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Today’s Matchup: Saint John’s became the first program to win 500 MIAC games with a 70-0 shutout last Saturday (Nov. 2) at St. Scholastica. The Johnnies scored touchdowns on their first eight offensive possessions and added a 24-yard interception return for a score from junior linebacker Alex Harren to gain a 63-0 halftime lead. Senior quarterback Aaron Syverson passed for 346 yards and five touchdowns despite exiting in the second quarter a total of 13:53 played. The performance enabled Syverson to become the MIAC’s all-time leading passer with 8,438 yards in conference play, breaking the previous record of 8,430 held by Augsburg’s Ayrton Scott (2012-15).
St. Olaf, meanwhile, held Gustavus Adolphus to a 3-for-14 showing on third down but allowed 461 yards of offense, including 314 on the ground, in a 21-10 loss in St. Peter. Down 10-7 late in the third quarter, the Gusties’ River Wood broke free on an 87-yard touchdown run and De’Marion Brown ended the scoring with a 61-yard scamper with 4:04 remaining in the game.
GAME PREVIEW Go
Series History: Today’s game is the 63rd meeting between Saint John’s and St. Olaf on the football field. The Johnnies are 47-14-1 all-time against the Oles, including a 23-8 record here in Collegeville and a 31-5 record overall since 1986. All five SJU losses since 1986 were decided by three points or less. The Johnnies have outscored St. Olaf 471-64 over the last 10 meetings since their 38-35 loss on Sept. 29, 2012.
A Noon Kickoff Next Saturday:
The conference recently moved next Saturday’s (Nov. 16) games
MIAC Championship Week to noon kickoffs (from 1 p.m.). Since the NCAA Championships were moved back by one week a few years ago, combined with sundown occurring around 4:45 p.m., an earlier kickoff will provide more time to complete games without the risk of playing in darkness or facing late-fall weather challenges. Additionally, this start time aligns with the NCAA Championships’ noon kickoff, a standard the conference often aims to replicate when possible. Nov. 16 is the latest possible date for the final regular-season game.
Approaching Other Milestones:
Syverson added two more conference records to his resume in last Saturday’s shutout at St. Scholastica. In addition to becoming the MIAC’s all-time leading passer in conference play, Syverson also moved into a tie with Augsburg’s Jordan Berg (2006-08) for the league record of 14 300-yard passing games. Syverson is already the MIAC’s alltime leader in passing touchdowns (98), multi-passing-touchdown games (25) and pass attempts (924) in conference play. He is second in MIAC history – conference games only – in passing touchdowns (128) and 400-yard passing games (4), and is third in pass completions (635).
In SJU’s record book, Syverson is 11 passing touchdowns, 431 passing yards and 619 yards of total offense (rushing+passing) from the program records owned by Jackson Erdmann ʼ19.
Johnnies
Syverson
AROUND THE
2024 MIAC Standings
Wartburg College
Knights
Head Coach: Chris Winter
2024 Record: 7-1
2024 ARC Record: 6-0
Sept. 7 at Monmouth (Ill.) W, 38-24
Sept. 14 at Saint John’s L, 13-35
Sept. 21 at Central (Iowa) W, 10-6
Sept. 28 Nebraska Wesleyan W, 34-0
Oct. 12 at Buena Vista (Iowa) W, 70-21
Oct. 19 Simpson (Iowa) W, 46-21
Oct. 26 at Coe (Iowa) W, 14-7
Nov. 2 Luther (Iowa) W, 49-10
Nov. 9 at Dubuque (Iowa) 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 Loras (Iowa) 1 p.m.
Carleton College
Knights
Head Coach: Tom Journell 2024 Record: 3-5 2024 MIAC Record: 2-4
Sept. 7 at Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) L, 12-28
Sept. 21 Minnesota-Morris W, 28-7
Sept. 28 at Hamline W, 24-14
Oct. 5 Concordia L, 6-31
Oct. 12 at St. Olaf L, 13-19
Oct. 19 Saint John’s L, 7-48
Oct. 26 at St. Scholastica W, 35-14
Nov. 2 at Bethel L, 7-56
Nov. 9 Gustavus Adolphus 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 MIAC Week 12 p.m.
Bethel University
Royals
Head Coach: Mike McElroy
2024 Record: 7-1
2024 MIAC Record: 5-1
Sept. 14 at Northwestern (Minn.) W, 49-3
Sept. 21 UW-Eau Claire W, 51-30
Sept. 28 Saint John’s L, 20-45
Oct. 5 at Gustavus Adolphus W, 43-0
Oct. 12 Macalester W, 59-0
Oct. 19 Augsburg W, 73-8
Oct. 26 at Hamline W, 70-0
Nov. 2 Carleton W, 56-7
Nov. 9 at Concordia 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 at MIAC Week 12 p.m.
Gustavus Adolphus College Gusties
Head Coach: Peter Haugen
2024 Record: 5-3
2024 MIAC Record: 4-2
Sept. 7 Whitworth (Wash.) L, 7-40
Sept. 21 at UW-Stevens Point W, 31-10
Sept. 28 at Augsburg W, 28-0
Oct. 5 Bethel L, 0-43
Oct. 12 St. Scholastica W, 51-13
Oct. 19 at Macalester W, 36-7
Oct. 26 at Saint John’s L, 0-34
Nov. 2 St. Olaf W, 21-10
Nov. 9 at Carleton 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 MIAC Week 12 p.m.
Augsburg University
Auggies
Head Coach: Derrin Lamker
2024 Record: 3-5
2024 MIAC Record: 2-4
Sept. 6 Valley City State (N.D.) L, 14-24
Sept. 21 at Martin Luther W, 34-7
Sept. 28 Gustavus Adolphus L, 0-28
Oct. 5 at Saint John’s L, 20-45
Oct. 12 Hamline W, 37-27
Oct. 19 at Bethel L, 8-73
Oct. 26 St. Olaf W, 35-34 OT
Nov. 2 at Concordia L, 7-38
Nov. 9 Macalester 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 at MIAC Week 12 p.m.
College of St. Scholastica Saints
Head Coach: Mike Heffernan
2024 Record: 2-6
2024 MIAC Record: 1-5
Sept. 14 Rockford (Ill.) L, 24-31
Sept. 21 at Crown W, 35-15
Sept. 28 at Concordia L, 0-35
Oct. 5 Macalester W, 30-28
Oct. 12 at Gustavus Adolphus L, 13-51
Oct. 19 at St. Olaf L, 33-36
Oct. 26 Carleton L, 14-35
Nov. 2 Saint John’s L, 0-70
Nov. 9 at Hamline 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 MIAC Week 12 p.m.
W, 36-33
Oct. 26 at Augsburg L, 34-35 OT Nov. 2 at Gustavus Adolphus L, 10-21
Nov. 9 at Saint John’s 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 MIAC Week 12 p.m.
Sports coverage to yo u . J o h n n i e s
ANDY RENNECKE Sports Editor
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Spencer Gustin
6-2, 280, offensive line, St. Cloud Tech High School
What is something most people wouldn’t know about you?
I played both my high school and college (football) games here at Saint John’s.
What made you decide to come to Saint John’s?
The ability to be a person and not a number, along with the postgraduate network.
Who is someone you really admire and why?
I’ve taken a lesson from each former Johnnie that has come and talked to the team that I’m using as I (near) graduation.
Brady VanErp
6-2, 185, wide receiver, Battle Lake High School (Ottertail Central)
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
The library because of how cool the building is, and that the Schu coffee shop is right there.
What is your best memory of your time here — on or off the field?
The days when it was just myself and my buddies in a single dorm room or apartment hanging out and doing whatever. Playing video games, watching the game or a movie. Just enjoying each other’s company.
What is your funniest memory from football at SJU?
The annual talent show during camp.
Alex Lundebrek
6-4, 250, defensive line, Rogers High School
What is your favorite food? A green olive burger.
What is the most interesting place to which you’ve traveled?
Breckenridge, Minnesota.
Who is someone you really admire and why?
My grandpa. He was the best man I’ve ever known.
Cage Linton
5-11, 200, defensive back, Cretin-Derham Hall High School
What is your major and why did you choose it?
I’m a communication (now strategic communication studies) major. When trying to decide, I thought to myself, ‘What’s something I’m good at?’
Talking. So communication was the obvious answer.
What are some of your hobbies?
I like to make music, fish, cook and just be outdoors.
What is the most interesting place to which you’ve traveled?
I’ve gotten a taste of Toronto, and I have plans to go to Brazil in the future.
Jake Schwinghammer
6-0, 215, linebacker, Tartan High School
What is your major and why did you choose it?
Biochemistry, with a minor in neuroscience. I wanted to be best prepared for medical school and my aspirations of work with the mind, specifically neurological disorders.
What is your favorite food?
My mom makes chicken alfredo in the form of lasagna. It’s my favorite.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
Lake Sagatagan. I have a lot of memories there going to the beach, fishing, swimming, walking to the chapel and hanging out with some of my best friends.
By Frank Rajkowski
Numbers adding up for SJU’s Schwellenbach this season
Riley Schwellenbach recently switched his major to data science, which makes sense because the sophomore wide receiver on the Saint John’s football team has always been kind of a numbers guy.
“I like working with problems that have definite solutions,” said Schwellenbach, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound graduate of East Ridge High School. “I like to find definite answers. I like to do things that produce the correct results.”
He’s certainly been doing that on the field this season, having emerged as a key part of the Johnnie passing attack alongside veteran wide receivers Dylan Wheeler and Marselio Mendez and tight end Joey Gendreau. After the Johnnies’ win over St. Scholastica last Saturday in Duluth, Schwellenbach had 19 catches for 325 yards and three touchdowns this season.
“My goal coming into this year was to find a way to get on the field,” said Schwellenbach, who also plays
baseball for the Johnnies. “(Offensive coordinator) Kole (Heckendorf) told me I had a chance to play a bigger role if I showed up to all the offseason football stuff and got in the weight room. So I worked really hard and got a lot stronger and faster.
“Then, over the summer, (starting quarterback) Aaron (Syverson) asked me to come out when he was throwing with the starters. That’s when I really started to think I might have the chance to contribute.”
Schwellenbach said working with a veteran quarterback like Syverson, who is now in his fourth season as SJU’s starter, has helped a lot with his own development.
“He has so much experience that it’s like having another coach on the field,” Schwellenbach said. “He’ll give me advice on how to run my routes, or how certain plays are supposed to work. He’s played so many games here that he knows what to expect in any situation. That’s really valuable.”
Schwellenbach said he also improved a lot by going against the starting defense every day in practice as a freshman.
“That helped me get used to the speed difference between the high school and college game,” he said. “And our defense is so good. When you go against those guys every day, it’s going to make you better.”
Now Schwellenbach — whose parents, Joe and Jenny, are both graduates of Wisconsin-Eau Claire — is hoping to continue his momentum the rest of the way.
“It’s been going great so far,” he said. “I just want to keep doing whatever it takes to help us win.”
Spencer Ell could have graduated last spring. But the Saint John’s University punter decided to return this season.
His friendship with kicker Conor Murphy was a big reason.
“We hit it off when he first got here (in the fall of 2021), and we’ve been great buddies ever since,” said Ell, a fouryear starter who arrived in Collegeville in the fall of 2020 and is thus able to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility the NCAA granted all student-athletes because of the impact of COVID-19.
“He’s a big part of why I decided to come back. Last semester, he studied abroad, and we didn’t have the chance to hang out. So it’s nice to get to one more season as teammates.”
Murphy and Ell are often on their own island in practice – working with SJU special teams coach Alexi Johnson (a former Johnnie kicker himself).
“There are times when it almost feels like we’re spectators after we get done with our own stuff,” said Murphy, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound graduate of Sioux Falls (South Dakota) O’Gorman High School, who has been SJU’s kicker in each of his four seasons at the school.
“We’re both great friends with a lot of the guys on the team, but we spend almost every second of practice around one another. So we have our own bond.”
spend more time working on stuff than any other kicker and punter that I can remember.
“And it shows.”
This season, Ell is once again serving as Murphy’s holder on field goals and PATs – reprising a role he played in 2022.
“That’s been fun,” said Ell, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound graduate of Bethlehem Academy High School. “Especially this year when – thanks to how great our offense has been – I haven’t punted much. It’s nice to find a way to get on the field.”
And both players have certainly made an impact during their time in Collegeville.
Murphy already holds the school’s career record for extra points with 224. The 2022 All-MIAC pick also sits fifth in career field goals with 21 – 10 behind the late Don Pribyl’s 31 from 1983-86.
The two have developed a ritual they follow before every kick, singing the Isley Brothers classic “Shout” –the song that plays after Johnnie touchdowns in Clemens Stadium – as they take the field.
“It keeps us relaxed,” said Murphy, whose father, Kevin ’85, also played football at SJU.
“It’s our scoring song,” Ell added.
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Even while Murphy, an accounting major, is crunching them constantly off the field.
“Spencer is probably bigger on the stats
CONOR MURPHY Kicker
coach the game,” Fasching said. “You know you can throw a guy out there if you need a 35- or 40-yard field goal, or that you can flip the field with a punt. “Those are really important positions. You don’t realize how important they are until you have some mishaps back there. Fortunately, we haven’t had many with either of those guys.”
than I am,” said Murphy, who last month accepted a position with accounting firm Deloitte in Minneapolis after his graduation this May. “Every game at halftime, he comes in and checks them.”
“But it’s not that I’m obsessed with them,” added Ell, who will graduate following this semester and has already accepted a position with Treasure Island Resort and Casino. “I just like to know how I’m doing. When you’re out on the field, you never really know how it’s going.”
It continues to go very well for both players, which makes the kicking game one less thing Fasching needs to
“When you can have two good reliable kickers, it changes the way you
GARY FASCHING
It’s never easy to replace a legend, but Gary Fasching has proven himself up to the task. The 1981 SJU graduate took over for John Gagliardi when the winningest coach in college football history retired following the 2012 season. Since that time, Fasching has guided the Johnnies to five MIAC titles and led his team to eight-straight NCAA Division III playoff berths from 201422 (no season in 2020) a program
KOLE HECKENDORF
Kole Heckendorf is in his seventh season as SJU’s offensive coordinator and his 12th as a member of the team’s coaching staff. In 2019, his offense set program records by averaging 371.4 passing yards and 512.9 total yards per game. Heckendorf was a standout wide receiver at North Dakota State, who ended his career (2005-08) with the Bison as the program’s career leader in catches (178) and receiving yards (2,732). He then spent time with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers and Indianapolis Colts.
Josh Bungum (running backs) - A 2016 SJU graduate, Josh Bungum is in his ninth season on the coaching staff. He was an All-American pick as a player in 2015 and finished his career second in program history in receptions.
Mike Magnuson (offensive line) - A 1990 SJU graduate, Mike Magnuson is in his 10th season on the coaching staff and his seventh coaching the team’s offensive lineman. He was a three-year starter for the Johnnies at offensive tackle himself, helping lead the team to two NCAA Division III playoff appearances.
Ben Eli (offensive line) - A 2016 SJU graduate, Ben Eli is in his eighth season on the coaching staff. As a player, he was an All-American selection at center.
COACHING STAFF
and MIAC record streak. A three-year starter for the Johnnies at linebacker (1977-78, 1980-81), Fasching served 17 years as an assistant football coach and recruiting coordinator on Gagliardi’s staff before taking over as head coach. He has since been named MIAC coach of the year six times (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022). Prior to coming to SJU, Fasching was the head coach at St. Cloud Cathedral High School from 1986-95, leading the Crusaders to back-to-back state titles in 1992 and ’93. In 2022, he was inducted into both the Minnesota Football Coaches Association (MFCA) Hall of Fame and the St. Cloud Cathedral Athletic Hall of Fame. He and his wife Cindy reside in St. Joseph.
BRANDON NOVAK
Brandon Novak is in his 25th season as an assistant coach for the Johnnies and currently serves as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. The 2001 SJU graduate was a two-time All-American selection at linebacker who earned MIAC MVP honors in 1999. He was a three-time All-American wrestler and won the NCAA Division III national champion at 197 pounds in 2001. He went on to coach the Johnnie wrestling team for 10 years before stepping down following the 2013-14 season.
Graydon Kulick (quarterbacks) - A 2021 graduate of SJU, Graydon Kulick is in his second season on the coaching staff. He played at Davidson and Western Kentucky before transferring to play for the Johnnies.
Max Jackson (defensive assistant/ diversity and student success) - A 2019 SJU graduate, Max Jackson is in his fourth season on the coaching staff. He was a two-time All-American safety and a twotime All-MIAC pick in baseball.
Collin Franz (defensive line) - A 2021 SJU graduate, Collin Franz is in his third season on the coaching staff. He started all 12 games for the Johnnies as player in 2021 (utilizing his extra year of eligibility).
Andy Auger (defense) - A 1995 SJU graduate, Andy Auger is in his sixth season
DAMIEN DUMONCEAUX
Damien Dumonceaux is in his 19th season on the SJU coaching staff and currently serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach. He was a three-year starter at nose tackle for the Johnnies from 200305, earning All-American honors as a senior. That season, he was also named Football Gazette’s Defensive Lineman of the Year and D3football.com’s Defensive Player of the Year, while receiving the MIAC Mike Stam Award as the conference’s top lineman.
as a volunteer assistant. Prior to that, the former football and baseball standout for the Johnnies was head football coach at St. Cloud Cathedral from 2013-15.
Tom Wicka (linebackers) - A 1990 SJU graduate, Tom Wicka is in his third season as a volunteer assistant. He was a two-time All-MIAC pick at linebacker at SJU.
Alexi Johnson (kickers) - A 2017 SJU graduate, Alexi Johnson is in his seventh season as a volunteer assistant. He was the Johnnies’ kicker from 2013-16, ending his career second in school history in career field goals (27) and career PAT’s (190).
Alex Larson (tight ends) - A 2024 graduate of SJU, Larson was a three-time All-American at tight end as a player. He is in his first season on the coaching staff.
1 Joe Akoh Sr. DL 6-4 240 Hugo, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall
1 Alex Hart Fr. DB 5-10 165 Minneapolis, Minn./Wayzata
2 Nolan Dumonceaux Fr. DB 6-0 180 Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake
3 Cooper Yaggie Sr. LB 6-0 210 Breckenridge, Minn./Breckenridge
4 Will Peroutka Fr. DB 5-11 175 Rosemount, Minn./Rosemount
68 Johnathan Hartwig Jr. OL 6-2 275 Hudson, Wis./Hudson
70 Jake Pickard Fr. OL 6-2 270 Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona
71 Marcus Lajom Campbell Fr. OL 6-5 265 San Francisco, Calif./Archbishop Riordan
72 Andres Torres Sr. OL 5-10 260 St. Cloud, Fla./St. Cloud
74 Riley Saltzer So. OL 6-4 290 Princeton, Minn./Princeton
75 Josh Freelove Fr. OL 6-1 320 Pillager, Minn./Pillager
76 Brandon Kropuenske Fr. OL 6-7 300 Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley
77 Diego Villeda Sr. OL 6-2 305 St. Paul, Minn./Eagan
78 Loudon Perlman Jr. OL 6-4 260 Minneapolis, Minn./Roosevelt
79 Owen Swedberg Fr. OL 6-4 295 Elk River, Minn./Totino-Grace
80 Derek Hansen Sr. TE 6-4 245 Eagan, Minn./Eagan
81 Carter Follman So. WR 6-1 185 Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley
82 Drew Dahl So. TE 6-2 240 Lake Crystal, Minn./LCWM
83 Erick Brunsvold Fr. WR 6-4 180 St. Anthony, Minn./DeLaSalle
84 Evan Hammonds Sr. WR 5-5 150 Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park
85 Eli Paton Sr. WR 6-3 215 Fridley, Minn./Fridley
86 Peter Mollison Jr. TE 6-2 225 Edina, Minn./Minnehaha Academy
87 Jackson Kauck Fr. TE 6-3 210 Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury
88 Braden Menz Sr. TE 6-2 235 Clive, Iowa/Waukee
89 Riley Butcher Jr. TE 6-2 230 Glencoe, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake
90 Sam Brumbaugh Fr. DL 6-4 245 Edina, Minn./Holy Angels
91 Reid Permuth Fr. DL 6-3 265 Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake
92 William Howell So. DL 6-2 235 Richfield, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret’s
93 Julius Jones Fr. DL 6-4 230 Blaine, Minn./Breck
94 Jack Baxter Fr. DL 6-0 235 Farmington, Minn./Farmington
95 Logan Butts So. DL 6-4 280 Lithonia, Ga./Mercersburg Academy
96 Jonah Blackman Fr. DL 6-3 245 Big Lake, Minn./Big Lake
97 Finn Qualls So. DL 6-1 250 Columbia, S.C./Irmo
98 Terry Mikell So. DL 6-1 280 Statesboro, Ga./Southeast Bulloch
99 Felipe Suazo Jr. Fr. DL 6-3 180 New Orleans, La./Isidore Newman
JOHNNIE ATHLETES BAND TOGETHER FOR WINTER CLOTHING DRIVE TODAY
Today marks a somewhat rare scheduling confluence in Collegeville with the Saint John’s football, basketball and wrestling teams all competing at home.
That provided a golden opportunity for a group of Johnnie athletes in each of those three sports to band together and serve the greater good.
Ryan Thissen, a senior wing on the SJU basketball team, Jake Schwinghammer, a senior linebacker on the football team, and D.J. Myles, a senior linebacker in football and a standout wrestler, have led efforts to organize a winter clothing drive in cooperation with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud at all three of today’s home athletic events.
Donation bins have been set up in Clemens Stadium, where the Johnnies are playing host to St. Olaf at 1 p.m., and in Sexton Arena, where SJU opens the basketball season against Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 5 p.m. followed by the Johnnie wrestling team’s season opener against Nebraska Wesleyan at 7 p.m.
Fans have been asked to donate new
or gently-used winter clothing items –such as hats, gloves, coats, boots and snow pants – for families in need in the greater Central Minnesota community.
“In the times we live in, we need love and support for one another more than ever,” said Thissen, a multi-time All-MIAC selection who has been among SJU’s leading scorers the past three seasons. “There can be such a big divide between people these days, but just taking simple action to help others who need it can really bring communities together.”
Schwinghammer said the timing makes today too valuable an opportunity to let slip away.
“There are going to be so many people on campus, and there’s so much going on,” said Schwinghammer, who ranks among SJU’s leading tacklers. “It made so much sense to do something like this.”
Myles - who will play football today, but isn’t likely to wrestle – said service to the community and helping others are values woven into the tapestry of athletics at SJU.
“It’s something we try and foster here,”
he said. “Whether it be raising money at different events throughout the year, or the Kids Fighting Hunger foodpacking event that all the teams take part in each March.
“It’s a way to remind ourselves that our impact doesn’t have to be limited to the field, court, mat or pool. It can be much greater than that.”
The trio has been working with Liz Hamak, a 2024 College of Saint Benedict graduate who is now the volunteer coordinator for emergency services with Catholic Charties.
Hamak said efforts like today will go a long way toward keeping enough winter clothing in stock for those who need it this winter.
“It’s especially important for kids at school,” she said. “We want to make sure they have adequate clothing for being outside at recess and other times. We always need more winter clothing and drives like this make a big difference.
“Athletics at SJU has such a huge pull, and it’s really cool to see the athletes themselves taking the initiative to do something like this.”
PROUD
SPONSOR AND CONTRACTOR FOR JOHNNIE
ATHLETICS
Jeremy Hood was a dominant force at DE
Jeremy Hood had other options.
But after visiting Saint John’s, and meeting with legendary head coach John Gagliardi and his staff, the defensive end from Monticello High School knew Collegeville was where he belonged.
Hood, as it turned out, would be awfully impressive himself. He had 19 tackles in a backup role as a freshman in 2000 when SJU went 13-2 and advanced to the NCAA Division III national championship game, then took over as a starter in 2001 going on to become a threetime All-American.
He finished his career with 41 sacks, which remains a program record.
“I had a few other visits lined up, but as soon as I left Saint John’s, I knew it was where I was going to end up,” he recalls. “I sat with John for two hours, and I’m not sure he mentioned football once. He was more interested in me and my family.
“I was really impressed by that.”
As a senior in 2003, he recorded 71 tackles, including 20 for a loss, and 14 sacks as the Johnnies went 14-0 and won a national title after advancing to the national semifinals in each of the two previous seasons. In total, during his four years in Collegeville, SJU compiled a record of 50-7.
“When you have the successful tradition that Saint John’s has, you believe in yourselves,” Hood said. “We went into every game expecting to win.”
But, despite all that success, it is not the victories Hood remembers most.
“We got travel to a lot of different places over the course of those years, and being able to experience that with my friends and teammates is what I look back on most fondly,” he said. “It was an incredible experience to be part of.”
These days, Hood teaches world history and social studies at Rogers High School, where he is also a member of head football coach Marc Franz’s coaching staff. Franz is the father of former Johnnies standout and current SJU assistant coach Collin Franz.
“It’s kind of funny how things come full circle like that,” said Hood, who has three children with his wife, Abbie, a 2002 College of Saint Benedict graduate whom he met
TRADITION UNRIVALED
On the basis of on-field accomplishments alone, the Saint John’s University football team ranks among the nation’s elite.
Through the years, the Johnnies have won four national championships at either the NAIA or NCAA Division III level (1963, 1965, 1976 and 2003), and have made 32 postseason appearances.
SJU has won or shared 36 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles, 14 more than any other member school, and the program’s streak of eight-straight Division III playoff berths from 2014 to 2022 surpassed its own conference record.
Four Johnnies have won the Gagliardi Award, named in honor of legendary former SJU head coach John Gagliardi and handed out annually to the top player in Division III, and the program can boast 147 All-Americans and 35 Academic All-Americans.
But what makes football at Saint John’s special goes well beyond even all those numbers. During his 60 seasons in Collegeville, Gagliardi – whose 489 career victories are the most in college football history – developed his famous list of Nos which still form the program’s core values.
That list - which includes no whistles, no tackling in practice (players wear
shorts/ sweats and shoulder pads) and no blocking sleds or tackling dummies - has drawn national media interest over the years from venerable outlets such as Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, the Today Show and many, many others.
Then there is the atmosphere ...
Johnnie home games are truly an autumn playground: the vivid fall colors blazing from the trees in the woods surrounding the natural bowl that forms Clemens Stadium, the smoke rising from the grills behind the concession stands (home to the uniquely incredible heavenly apples) and, of course, the crowds.
SJU consistently ranks among the national leaders in attendance at the NCAA Division III level and has led the way 11 times since 2005.
Since the 2001 season, the program has recorded a single-game attendance number of 10,000 or more 23 times.
That included a record crowd of 17,327 for a matchup against St. Thomas in 2015, a game preceded by a live broadcast of ESPN’s “Sports Center on the Road” program.
Last season alone saw crowds of 11,321 and 10,477 for matchups against Bethel and Carleton respectively.
Add it all up and you have something beyond amazing.
You have ... a Tradition Unrivaled.
LAST WEEK IN PICTURES
Clemens Stadium
From the start, those in charge of developing the space now known as Clemens Stadium had something majestic in mind. So they set about turning a former cranberry bog into a natural bowl stadium that has been the home of Saint John’s University football for 116 years.
Ringed by the gorgeous fall colors of the surrounding Central Minnesota woods, the field has long become a destination spot, a status only solidified when Sports Illustrated named it one of college football’s top 10 “Dream Destinations” in 1999.
The facility itself has expanded often over the years. Concrete seating was added in 1933 and expanded in 1957. The familiar stone entrance behind the south end zone was built in 1939 and the first press box and concession stand were erected four years later. In 1997, local philanthropist Bill Clemens – the man for whom the stadium is named -- provided a million-dollar donation that allowed for construction of a new grandstand, an expanded press box, larger concession stands and restrooms and a new entrance. Another donation by Clemens, who attended SJU from 1938-40, made possible the installation of an artificial playing surface in 2002.
A third tier to the press box was added in 2009 and lights were installed in 2012.
Meanwhile, large crowds have been commonplace. SJU has finished among the national leaders in pergame attendance in NCAA Division III in each of the last 20 seasons –including crowds of 10,000 or more 23 times since 2001.
That included a facility-record 17,327 for a matchup against St. Thomas on Sept. 26, 2015 – a day in which ESPN’s “Sports Center On the Road” program was broadcast live from the stadium, and a crowd of 13,107
FOOTBALL FACILITIES
on hand to see legendary former coach John Gagliardi become the winningest coach in college football history when SJU beat Bethel 29-26 on Nov. 8, 2003.
Gagliardi Field
A big part of the success of the Saint John’s University football program over the years has been the way players of the past helped pave the way for players of the present and future.
The Gagliardi Field and Seasonal Dome complex is a perfect example of that sense of community. Named in honor of legendary former football coach John Gagliardi - the winningest coach in college history - it was made possible by gifts from more than 50 individual donors - many of whom were former players.
The artificial turf field has markings for a full-length football field, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, two crosscourt soccer fields, baseball and softball, along with three batting cages when the Skalicky Dome goes up from October to April each academic year.
It’s a year-round home for intramural sports on campus, but also serves as a practice facility for the football team and other varsity sports.
McGlynn Fitness Center
When it comes to training, the right facilities are important. But having the right people in place to staff them is just as critical.
Luckily, Saint John’s University has both.
The 5,600-feet McGlynn Fitness Center - which was made possible by a generous gift from the Burt McGlynn family, and is open to all students and alums - is equipped with a full range of free weights, upper-body, lower-body and fullcore machines, and cardiovascular machines such as treadmills, ellipticals and exercise bicycles.
FANDOM is TRADITION
AND SJU HAVE LONG TRADITIONS OF SERVICE TO COUNTRY
A call to service is an important part of the bedrock at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University.
So it comes as no surprise that the two schools have a long and rich history of military service. Over the years, thousands of alums have served with distinction, including many who gave what President Abraham Lincoln termed the “last full measure of devotion” by giving their lives for their country.
That group includes Benjamin (Bernard) Adams (class of 1908), who was one of what The Record reported was well over 200 SJU graduates who served in the armed forces during World War I.
Adams, a St. Cloud native and member of the Saint John’s Athletic Association during his time on campus, served with the 363 Infantry 91st Division of the American Expeditionary Forces. He died in battle in the Argonne Forest in France in late September of 2018.
John Van Buren, a 1937 SJU graduate and a football standout for the Johnnies, served as a Naval bomber pilot in the Pacific during World War II. He was killed in action at the Battle of Midway. Ignoring antiaircraft fire, he took part in the initial dive-bombing operations against Japanese naval units. His plane did not return and he was listed as presumed dead.
For his actions, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross by President Franklin Roosevelt.
Jim Boyd, the first three-sport captain in SJU history, was a Navy fighter pilot in the Pacific and was killed in action in February of 1944.
In all, The Record reported 63 SJU alums lost their lives in the conflict including Don Blake, who played football and basketball in the mid1920s, Denis Baker, a golfer who graduated in 1940, Hubert Miller, a tennis player who graduated in 1941, Aloys Liepold, a 1937 graduate and member of the football team, Ed Welte, a tackle on the football team in the early 1930s, Patrick Murphy, a 1941 graduate and a member of the hockey team, Mannix Moriarity, a football player in the early 1940s, Omer Huntington, a basketball player who graduated in 1937, and 1941 graduate George Le Page and 1943 graduate Chuck Tamborino, who each served as student managers.
The initial ROTC program began on campus in 1952. The top-rated cadet in that class was David F. Durenberger, who represented the state of Minnesota in the U.S. Senate from 1978 to 1995. The ROTC program became optional in 1965, and students from St. Cloud State University joined in 1968. It was opened to female students from the College of Saint Benedict and St. Cloud State University in 1974.
The program, known today as the Fighting Saints Battalion, has gone on to establish a long and proud tradition of excellence in national competition, as well as in student outcomes.
Prominent alums of the program include:
• Gen. Joe Kelly ’83, who went on to serve as director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the State of Minnesota (HSEM).
• Gen. Paul Nakasone ’86, who served as commander of U.S. Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service from May of 2018 through Feb. 1 of this year before retiring from active service on April 1. He is currently serving as a trustee on the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University boards.
• Col. Mark Vande Hei ’89, the man who has spent more continuous time in space than anyone in American history.
• Col. Kimberly Kuhn ’89, a military police officer who served in Germany, Panama, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq before her final post as Deputy Chief of Staff, Criminal Investigation Command where she led a Secretary of the Army Fraud Task Force.
• Col. Katherine Yarnott Lowry ’92, an All-American soccer player at CSB who went on to serve several tours in Macedonia and Kosovo, as well as becoming the Chief Nurse Executive at California’s Travis Air Force Base, the Air Force’s largest medical facility.
Currently serving graduates include Gen. Tom Burke ’94 and Gen. John Weidner ‘91.
Alumni Association
As the bus carrying the Saint John’s football team rolled to a stop at St. Olaf’s Manitou Field on the morning of Nov. 6, 1976, Johnnies head coach John Gagliardi summoned starting quarterback Jeff Norman to deliver a surprise.
“We’re getting off the bus and John told me ABC wanted to interview me right now,” Norman remembers. “He hadn’t given me any heads up at all. He didn’t want me getting distracted.”
Norman was aware the game was being broadcast on network television. As part of a new contract with the NCAA that season, ABC was obligated to air at least two games each from the Division II and III ranks. The network had already carried a Division III matchup between two Virginia schools – Madison College and HampdenSydney – earlier in the year.
The fact that SJU entered play 6-0-1 and ranked No. 1 nationally in Division III, while the Oles were 6-2 and still had a shot at earning a share of the MIAC title with an upset, drew ABC’s eyes to the matchup.
“Certainly, the records of these two teams merits our televising the game,” ABC’s media director for NCAA events
FEATURED FLASHBACK
Don Bernstein told the St. Cloud Times earlier in the week.
Most of the country that afternoon saw an SEC showdown between Florida and Georgia with the legendary Keith Jackson and Ara Parseghian on the call. But viewers in the Upper Midwest watched the Johnnies and Oles collide with Chicago sportscaster Bill Frink (whom The Record reported had only learned he’d work the broadcast days before) handling play-by-play and Rick Forzano, who’d resigned as head coach of the NFL’s Detroit Lions a month earlier, on color.
It was Forzano who interviewed Norman prior to the game.
“He asked me about running the quadruple option because he’d seen
us on tape,” Norman said. “He wanted to know if I made all the reads. I knew John didn’t want me giving away all our secrets on network television. So I just told him … ‘Yeah, on some of them.’”
ABC’s two television cameras – one in the press box and the other on a platform at the 30-yard line – captured a game that was tied 13-13 at halftime before the Johnnies took control in a 29-13 victory. Junior running back Tim Schmitz had 18 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yard scoring scamper in the second half.
With that, The Record reported most of the ABC crew were on flights out of the Twin Cities hours later – some bound for Cincinnati to work that week’s Monday Night Football clash between the Bengals and Rams.
The win, meanwhile, clinched sole possession of the conference title for SJU, which would be back on ABC a month later to defeat Towson State (Maryland) 31-28 in that season’s national championship game.
On this date (Nov. 9) in history: 1968 Bill Laliberte carried the ball 21 times for 219 yards – including a 69yard touchdown run as SJU rolled past Minnesota-Morris 41-0.
GROWING COMPANIES ENHANCING COMMUNITIES
Granite Partners is a private investment and long-term holding company founded in 2002 in St. Cloud, Minnesota, with a mission to grow companies and create value for all stakeholders. We advance a culture of trust, innovation, and excellence as essential to 100-year sustainability, and we aspire to world-class wellbeing for everyone in the Granite community.
Upcoming Johnnie Events
Saturday, Nov. 9
STARTERS
When Saint John’s Has The Ball
SAINT JOHN’S OFFENSE
WR 1 Marselio Mendez Sr., 5-9, 165
WR 4 Riley Schwellenbach So., 5-9, 160
TE 0 Joey Gendreau Jr., 6-3, 230
LT 78 Michael Bougie So., 6-5, 300
LG 50 Nick McKenzie Sr., 6-1, 280
C 72 Charlie Folkens Sr., 6-3, 290
RG 77 Mikey Oftedahl Fr., 6-2, 295
RT 54 Grant Peroutka Sr., 6-1, 280
WR 2 Dylan Wheeler Jr., 6-2, 190
QB 6 Aaron Syverson Sr., 6-0, 195
RB 33 Will Blakey So., 6-0, 200
ST. OLAF DEFENSE
DE 24 Noah Barrett Jr., 6-0, 215
DT 98 Terry Mikell So., 6-1, 280
DT 56 Jacob Vasquez Sr., 6-2, 300
DE 15 Giovanni Green Sr., 6-0, 220
LB 11 Alijah Cruel Jr., 5-10, 210
LB 16 Tate Sauerwein Sr., 5-10, 230
CB 4 Elijah Short Sr., 5-10, 180
S 1 Jacob Halek Sr., 5-9, 175
S 8 Deonta Thomas Sr., 6-1, 195
S 20 Ben Kettelhut Sr., 6-1, 185
CB 21 Tony Avila-Tovalin Sr., 5-10, 180
When St. Olaf Has The Ball
ST. OLAF OFFENSE
WR 84 Evan Hammonds Sr., 5-5, 150
TE 80 Derek Hansen Sr., 6-4, 245
LT 57 Holden Luetkens Sr., 6-3, 270
LG 77 Diego Villeda Sr., 6-2, 305
C 64 Finn Buffington Jr., 6-2, 270
RG 79 Owen Swedberg Fr., 6-4, 295
RT 68 Johnathan Hartwig Jr., 6-2, 275
WR 7 Will Skemp Jr., 6-4, 215
QB 19 Theo Doran Sr., 6-4, 225
FB 34 Siegel Howard III Sr., 5-8, 215
RB 27 Gus Gartzke So., 5-9, 185
SAINT JOHN’S DEFENSE
DE 9 Joe Akoh Sr., 6-4, 240
DT 97 Zach Frank Sr., 6-3, 270
DT 40 Isaac Hetland Sr., 6-1, 235
DE 32 Jake Schwinghammer Sr., 6-0, 215
LB 43 Hayden Sanders Sr., 6-0, 220
LB 23 Aiden McMahon So., 6-1, 220
LB 3 Cooper Yaggie Sr., 6-0, 210
CB 16 Blake Simonson Jr., 5-11, 175
S 33 Jack St. Fleur Jr., 6-0, 210
S 11 Noah Arneson Jr., 6-0, 195
CB 9 Westin Hoyt Fr., 6-1, 190
Saint John’s Specialists
K 12 Conor Murphy Sr., 5-10, 180
P 18 Spencer Ell Sr., 5-11, 185
LS 44 Andrew Molenaar Jr., 6-0, 230
SS 2 Nolan Dumonceaux Fr., 6-0, 180
H 18 Spencer Ell Sr., 5-11, 185
KR 1 Marselio Mendez Sr., 5-9, 165
PR 1 Marselio Mendez Sr., 5-9, 165
St. Olaf Specialists
K 5 Collin Swan Sr., 5-9, 145
P 5 Collin Swan Sr., 5-9, 145
LS 57 Holden Luetkens Sr., 6-3, 270
H 1 Jacob Halek Sr., 5-9, 175
KR 15 Devin McNearny Sr., 5-11, 170
1 Jacob Halek Sr., 5-9, 175
PR 15 Devin McNearny Sr., 5-11, 170
Basketball vs. UW-Oshkosh Hockey at St. Scholastica Wrestling vs. Nebraska Wesleyan
Sunday, Nov. 10
Wrestling vs. Haws/Elton Rumble
Thursday, Nov. 14
Hockey vs. UW-River Falls
Friday, Nov. 15
Basketball at Central (Iowa)
Saturday, Nov. 16
Basketball at Simpson (Iowa)
Cross Country at NCAA Regional Football vs. TBD Hockey vs. UW-Stout
Friday, Nov. 22
Basketball vs. Hope (Mich.) at Calvin Hockey vs. St. Olaf
Saturday, Nov. 23
Basketball at Calvin (Mich.)
Cross Country at NCAA Championship Hockey at St. Olaf
Swimming/Diving at Gustavus Invite Wrestling at UW-Eau Claire
