SJU Tennis 2024 Program

2024 TENNIS

flavor. REMARKABLE friendly. fresh.

REMARKABLY INCREDIBLY

Saint John's tennis finished fifth in the MIAC with a 5-4 record (9-10 overall) and made its ninth MIAC Playoff appearance in the last 11 seasons (16th overall), advancing to the semifinals, in 2023.

Senior Ian Aadland (Brainerd, Minn.) and Wil McDowell '23 earned All-MIAC honors in doubles competition after the duo posted a 7-6 (4-4 MIAC) record at No. 1.

Senior Mark Rosen (Bloomington, Minn./ Jefferson) led the Johnnies with 11 singles wins (11-8 record), including an 8-6 mark at No. 6. Junior Ryan Will (Northfield, Minn.) was 8-10, with a 4-2 mark at No. 4, and senior Daniel Perez (Quito, Ecuador) registered a 7-12 record (5-5 at No. 5). Will also went 9-10 (9-8 at No. 2) in doubles play.

A Few Months Ago

Twelve Johnnies competed at the 2023 ITA Midwest Regional and Midwest Open this past Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Mankato and St. Peter.

SEASON PREVIEW

Senior Will Deters (Minneapolis, Minn./ Wayzata) won the Midwest Open's C singles championship with a perfect 7-0 record over the three-day tournament. He won his first six matches in straight sets before Sunday's final against St. Olaf's Cathal Mee, who claimed a 6-0 win in the first set. Deters responded, however, with a 6-1 victory in the second and claimed first place with a nailbiting 10-8 decision in the super-breaker. Sophomore Josh Peterson (Perham, Minn.) reached the semifinals at the bottom half of Deters' bracket, but fell to Mee via the superbreaker (7-5, 2-6, 6-10) to finish with a 4-1 record.

Rosen was the Johnnies' top singles finisher – a 3-1 record – in the Midwest Open's B bracket and senior Mason Meyer (Bloomington, Minn./ Jefferson) went 2-1.

A pair of doubles duos - Rosen and Perez, sophomore Taylor Duncan (Benson, Minn.) and freshman Sam Wolden (St. Louis Park, Minn.) –went 4-1 at the Midwest Open.

Academic Honors

The 2023 Johnnie tennis team and 10 student-athletes achieved academic honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) in July. To be eligible for the ITA All-Academic Team Award, an institution must submit the academic year's gradepoint averages for each student-athlete on the roster and carry a team GPA of 3.2 or higher. The 16 Johnnies combined for a 3.71 GPA in 2022-23.

In order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status, a student-athlete must have a gradepoint average of 3.50 or better for the current academic year. Aadland and the Fischer triplets also earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic AllDistrict recognition.

Spring Break In Florida

The Johnnies follow the season opener with five matches over spring break in Florida (Orlando area):

• Monday, March 4: Division I North Carolina A&T and Allegheny (Pa.)

• Wednesday, March 6: Division II Cedarville (Ohio)

• Thursday, March 7: Wheaton (Ill.)

• Friday, March 8: Ursinus (Pa.)

Ian Aadland

Josh Peterson

Mason Meyer

Taylor Duncan

Ryan Will

Mark Rosen

Daniel Perez

Daniel Perez

Will Deters

SCHOOL

Ian Aadland Sr. Brainerd, Minn. Brainerd

Cooper Anderson Jr. St. Paul, Minn. White Bear Lake

Will Deters Sr. Minneapolis, Minn. Wayzata

Finn Dolezal So. Inver Grove Heights, Minn. East Ridge

Alex Draeger Fr. Litchfield, Minn. Litchfield

Taylor Duncan So. Benson, Minn. Benson

Evan Kostynick So. Hudson, Wis. Hudson

Mason Meyer Sr. Bloomington, Minn. Jefferson

Daniel Perez Sr. Quito, Ecuador

Josh Peterson So. Perham, Minn. Perham

Mark Rosen Sr. Bloomington, Minn. Jefferson

Ryan Will Jr. Northfield, Minn. Northfield

Sam Wolden Fr. St. Louis Park, Minn. St. Louis Park

2024 SCHEDULE

Feb

Mar

Mar

GARY ’S OPENED IN 1982.

Coincidence? We think NOT!

Head coach

JACK BOWE

Jack Bowe is in his 27th season as the head tennis coach at Saint John’s in 2023-24 and has a 237-241 career dual record (120-107 MIAC). He is a three-time MIAC Coach of the Year (2003, 2019 and 2022).

He is also in his third season as the head coach at the College of Saint Benedict, a role he previously held for seven years before taking over at SJU. During that tenure at CSB, Bowe was named MIAC Coach of the Year in 1993.

2023 SEASON

SJU finished 5-4 in MIAC play and 9-10 overall, ending the regular season in fifth place in the conference standings and qualifying for the MIAC playoffs for the ninth time in 11 seasons, beating St. Scholastica in the quarterfinals before falling eventual conference champion Gustavus in the semifinals.

2022 SEASON

The Johnnies finished fourth in the MIAC with a 6-3 record (10-7 overall) to earn an MIAC playoff berth.

2021 SEASON

SJU finished sixth in the MIAC, one win from the MIAC playoffs, with a 4-5 record (6-5 overall) in 2021.

2020 SEASON

SJU started the 2020 tennis season with seven consecutive wins and finished with a 7-3 (2-0 MIAC) record. Two of the three losses were to non-Division III opponents.

2019 SEASON

SJU tied for third in the MIAC with a 6-3 record (9-9 overall) to earn its fourth consecutive trip to the MIAC Playoffs and 10th in the last 13 seasons.

2018 SEASON

SJU ended the 2018 season with a 7-2 MIAC record (13-5 overall) to finish third in the conference standings; It’s best season since 2004 (14-9 overall, 7-2 MIAC). The

Johnnies won their first seven conference matches to earn their ninth trip to the MIAC Playoffs in the last 12 seasons.

PAST EXPERIENCE

Prior to his tenure at the College of Saint Benedict, Bowe served as the head men’s tennis coach at St. Cloud State University for five years. Bowe played tennis at St. Cloud State and is currently a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association.

ASSISTANT COACH

Joe Amsberry Amsberry - in his sixth season on the SJU staff - is a USPTA certified teaching pro. A native of Park Rapids, Minnesota, he played tennis for four years at Concordia College. Following graduation from Concordia, he completed his Master’s degree in occupational therapy at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. Additionally, Amsberry has been working with Bowe Tennis Academy for the past four years.

MIAC CHAMPIONSHIPS/AWARDS

MIAC CHAMPIONS

1927

1928

1931

1953

1954

ALL-MIAC SELECTIONS (SINCE 2003)

SINGLES

2003 Mike Solum

2004 Mike Solum

Steve Tacl

2005 Trevor Beach

2006 Ted Lauer

2007 Trevor Beach

Ted Lauer

Mark Steelman

2008 Luke Odegaard

2009 Dutch Hansen

Mark Steelman

2010 Dutch Hansen

Fabricio Moncada

2011 Fabricio Moncada

2012 Ian Hansen

Fabricio Moncada

2013 Fabricio Moncada

Willie Paul

2014 Jack Hansen

Joe Laue

Jordan Otto

2015 Jack Hansen

Tim Larson

2016 Tim Larson

2017 Tim Larson

Ryan Meger

2018 Thomas Gillach

Tim Larson

Ryan Meger

2019 Thomas Gillach

Ryan Meger

2021 Thomas Gillach

Wil McDowell

2022 Peyton Fischer

Wil McDowell

ALL-AMERICANS

1989 Todd Schlorf (singles)

1990 Todd Schlorf (singles)

1990 Todd Schlorf & Craig Herold (doubles)

1992 Ray Young (singles)

1993 Ray Young (singles)

DOUBLES

2005 Curtis Horton/Steve Tacl

2006 Curtis Horton/Steve Tacl

2007 Trevor Beach/Ted Lauer

Kevin Goihl/Dan Ruehl

2008 Trevor Beach/Dan Ruehl

Kevin Goihl/Ted Lauer

2012 Ian Hansen/Fabricio Moncada

2013 Fabricio Moncada

2015 Ben Lahren/Tim Larson

2016 Jack Hansen/Ben Lahren

Tim Larson/Andrew Nagel

2018 Thomas Gillach/Nate Jordre

Tim Larson/Jonah Punnoose

2019 Thomas Gillach/Nate Jordre

Ryan Meger/Jonah Punnoose

2021 Thomas Gillach/Wil McDowell

2022 Hunter Fischer/Peyton Fischer

Wil McDowell/Ryan Will

2023 Ian Aadland/Wil McDowell

Trevor Beach

Jack Hansen

Tim Larson

Thomas Gillach

Dan Ruehl

Ryan Meger

Jonah Punnoose

Wil McDowell

Mike Solum

1953 Team

ALL-MIAC JOHNNIES

2023 Saint John’s senior Wil McDowell (Sioux Falls, S.D./O’Gorman) and junior Ian Aadland (Brainerd, Minn.) earned All-MIAC honors for doubles competition when the conference’s awards were announced last May.

The duo posted a 7-6 (4-4 MIAC) record at No. 1 doubles this spring.

The All-MIAC distinction in doubles was

the second for McDowell (2021), who was also named to the 2023 MIAC AllPlayoff team. McDowell was a two-time All-MIAC honoree (2021 and 2022) in singles play, where he finished with a 7-10 (3-6 MIAC) record at No. 1 this season. He ended his career with a 2525 (14-14 MIAC) career record in singles competition (13-18 at No. 1) and 27-28 (16-12 MIAC) in doubles (20-22 at No. 1).

Aadland, meanwhile, totaled an 8-7 overall record in doubles and went 2-1 in singles last spring.

The Johnnies finished fifth in the MIAC with a 5-4 record (9-10 overall) and made their ninth MIAC Playoff appearance in the last 11 seasons (16th overall), where they advanced to the semifinals in 2023.

Ian Aadland

Wil McDowell

ACADEMIC ALL MIAC HONORS

For the third-consecutive academic year, SJU led the MIAC in male honorees with a total of 155 in 2022-23, followed by Macalester (134), Gustavus Adolphus (123) and Carleton (111). The Johnnies had 65 fall honorees (cross country, football, soccer), ahead of Macalester (53) and Carleton (50).

Those honored (listed alphabetically) include:

• Junior Ian Aadland (Brainerd, Minn.), a mathematics major with a 3.94 GPA;

• Sophomore Cooper Anderson (White Bear Lake, Minn.), a global business leadership and mathematics doublemajor with a 3.66 GPA;

• Senior Hunter Fischer (Spicer, Minn./ Willmar), a biology major (premedicine emphasis) with a 4.0 GPA;

• Senior Peyton Fischer (Spicer, Minn./ Willmar), a biology major (pre-

medicine emphasis) with a 3.96 GPA;

• Senior Will Fischer (Spicer, Minn./ Willmar), a computer science major (pre-law emphasis) with a 3.65 GPA;

• Junior Mason Meyer (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson), a computer science major with a 3.62 GPA;

• Junior Nolan Morrey (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes), a history major with a 3.94 GPA;

• Junior Daniel Perez (Quito, Ecuador), a global business leadership major with a 3.57 GPA;

• Junior Mark Rosen (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson), a biology major with a 3.68 GPA.

Student-athletes must be a sophomore, junior or senior academically with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 on a 4.00 scale to qualify for Academic All-MIAC

recognition. Transfers, like freshmen, must complete a full academic year to be eligible the following season.

Athletically, student-athletes must be a member of a MIAC-sponsored, varsity team and be academically and athletically eligible. The student-athlete must have utilized a season of participation (per NCAA and MIAC definitions) and have remained on the sports roster through the conclusion of the sports season.

The Academic All-MIAC honor is the thirdconsecutive for Hunter and Peyton Fischer, and the second for Aadland, Will Fischer, Meyer, Morrey and Rosen.

The Johnnies finished fifth in the MIAC with a 5-4 record (9-10 overall) and made their ninth MIAC Playoff appearance in the last 11 seasons (16th overall), advancing to the semifinals.

TEAM TRAVEL

In addition to the beautiful sights of Collegeville, the Saint John’s University tennis program also visits Florida during spring break for a training trip.

2022

PROUD SPONSOR AND CONTRACTOR FOR JOHNNIE ATHLETICS

CHANG TENNIS COMPLEX

The complex includes seven United States Tennis Associationapproved courts, lights, fencing, bleachers and a storage building. It is located behind Becker Park’s left-field fence.

The tennis portion is named in honor of Dr. Lian Chang by her spouse, Paul Winter ‘61, an avid tennis player. A Twin Cities psychiatrist, Chang was born and raised in Taiwan and attended Catholic University in Washington D.C. She received a master of science degree at Texas Woman’s University before completing her residency in psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

THE DONALD MCNEELY SPECTRUM

The 60,000-square-foot Spectrum field house, designed by Ellerbe Becket Architects, features the University’s eight-lane indoor 200-meter track, five indoor tennis courts and facilities for golf and baseball practices. The Spectrum and the Palaestra bustle with varsity, intramural and club sports activities throughout the academic year.

STA-FIT TENNIS DOME

Sta-Fit’s five-court tennis dome is climate controlled making tennis a year-round activity.

MCGLYNN FITNESS CENTER

Opened in 1997, the 5,600-square-foot McGlynn Fitness Center is equipped with upper body, lower body, and full core machines as well as cardiovascular machines such as treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes.

Be a Bennie Be a Johnnie

Ian Aadland

Brainerd High School

What has been the most memorable part of your time at SJU – in tennis or on campus?

It has to be my semester (studying) abroad in Greece. But a great memory from tennis here at SJU was beating St. Scholastica in the playoffs last spring after losing to them 9-0 earlier in the season. The tennis spring break trips to Florida are always a blast too.

What are your post-graduation plans?

I plan on spending a year in Rwanda through the Saint John’s Benedictine Volunteer Corps.

What are some of your hobbies away from tennis?

Golf, hockey, downhill skiing, spending time on the lake and any other racket sport.

Senior Spotlight

Daniel Perez

Quito, Ecuador

What made you decide to attend SJU? Janna and Mike LaFountaine.

What are your post-graduation plans? Starting a full-time job in the banking industry.

What is something about you not everyone would know?

When I was little, my dream was to become a pilot.

Will Deters

Wayzata High School

What is your favorite spot on campus and why?

Alcuin is my favorite spot on campus. Especially the Schu.

What has been the most memorable part of your time at SJU – in tennis or on campus?

Making new friends every semester and finding new hobbies.

What do you consider your greatest talent?

I’m good at geography.

Mark Rosen

Bloomington Jefferson High School

What made you decide to attend SJU?

My decision was based on the tour guides I had when I toured. Both (the) Johnnie and Bennie guides said hello to numerous people while walking about. This place seemed to have a culture that called me. Also the campus was beautiful. What is something about you not everyone would know?

Not to talk to me before I’ve had my coffee. What do you consider your greatest talent?

Being a dad.

Mason Meyer

Bloomington Jefferson High School

What made you decide to attend SJU?

The beautiful campus, solid academics, networking possibilities … and I really like the color red.

What are your post-graduation plans?

Currently on the job search …. hopefully working somewhere in IT (information technology).

What is something about you not everyone would know?

I can play “Seven Nation Army” (by the White Stripes) on the electric guitar.

ARTH FEATURE

There was no place that meant quite as much to Tom Arth as Saint John’s University.

"There's such great tradition and longevity here," the 1966 SJU graduate said upon receiving the J-Club Distinguished Service Award as part of the SJU J-Club Hall of Honor’s 2019 induction class. "I've known some of these coaches for so long they're like family.

"And Saint John's is just a special place. It becomes a part of you. To me, it's the greatest place on Earth; not Disney World."

Arth, who passed away at age 78 in early September of last year following a lengthy battle with cancer, arrived at SJU as a freshman in 1962-63 after winning a pair of Catholic state high school championships at St. Paul Cretin. He helped lead SJU to a third-place

role he held through his senior season in 1966.

He was also the first person to greet legendary longtime Johnnie basketball coach Jim Smith when Smith initially set foot on campus to interview for the thenvacant position in 1964.

"I was a junior at the time and it was during freshman orientation," he recalled in 2019. "Jim looked so young, I thought he was a lost freshman. So I asked if he

Smith actually did, enlisting Arth to become the student manager the following season. And his assistance was invaluable to a coach still trying to find his footing in a new job.

"There wasn't the kind of coaching staffs you see now, so he really did a little bit of everything," Smith said. "I was grateful to have him."

In the years that followed his graduation, Arth remained involved with Johnnie sports, including as a member of the SJU J-Club.

His loss is felt deeply, not only in the SJU tennis program, but across the entire campus community.

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Presented by Institutional Advancement Scholarships Provide Opportunities for Miller in Saint John’s Athletics

Graham Miller ’25 has embraced his passion for sports photography during his time at Saint John’s University in ways he feels wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

As a freshman, the communication major and art minor from Victoria, Minnesota worked in the athletic media relations office at the College of Saint Benedict, and last year he worked as a photographer for Saint John’s athletic media relations director Ryan Klinkner ’04.

“I get the chance to see the action from the sidelines and capture moments most fans don’t get to see,” Miller said. “I love my job and I take my position seriously. I’m getting the chance to explore what I want to do.

“It can be hard getting access to sporting events at bigger schools, or to find a student job on campus that would allow me to do this. I was fortunate when I came to Saint John’s that I was able to find people right away who supported me and wanted to have me on the team creating images for them.”

Miller, the youngest of four siblings, said coming to Saint John’s wouldn’t

have happened if not for scholarships. He receives the Stephen Slaggie Scholarship, the Abbott Baldwin Dworschak Scholarship, the Cyril Pesek Scholarship, the Tse You Kai Scholarship, an academic achievement scholarship, an art scholarship and an alum referral scholarship.

“Scholarships have been a really big help for me,” Miller said. “If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t have been able to attend Saint John’s. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to receive a great, wellrounded education.”

Klinkner said Miller is a pleasure to work with and his skillset is rare to find in an underclassman.

“Graham has been impressive since day one, both in his abilities as a photographer and his professionalism,” Klinkner said. “Athletic photography typically demands a long learning process, but that was not the case with Graham. I am excited for Graham’s future and to see how he will continue to enhance Johnnie athletics over the next two years.”

Miller also took advantage of the Student Exploration through Alum Mentoring (SEAM) program where students are matched with alum mentors for informational interviews, networking

conversations and an in-person or virtual site visit. It allows student participants to both network and explore the value of their liberal arts degree when it comes to future careers.

Miller was paired with James Slagle ‘09, the director of enterprise accounts at Shift4, a financial services company. Slagle has experience in sports marketing in the athletic departments at the University of Florida, the University of Minnesota and the University of Southern California.

“It’s great to have the chance to connect with an alum and learn from them,” Miller said. “They share their experience and stories about their career and you pick up skills you might not get in other places.”

Miller hopes to work in the work in the sports digital media industry after graduation.

He is so grateful to the donors who have helped make it possible for him to chase that dream.

“I still remember how it felt receiving my acceptance letter in the mail. I knew at that moment that this was the right place for me, and that feeling hasn’t changed. It’s amazing to know there are so many people out there who care about making this possible. The Johnnie and Bennie network is really something remarkable.”

Photo by Graham Miller

Photo by Graham Miller

TENNIS IN THE SJU J-CLUB HALL OF HONOR

Tom Arth ’66

2019 J-Club Distinguished Service Award winner

Arth was a standout tennis player at St. Paul’s Cretin High School before graduating in 1962. He then came to Saint John’s where he was not only a top player, but the student head coach as well.

After graduating, he remained involved with Johnnies sports, including as a member of the SJU J-Club, and was a lifelong ambassador for SJU. He served on several boards and helped fundraise for many buildings and upgrades on campus.

“There’s such great tradition and longevity here,” said Arth in 2019. “I’ve known some of these coaches for so long.

“And Saint John’s is just a special place. It becomes a part of you.”

Lou Adderley ’55 (Inducted 2022)

Lou Adderley had played some tennis prior to arriving at Saint John's University as a freshman from The Bahamas in 1951. He hadn't wrestled at all.

But Adderley managed to master both sports during his time in Collegeville, going on to win conference championships in each over the course of his collegiate career.

"I was always so impressed with his work ethic," recalls Patrick Wangen '58, a tennis teammate during Adderley's senior season in 1955 when he was not only a star player, but the team's head coach.

"We only had outdoor courts back then, but in the winter, he used to practice on the handball courts at Saint John's. He turned himself into the top player in the conference. He was very good. I think he could compete against a lot of the players today."

Indeed, after falling in the MIAC singles championship match in the spring of 1952, Adderley went on to win the conference title the next three seasons.

"When you saw Lou Adderley passing out laundry or waking up late sleepers on the second floor of St. Benet's Hall, you'd hardly expect him to be any kind of an athlete," wrote future U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger in a feature story on Adderley in The Record (the SJU student newspaper) in 1955. "Standing 5-foot-6, he weighs only around 130 pounds.

"But in the sports world, he was rated A-plus by the many competitors who were affected both by his quiet

personableness and his ability to take advantage of their mistakes."

Those traits proved advantageous on the wrestling mat as well where Adderley was the 1953-54 MIAC champion at 130 pounds and might have repeated as a senior the following year had he not been dealing with a back injury.

After leaving SJU, Adderley passed his skills and knowledge down to future generations as a longtime coach, principal and director of athletics at Saint Augustine's College, a secondary school for grades 7-12.

There, Adderley, who died in 2003, had a profound impact on not only some of the top athletes in the nation's history, but on some of the country's future leaders as well.