SJU Soccer Game Day Program 2023

flavor. REMARKABLE friendly. fresh.

REMARKABLY INCREDIBLY

The mantra “Our Family vs. their team” is one that our soccer family started using in 2013. It is not new to Collegeville as its ethos is embedded deeply in the Johnnie experience and has been since 1857. The following is an excerpt from our Core Values that helps our young men grasp what it means.

This remarkably noble, self-sacrificing, generous human being always places the family before himself. He knows that in the end athletes do not miss the trophies. They miss being part of something bigger than themselves. He refuses to lose composure over ridiculous issues, live in fragile states of emotional catharsis, or create crises where none should exist.

“No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main . . . any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

~ John Donne For Whom the Bell Tolls

BENEDICTINE VALUE: COMMUNITY LIVING

To cultivate rootedness and a shared sense of mission.

John Haws ’99 begins his 14th season as the head soccer coach at Saint John’s University with a roster that blends young talent and veteran savvy.

The Johnnies return much of their offensive production from a year ago, but are adding a number of newcomers who look ready to contribute as well.

“BIG MATT” IS BACK

SEASON PREVIEW

EXPERIENCED LETTERMEN

Five of the seven Johnnies who totaled eight points or more last season return in 2023, and 64 percent (69 of 108) of the team’s total points overall (67 percent –22 of 33 – of the team’s goals scored) are back, as well as its two All-Region honorees in senior midfielder Matt D. Anderson (Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep) and junior goalkeeper Evan Siefken (Lakeville, Minn./North). This year’s crop of newcomers includes five transfers and four Minnesota All-State selections.

The Johnnies finished sixth in the conference with a 4-5-1 record (8-7-3 overall) and made their 11th trip to the semifinals in 12 MIAC Playoff appearances in 2022.

Anderson graduated back in May but returns for the Johnnies in 2023 via the NCAA-granted extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to his aforementioned All-Region honor, the 6-foot-5 Anderson tied for the team lead in goals (5), game-winning goals (2) and points (11) in 16 games last fall. He was named to the inaugural 2022 MIAC All-Playoff team and earned All-MIAC first-team honors in 2021. Anderson touts 33 points (13g/7a), including five gamewinning goals, in 56 career games.

ALL-REGION IN NET… AGAIN

Last season’s All-Region distinction was the second-consecutive for Siefken, who earned third-team honors in 2021 and was named to the 2022 All-MIAC first team. He made all but one start in net and posted a 7-7-3 record with five shutouts (four individual, one shared). Siefken was All-MIAC honorable mention as a freshman in 2021 after he made 17 starts, including the Johnnies' final 1,116 minutes, and posted a 7-9-1 record.

In addition to Anderson and Siefken, seven other upperclassmen return after playing 10 games or more in 2022. Senior forward Kaidan Popp (Redmond, Wash./ Mount Si) played all 18 games, with 11 starts, and finished third on the team in goals (4) and fourth in points (10) last fall. He begins his senior campaign with 18 points (6g/6a) in 39 career games. Senior defender Brian Real Juarez (Shakopee, Minn.) and senior midfielder Jack Simonet (Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Jefferson) played the bulk of the season’s contests and tallied an assist each.

Simonet played all 18 games (six starts) and Real Juarez appeared in 14 with one start. Junior midfielder Christian Rodriguez (Cold Spring, Minn./ Rocori) posted four points (1g/2a) in 10 games (six starts).

On the back line, senior defender Cole Ober (Hudson, Wis.) played all but one game (16 starts) and tallied the gamewinning goal in SJU’s 7-0 shutout of Saint Mary’s on Sept. 17. Junior defender Joe Pearson (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) found the pitch for 15 games (two starts) and was the team’s go-to for offensive-zone throws, while junior defender Landon Atkins (Lakeville, Minn./North) appeared in 14 games.

Siefken

Anderson

Rodriguez

Popp

Real Juarez

Simonet

Anderson

Siefken

Ober

2023 Schedule

Date Time Opponent

Sept. 2 1 p.m. vs. La Verne

Sept. 3 1:30 p.m. at Carroll

Sept. 5 5 p.m. UW-Superior

Sept. 8 7 p.m. at Dubuque

Sept. 9 5 p.m. at Loras

Sept. 13 7:30 p.m. at Macalester

Sept. 16 12:30 p.m. Hamline

Sept. 23 12:30 p.m. at Saint Mary’s

Sept. 26 4 p.m. Augsburg

Sept. 30 4 p.m. UW-Whitewater

Oct. 6 4 p.m. at Gustavus Adolphus

Oct. 11 4 p.m. Concordia

Oct. 14 12:30 p.m. at Bethel

Oct. 15 5 p.m. at Wartburg

Oct. 21 12:30 p.m. vs. St. Olaf

Oct. 24 2 p.m. at St. Scholastica

Oct. 28 3:30 p.m. vs. Carleton

Oct. 30 2 p.m. (MIAC Quarterfinals)

Nov. 1 2 p.m. (MIAC Semifinals)

Nov. 4 1 p.m. (MIAC Championship)

READY FOR YEAR NO. 2

The addition of four Minnesota All-State selections gives the Johnnies an even dozen over the past two seasons, joining last year’s eight honorees. The 2021 Minnesota Mr. Soccer in Class AA, forward Carter Hermanson (St. Paul, Minn./Holy Angels) played all 18 games (13 starts), led the team with seven assists and tied for the team lead with 11 points last fall. Forward Alex Bowman (Elk River, Minn./Rogers) played 11 games (five starts) and tied Anderson for the team lead with five goals.

The Johnnies’ other returning playmakers, based on assists, were also freshman a year ago. Forward Cooper Nowak (Princeton, Minn.) played all but one game and totaled four assists and eight points, while forward Riley Buxell (Afton, Minn./

Stillwater Area) appeared in 14 games (four starts) and collected three assists. Midfielder Will Falkman (Waconia, Minn.) saw the field in 12 games with one start, while defenders Foster Conlin (Mooresville, N.C./ Mounds View) and Noah Hermanson (St. Paul, Minn./ Holy Angels) accrued quality minutes on the back line. Conlin accomplished the rare SJU feat of starting all of the team’s games as a freshman and registered two assists. Hermanson played all but one game, with seven starts, and tallied two goals and an assist.

THE 2023 SCHEDULE

Five of SJU's first six games of the 2023 season are on the road, beginning with a pair of contests this weekend against La Verne (Calif.) and Carroll (Wis.), respectively, in Waukesha, Wis. Aside from the season-opening weekend, SJU's other five non-conference opponents combined for a 54-26-18 (.643) record last season.

The Johnnies host Wisconsin-Superior Sept. 6 for their home opener before venturing south to Iowa Sept. 8-9 to face Dubuque and Loras. Superior won the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC), made the NCAA Division III Tournament and finished with a 16-4-2 record last fall.

The 10-game MIAC schedule alternates away-home for the Johnnies in 2023 and begins Sept. 13 at Macalester - a rematch of the Johnnies' 1-0 win in the 2022 MIAC quarterfinals - followed by another opponent from St. Paul - Hamline - Sept. 16 in Collegeville.

SJU heads to Winona to face Saint Mary's Sept. 23 and returns home to host Augsburg Sept. 26, before WisconsinWhitewater comes to Haws Field Sept. 30 for a non-conference match. The Warhawks finished 13-7-1 last season.

The team travels south to St. Peter Oct. 6 to take on Gustavus Adolphus, which who won the MIAC regular-season title and reached the NCAA quarterfinals. SJU hosts Concordia Oct. 11 and hits the road for trips to Bethel (Oct. 14) and Wartburg (Oct. 15), the final non-conference game in Waverly, Iowa. The Knights finished last season with a 7-2-9 record. Yes, nine ties.

The Johnnies play host to St. Olaf, last year's MIAC playoff champions and an NCAA Tournament team for the secondstraight season, Oct. 21 and make a late-October trip to Duluth for a date with St. Scholastica Oct. 24. SJU closes the regular-season schedule by hosting Carleton Oct. 28. SJU is 41-31-5 (.570) in 10 seasons at Haws Field, of which 24 of the 31 losses were decided by one goal.

MIAC PLAYOFFS

The first round of the six-team MIAC Playoffs is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 30, and the MIAC semifinals follow on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The MIAC championship game, with the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III tournament on the line, is set for Saturday, Nov. 4. The high seed hosts in all three rounds.

C. Hermanson

Bowman

Nowak

Falkman

Conlin

N. Hermanson

GARY’S OPENED IN 1982.

In 1982, the Johnnies went 9-0 and have had a winning record ever since.

Coincidence? We think NOT!

Thank you CSB and SJU Students, Staff & Alumni for over 40 great years!

John Haws is the latest member of his family to find coaching success at Saint John’s. The 1999 SJU graduate enters his 15th season as head coach of the Johnnie soccer program in 2023. In that time, he has led SJU to nine MIAC playoff berths. That includes a year ago when SJU advanced to the semifinals for the 11th time in its past 12 appearances in the conference tournament.

In 2014, he led the Johnnies to a 13-7 record, one win shy of a school record, and their second-straight berth in the MIAC title game.

Haws succeeded his father Pat ’72, who coached at SJU for 32 seasons before

JOHN HAWS Head Coach

retiring after the 2009 season with 341 career victories, making him the winningest college men’s soccer coach at any level in Minnesota history.

Along the way, he led the Johnnies to NAIA or NCAA Division III national tournament appearances in 1979, ‘80, ‘82, ‘86, ‘89, ‘90 and 2005.

Haws’ grandfather Terry was the head wrestling coach at SJU from 1967-73 and built the program into a national power.

John Haws, meanwhile, has earned the NSCAA Premier Badge, as well as the USSF National “B” License. He completed his master’s degree in sports management from St. Cloud State University in 2011.

He played soccer for his father at Saint John’s and was also the head boys soccer coach at Saint John’s Prep High School during his senior season. He later went on to serve as an assistant coach to his father for 10 seasons.

Haws resides in Sartell with his wife Jennifer, daughters Scarlett and Story and son Stetson.

MIAC FINISHES

Aziramubera

Ober

Real Juarez

2022 Team Huddle

Simonet

Popp

C. Hermanson

Bowman

N. Hermanson

Real Juarez and Morris

Nowak

Buxell

LAST SEASON IN PICTURES

Six Johnnies Named Academic All-District

SJU Drops Regular-Season Finale, Earns Sixth Seed in MIAC Playoffs

Johnnies End NonConference Play Oct. 18 vs. UW-Eau Claire

SJU Ends Soccer Season With 1-0 Loss in MIAC Semifinals

Siefken & Becken Receive All-MIAC Recognition

ALL-MIAC (FIRST-TEAM ONLY)

Most Valuable Player Award recipient

ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT

2002 Mike Rutter M first team

2005 Ben Passe M first team

2006 Jason Daly D first team

Ben Passe M first team

2007 Cam Christensen F second team

Jason Daly D second team

2008 Cam Christensen M first team

Jason Daly D first team

2010 Ryan Fuchs D second team

2013 Joe Balder D first team

2015 Dylan Lehrer D first team

Alex Niederloh M first team

Paul Wageman F first team

2016 Dylan Lehrer D first team

2021 Aidan Becken D first team

2022 Cavin Allen D first team

Matt D. Anderson M first team

Aidan Becken D first team

Drew Engel M first team

Evan Siefken GK first team

Jack Simonet M first team

ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS

2006 Ben Passe M first team

2015 Paul Wageman F second team

2016 Dylan Lehrer D second team

2021 Aidan Becken D first team

2022 Aidan Becken D first team

*MIAC

Becken

GOALS

1.

ASSISTS

POINTS

Individual Game

1. 14 Mike Lilly vs. Saint Mary’s 10/30/1976

Individual Season

1.

2.

1.

2.

1. 56 Ken Potts 1974

2. 38 Jim Phelps 1980

4. 32 Tudor Flintham 2005

4. 31 Eric Ross 1994

Individual Career

1. 124+ Mike Lilly

2. 93 John Boyd 1985-88

3. 88 Michael Coborn 2010-13

4. 86 Tyler Bosch 2001-04

5. 75 Jim Phelps 1978-81

6. 70 Nabil Gharib 1993-96 7.

Potts Lilly Ross

GOALKEEPING

Individual Career Games

1. 65 Terry Leiendecker 1980-83

2. 60 Kevin Lebahn 2012-15

3. 50.9 Kevin Kohnen 1998-00

4. 49.8 Eric Prawalsky 2001-04

5. 38.6 Jim Schneider 1996-98

Individual Career GAA (min. 10 games)

1. .43 Terry Leiendecker 1980-83

2. .58 Dick Kroeten 1986-88

3. .71 Jeremy Schroeder 1991-94

4. .80 Matt Sundberg 2004-07

5. .80 Gary Bischel 1988-91

Goalkeeper Shutouts Individual Season

1. 15 Terry Leiendecker 1982

PROUD SPONSOR AND CONTRACTOR FOR JOHNNIE ATHLETICS

TEAM AWARDS

RESERVE MVP

Owen Ping

#45

MVP

Evan Siefken

#18

Drew Engel

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Foster Conlin

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER & HARDEST WORKER

Alex Bowman

GOAL OF THE YEAR

Cole Ober vs St. Mary’s 9/17/22

ESPRIT DE CORPS

Jake Swanson

UNSUNG HERO

Cavin Allen & Ryan Erickson

TERRY LEIENDECKER AWARD

Be a Bennie Be a Johnnie

In addition to the beautiful sights of Collegeville and Haws Field, the Saint John’s University soccer program also takes in the wonders of the world on an international trip every 3-4 years. The travel party consists of coaches, student-athletes, family and friends.

Most Recent International Trips

January 2007: Ireland

August 2013: Spain/France/Monaco

January 2017: Spain/France

January 2020: Italy

January 2023: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

January 2026: To be Determined

Camp Nou, Barcelona

Pantheon, Italy

Nîmes, France

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Rio, Brazil

JANUARY 2023 - RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

HAWS FIELD

Haws Field, named in honor of retired Saint John’s University soccer coach Pat Haws, opened for the 2013 soccer season. Key features of Haws Field include a natural grass playing surface, permanent team dugouts, bleacher, natural seating and a scoreboard.

The total cost of the project was $600,000, of which $400,000 came from a generous gift from Coborn’s, Inc. The new soccer field was part of a $16 million athletic facilities renovation project at SJU.

The field is made up of “natural turf,” a sand-peat mixture with an engineered sub-base to allow for proper drainage throughout the year. This is designed to ensure that an excess of water will not cause significant damage to the pitch, something that is always a concern for any team with a grass field.

The new renovations to the pitch allows for fans to sit closer to the field of play, especially with the retaining wall running along the touch and end lines. The complex is “light ready,” meaning that conduit is in place for future consideration.

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.”

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SOCCER IN THE SJU J-CLUB HALL OF HONOR

The Saint John’s University J-Club Hall of Honor was established in 2018 as a way to pay lasting tribute to some of the greatest athletes in school history.

Legendary longtime head coaches John Gagliardi and Jim Smith were honored as the first two inductees in separate ceremonies that year. The first full class was inducted in the fall of 2019, then after a one-year pause brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the second full class was inducted in 2021. The third followed last year.

So far, three individuals connected to the Johnnie soccer team have been enshrined. They are:

Pat Haws ’72 (inducted 2019) - Haws spent 32 seasons as SJU’s head soccer coach before retiring after the 2009 season with a record of 341-140-50, making him the winningest college men's soccer coach in Minnesota history. He built the program into a national power, making NAIA or NCAA Division III national tournament appearances in 1979, '80, '82, '86, '89, '90 and 2005. That included two trips to the national quarterfinals (1986 and '89). He also served as SJU’s longtime swimming and diving head coach.

Terry Leiendecker ’84 (inducted 2021) - A four-year starter in goal, Leiendecker allowed just 28 goals in nearly 6,000 minutes of play, which translated into 44 shutouts in 65 career starts. That included his junior season in 1982, when Leiendecker recorded 15 shutouts in 18 contests and earned All-American honors. His shutout percentage that season (0.833) still stands as an NCAA Division III record. He earned All-MIAC honors four times and his career goalsagainst average of 0.431 remains in the top 15 in Division III history. His success earned him spots in two straight U.S. Olympic Festivals, which in turn led to his selection as a member of Team USA at the World University Games in Japan in

1984. He also went on to spend a season with the Minnesota Strikers of the North American Soccer League.

Mike Lilly ’78 (inducted 2022) - During his four seasons, Lilly led the SJU soccer team to a record of 38-9-1, including an MIAC title and two NAIA District 13 championships. A four-time All-MIAC and all-district selection, He was also named to the NAIA Area III All-America team as a senior in 1977, the first player at a Minnesota school to earn that honor. The Robbinsdale (Minn.) Armstrong High School graduate is still the Johnnies' top goal-scorer with 62, including a singleseason record 20 in 1976.

Haws

Leiendecker

Lilly