I was lucky enough to get some help from outside scholarships, but the ones I got from Saint John’s were the crucial piece. I’m so grateful to the generous donors who made that a reality.”
It’s a role Johnson hopes to one day be able to play for someone else.
“If I hadn’t come to Saint John’s, I’d have missed out on friendships I’m going to have for the rest of my life,” he said. “I wouldn’t have had the chance to play collegiate
basketball. I’ve been able to build different social skills here. Some of that would probably have happened someplace else. But the emphasis that’s placed on community and serving others (at SJU) really helped force me out of my bubble.
“I’ve thought about it a lot,” he continued. “And if I’m blessed with the chance to help out someone who is in my situation in the future, I definitely want to do that.
“I know the impact this place has had on me.”
It wasn’t until the 1968-69 season that the Saint John’s University basketball team captured the first of what is now 11 MIAC regular-season championships.
But the Johnnies did win a title before that in the old MinnesotaDakota Conference during the 1915-16 school year.
That team - whose conference title was the first of any squad in school history - was led by senior captain Bernard Karels, who was later ordained as a priest and served in a number of parishes in Central Minnesota into the early 1960s.
Karels was named to the all-state team for the second season in a row after leading all forwards in the conference when it came to number of baskets made - utilizing a long one-hand jumper years before such a shot became common.
“Time has not changed the reputation of Bernard Karels among those who ever saw him play,” wrote Dunstan Tucker, OSB and Martin Schirber, OSB, in their book “Scoreboard: A History of Athletics at Saint John’s University.”
FEATURED FLASHBACK
“While he was in the seminary, he used to visit the gym once or twice a week all alone to practice his one-hand jump shot, the sweat pouring down his face as he spun around the basket like a whirling dervish, popping basket after basket with one hand.”
The team defeated St. Cloud Normal School (now St. Cloud State) 36-21 on the road to earn a share of the Minnesota-Dakota title – a league the Johnnies had only joined two years before.
SJU – which began the season by shelling Melrose High School 138-10 –finished its season 9-1. The only loss was a 25-18 setback at the hands of Fargo College (which closed in 1922).
But Carleton tied SJU for first place. And since the schedule had not matched the two teams that season, the Knights and Johnnies shared the championship.
“Which one is better is a muchmooted question,” The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune wrote in its March 12, 1916 edition. “It is the opinion of many that St. John’s would have won on their own floor, while they would have been helpless before the Carleton basket tossers at Northfield, or on a neutral floor.”
The two teams accounted for all five spots on the Tribune’s All-State first team – with three of the five going to the Johnnies: Karels, center Louis Mohs and guard Urban Knaeble.
Of the three it was Mohs who went on to the widest fame. Saint John’s offered a two-year degree option at the time, and he went on to finish his four-year degree at St. Thomas where he was again a star athlete. He played in the early years of the NFL, then went into the newspaper business.
It was while serving as circulation manager of the old Minneapolis Times that he hired a youngster named Sid Hartman in the circulation department – starting the legendary columnist on a long career that ended only with his death at age 100 in 2020.
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Jim Smith never had the chance to coach Bill Sexton.
The longtime Saint John’s University basketball head coach did not arrive in Collegeville until 1964 – nine years after Sexton’s college career came to an end.
But Smith certainly heard about him plenty.
“At that time, there was no bigger name in Saint John’s basketball,” Smith recalls. “He was the one everybody talked about.”
With good reason of course. Sexton did not just rewrite the SJU record book during his time in Collegeville. He essentially created it. His 1,480 points made him the school’s all-time scoring leader to that point, and the total still ranks fifth in school history.
He was the first Saint John’s player to earn All-MIAC honors twice - in 1954 and 1955 - and he became the first Johnnie to be named an All-American when he was selected to the All-NAIA third team in 1954.
Perhaps the highlight of Sexton’s distinguished career came during the
COURT AT SEXTON ARENA
final game of his junior season in 1954. On that night, he scored 49 points in a victory over Macalester, a total that still stands as a single-game school record. The performance also wrapped up that season’s MIAC scoring title. He entered play leading Pat Costello of Saint Mary’s by just three points.
“I don’t recall much of the specifics from a lot of the big games I played in,” he said. “I know the charts say I was 19for-32 from the field and 11-for-11 from the free throw line. I guess it was one of those games when I just got going.”
His senior year was equally spectacular as he finished with a team-best 511 points. And his involvement at Saint John’s did not end with his graduation. In fact, it’s only grown stronger in the decades that have followed.
He went on to a successful career in the insurance business, and served as a member of the school’s Board of Regents from 1989-2001. He and his family, meanwhile, are among the school’s biggest donors. The current Sexton Commons on campus is named in honor of his parents. A $10 million pledge in 2004 created the Joyce and William Sexton Family Endowed Scholarship, as well as supporting the
Abbey Guest House project and SJU athletics.
In 2000, he received the Fr. Walter Reger Award for service to his alma mater – the SJU Alumni Association’s highest honor.
And, of course, it was his gift that allowed for a renovation of the Warner Palaestra in 1997, which included a new wood floor in the basketball arena, which was named in his honor. In 2008, the court was redone thanks to the support of a group of former Johnnie basketball players - Sexton, Joe Mucha ’66, Michael Dady ’71, Tom Grudnowski ’72, Pat McKenzie ’79, Tim Kosiek ‘80 and John Wiehoff ’84.
The court itself was named in honor of Smith and his wife Adrienne while the arena remains named for Sexton - uniting their two legacies and their collective impact on the SJU basketball program.
“Saint John’s has played such an important role in my family’s life,” Sexton said.
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