JOHNNIE SPORTS
Johnnies Playing Beyond SJU
double-doubles, the program’s secondmost since 1983-84. He fell 26 points shy of 1,000 for his career, including 104 points in 31 games as a freshman (201617) at Division II Augustana (S.D.).
An NCAA Division III athletic department is not a typical launchpad for professional athletes. Maybe one of two every few years? Sure. But six in one academic year? That’s quite an accomplishment, and a testament to the quality of Saint John’s University athletics, its coaches and its student-athletes.
• Award-winning quarterback Jackson Erdmann ’19 participated in The Spring League, an elite developmental camp held in the fall for the first time last year in San Antonio. Bartch
• Two weeks after the SJU hockey team won the MIAC regular-season championship last season, All-MIAC forwards Brady Heppner ’20 and Kyle Wagner ’20 signed with the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs. Both student-athletes played three games in March, where Wagner totaled four points (one goal and three assists) and Heppner collected two assists.
Stock
• Offensive lineman Ben Bartch ’20 became the 10th Johnnie to be drafted in the NFL when he was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round (No. 116 overall) April 25. Bartch played in 13 games and totaled 219 snaps on offense this past season, including his first career start (at left guard) Dec. 13 against the Tennessee Titans, and 47 more between field-goal and PAT attempts. • Pitcher Joey Stock ’20 signed with the Boston Red Sox Aug. 28, becoming the first Johnnie to sign an MLB contract since first baseman Jon Dold ’94, who was selected in the 40th round of the 1993 draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Stock ended his Johnnie career tied for third in school history with 17 home runs, as well as with a .325 batting average, 66 RBI and a .650 slugging percentage. On the mound, he collected 64 strikeouts in 63.2 career innings pitched. • Meanwhile, post Lucas Walford ’20 signed with the Drogheda Wolves, a team in Ireland’s National Basketball Division 1 league, on Sept. 25. In three seasons as a Johnnie, Walford managed to become the program’s all-time leader in blocked shots (131) and recorded 26
58 WINTER/SPRING 2021
Then, in December, Erdmann signed a contract to be part of Fan Controlled Football – a new league scheduled to begin play in February. As the name suggests, it’s a league in which fans will control virtually everything through online voting (via Twitch) – from the makeup of the teams in each game to the plays quarterbacks like Erdmann will be executing on the field. That field, by the way, will be just 50 yards long. And play will consist of seven-on-seven. A number of celebrity owners have signed on to be part of the venture, including current and former NFL stars like Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch and professional wrestler Miro (Rusev in his time with the WWE).
Backes Makes Good Works Team Quarterback Chris Backes ’21 is the fourth consecutive Johnnie to be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, and the fifth overall. Backes and the rest of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team – which consists of players from all divisions of college football - were honored New Year’s Day during ESPN’s television broadcast of a College Football Playoff semifinal between Clemson and Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. The most recent trio were all former teammates of Backes: Bartch, Erdmann and wide receiver Will Gillach ’19. Defensive end Kevin McNamara ’07 was SJU’s first to earn the honor in 2006. Backes is a semifinalist for the 2020 Campbell Trophy and a 2020 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award.
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