2026 SJU Tennis Program

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2026 SEASON PREVIEW A pair of All-MIAC returners highlight the list of those back for the Saint John’s tennis team in 2026.

DRAEGER

WOLDEN

singles match by two scores of 6-4 over Dubuque's Tanner Laube. He defeated Wartburg's Kellen Jones 6-4 and 6-1 on Day 2 and won set one of his next match 6-4 over Loras' Hayden Martin, but dropped set two 7-6 and the tiebreaker 10-6 to the eventual bracket champion.

their first round of Midwest Open singles.

Both Midwest Open doubles teams (Eckman/Raiche and Duncan/ Gangl) lost their first match, 8-4.

Fellow freshman Jack Ganal won his first singles draw 6-1 and 6-1 but fell in the next round to Macalester's Ezra Mahoney 6-2, 6-0. Sophomore Andrew Eckmann and freshman Henry Raiche Henry each fell in

The Johnnies open the 2026 season with a big conference match against Gustavus, ranked No. 21 nationally in Division III, on February. 13 at Sta-Fit in Sartell.

The MIAC playoffs run from April 29 to May 2. SJU is trying to qualify for the conference postseason for the first time since 2023.

Juniors Alex Draeger and Sam Wolden, who went 11-7 at No. 2 doubles, earned allconference honors as a duo while Wolden also earned All-MIAC distinction for the second-straight year in singles competition.

He finished 11-5 (6-2 MIAC) at No. 2 singles. Draeger, meanwhile, went 16-4 (6-3 MIAC) playing at No. 4 through 6 singles. The 16 singles wins were the most by a Johnnie player since Fabricio Moncada '13 went 20-6 in 2013.

Senior Josh Peterson went 10-7 in singles play a year ago. Classmate Taylor Duncan had eight singles wins.

SJU finished 8-9 overall as a team.

Six Johnnies competed atthe 2025 ITA Midwest Regional Championships and Gustavus Adolphus' Midwest Open back on Sept. 26-27 in Mankato and St. Peter.

PETERSON

Draeger and Duncan represented SJU in the singles competition, falling in straight sets on the first day of play.

Draeger battled Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Dawson Froemming to a 6-3 and 6-4 loss, while Duncan fell 6-4 and 6-0 to Mateo Torre of St. Scholastica.

Draeger and freshman Nam Tran won their first-round match of ITA doubles 8-5 over Bethel's Zack Chaffey and Watson Sheard. The tandem dropped their second-round bout to Jack Hehll and Ty Schneider of Wisconsin-La Crosse, seeded ninth in the tournament.

Tran advanced to the Midwest Open G semifinals, winning his first collegiate

2026

SJU Tennis

DUNCAN

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CHAMPIONS

ON THE FIELD

CHAMPIONS

IN LOGISTICS

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2026 ROSTER Name

Yr

Hometown / High School

FINN DOLEZAL ALEX DRAEGER TAYLOR DUNCAN ANDREW ECKMANN JACK GANGL COLE HAABALA JOSH PETERSON HENRY RAICHE JOE SCHLEPER NAM TRAN SAM WOLDEN

SR. JR. SR. SO. FR. SO. SR. FR. FR. FR. JR.

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MINN. / EAST RIDGE LITCHFIELD, MINN. / LITCHFIELD BENSON, MINN. / BENSON EAGAN, MINN. / TWO RIVERS ELK RIVER, MINN. / ELK RIVER ALEXANDRIA, MINN. / ALEXANDRIA PERHAM, MINN. / PERHAM MAPLE PLAIN, MINN. / ORONO SHAKOPEE, MINN. / SHAKOPEE SHAKOPEE, MINN. / EDEN PRAIRIE ST. LOUIS PARK, MINN. / ST. LOUIS PARK

2026 Tennis schedule FEB 7 FEB 13 FEB 27 MAR 8

2 P.M. 4:30 P.M. 4:30 P.M. 1 P.M.

VS. SJU ALUMNI VS. GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS VS. HAMLINE VS. ST. OLAF

COLLEGEVILLE, MINN., THE DONALD MCNEELY SPECTRUM SARTELL, MINN., STA-FIT SARTELL, MINN., STA-FIT SARTELL, MINN., STA-FIT

MAR 16 MAR 17 MAR 19 MAR 20

TBA TBA TBA TBA

VS. WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE VS. UW-LA CROSSE VS. UW-EAU CLAIRE VS. CROWN

ORLANDO, FLA. ORLANDO, FLA. ORLANDO, FLA. ORLANDO, FLA.

MAR 29 APR 11

1 P.M. 10 A.M.

VS. CONCORDIA VS. NORTHWESTERN

SARTELL, MINN., STA-FIT COLLEGEVILLE, MINN., CHANG TENNIS COMPLEX

APR 12 APR 19 APR 23 APR 25

6 P.M. 1 P.M. 2 P.M. 1 P.M.

AT SAINT MARY'S AT ST. SCHOLASTICA AT MACALESTER AT BETHEL

WINONA, MINN. DULUTH, MINN. ST. PAUL, MINN. ARDEN HILLS, MINN.

APR 26

1 P.M.

VS. CARLETON

COLLEGEVILLE, MINN., CHANG TENNIS COMPLEX

APR 29 MAY 1 MAY 2

TBA TBA TBA

MIAC QUARTERFINAL MIAC SEMIFINALS MIAC CHAMPIONSHIP

TBD TBD TBD

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SJU Tennis

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Delivering the best

Sp o rts c ove r age to you.

ANDY RENNECKE Sports Editor

COACHING STAFF head coaching reins for a second time. He is a three-time MIAC coach of the year with the Johnnies (2003, 2019 and 2022) and earned the honor in 1993 with CSB as well.

JACK BOWE

Jack Bowe enters his 29th season as the head tennis coach at Saint Johnʼs in 2025-26 and his 41st season as a collegiate head coach overall.

HEAD COACH 29th SEASON as head coach

The Central Minnesota tennis fixture began his career as the head menʼs coach at St. Cloud State University for five seasons.

He then spent seven seasons as the head coach at CSB before taking over at SJU in 1998.

He has remained in Collegeville ever since, but in 2022, he also took over the St. Benʼs

seventh in the MIAC with a 3-6 record (8-9 overall) in 2025.

He enters this season with a 250-260 career dual record (127-118 MIAC) at SJU.

2024 Season The Johnnie tennis team tied for fifth in the MIAC with a 4-5 record (5-10 overall) and just missed its 10th trip to the fiveteam MIAC Playoffs in the last 12 seasons in 2024.

Bowe played tennis at St. Cloud State University and is currently a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association.

He has also run the Bowe Tennis Academy in Central Minnesota for over 40 years.

2023 Season SJU 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.

“I donʼt know how it is at the Division I level, but I look at the men and women on my teams at Saint Johnʼs and Saint Benʼs and feel so lucky," Bowe said earlier this year.

2022 Season The Johnnies finished fourth in the MIAC with a 6-3 record (10-7 overall) to earn their eighth MIAC playoff appearance in the last 10 seasons and 15th overall in 2022.

“Weʼve earned the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) All-Academic Team Award many times. We usually have a big group of ITA scholar-athletes. I jokingly say my tutoring pays off. But really, itʼs our players and how hard they work."

Here is a look at Boweʼs recent career at SJU: 2025 Season The Johnnie tennis team tied for

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.

Additional Coaching Staff Paul Bates Bates joins the coaching staff this season after spending 33 seasons as the head girls coach and 24 seasons as the head boys coach at St. Cloud Tech High School (the Tigers were paired in a co-op with St. Cloud Apollo starting with the 202122 school year). Along the way, he led the girls program to 22 Central Lakes Conference titles and 17 berths in the state tournament while leading the boys to 14 conference crowds and nine state berths.

He also coached the St. Cloud State menʼs team to a North Central Conference title in 1991, earning conference coach of the year honors.

Bates – who will be inducted into the Minnesota Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame in March – played for Bowe during his own collegiate career with the Huskies.

He recorded 498 career wins as the head girls coach and 313 with the boys.

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TEAM FINISHES MIAC Champions 1927 1928 1931 1953 1954

All-Americans 1989 TODD SCHLORF (SINGLES) 1990 TODD SCHLORF (SINGLES) 1990 TODD SCHLORF & CRAIG HEROLD (DOUBLES) 1992 RAY YOUNG (SINGLES) 1993 RAY YOUNG (SINGLES)

Singles

2022

PEYTON FISCHER WIL MCDOWELL

2018

THOMAS GILLACH/NATE JORDRE TIM LARSON/JONAH PUNNOOSE

2024

IAN AADLAND SAM WOLDEN

2019

THOMAS GILLACH/NATE JORDRE RYAN MEGER/JONAH PUNNOOSE

SAM WOLDEN

2021

THOMAS GILLACH/WIL MCDOWELL

2022

HUNTER FISCHER/PEYTON FISCHER WIL MCDOWELL/RYAN WILL

2023

IAN AADLAND/WIL MCDOWELL

2025

ALEX DRAEGER/SAM WOLDEN

2003

MIKE SOLUM

2004

MIKE SOLUM STEVE TACL

2025

2005

TREVOR BEACH

DoUbles

2006

TED LAUER

2005

CURTIS HORTON/STEVE TACL

2007

TREVOR BEACH TED LAUER MARK STEELMAN

2006

CURTIS HORTON/STEVE TACL

2007

TREVOR BEACH/TED LAUER KEVIN GOIHL/DAN RUEHL

2008

LUKE ODEGAARD

2008

2009

DUTCH HANSEN MARK STEELMAN

TREVOR BEACH/DAN RUEHL KEVIN GOIHL/TED LAUER

2012

IAN HANSEN/FABRICIO MONCADA

2010

DUTCH HANSEN FABRICIO MONCADA

2013

FABRICIO MONCADA

2011

FABRICIO MONCADA

2015

BEN LAHREN/TIM LARSON

2012

IAN HANSEN FABRICIO MONCADA

2016

JACK HANSEN/BEN LAHREN TIM LARSON/ANDREW NAGEL

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

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SJU Tennis

GILLACH

MCDOWELL

BEACH

RUEHL

AADLAND

WOLDEN

LARSON

PUNNOOSE

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TEAM TRAVEL

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

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TAYLOR DUNCAN

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HIGH SCHOOL

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DOLEZAL EAST RIDGE

PETERSON

What were the reasons you chose to come to Saint Johnʼs?

What is your favorite place on campus and why?

What is the biggest challenge youʼve faced as an athlete?

I chose Saint Johnʼs because of the vast opportunities the university offered both academically and athletically. Iʼve always valued being a student-athlete and I was excited for the opportunity to pursue my professional aspirations while continuing to practice tennis.

Sexton Commons. Nothing beats a good sub while doing homework or studying.

Transferring from Gustavus, where I played football, to Saint Johnʼs and switching back to tennis was tough at first.

What is your best memory from your time on campus – on or off the tennis court?

My experience abroad in Montpellier, France.

I was able to coach tennis at the Tennis Club Pierre Rouge. I taught youth tennis in French and made great connections with locals.

If you could have any meal for dinner tonight, what would it be and why?

Spicy chicken curry and naan. Iʼve always loved Indian food and especially love the Star of India in St. Cloud.

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What is your major and why did you pick it?

My major is global business leadership and my minor is data analytics. I love working on large projects and making sense of data.

These two programs combined what I love and what Iʼm good at.

What is something about you most people may not know?

I can dislocate my shoulders on command.

What – if any – music is part of your pre-meet ritual and why?

A lot of Drake.

What is your best memory from your time on campus – on or off the tennis court?

My best memory is winning an intramural basketball championship with my roommates.

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Johnnie tennis players excel in the classroom

global business leadership and mathematics double major.

The 2025 tennis season was a banner one for Saint Johnʼs academically.

As a team, the Johnnies received the Intercollegiate Tennis Associationʼs AllAcademic Team Award. To be eligible, a program must submit the academic yearʼs grade-point averages for each student-athlete on the roster and carry a team GPA of 3.2 or higher.

The 10 players on last yearʼs SJU roster combined for a 3.46 GPA during the 2024-25 school year.

In addition, six Johnnies earned ITA Scholar-Athlete status. To earn that, a player must have a grade-point average of 3.5 or better for the current academic year.

The SJU players recognized were (alphabetically, academic years for the 2024-24 school year): •

Senior Cooper Anderson, a 2026

SJU Tennis

•

Junior Finn Dolezal, an economics major.

•

Sophomore Alex Draeger, a computer science major.

•

Junior Taylor Duncan, a global business leadership major.

•

Freshman Andrew Eckmann, major undeclared.

•

Sophomore Sam Wolden, an accounting major.

•

In addition, five SJU players earned 2024-25 Winter and Spring Academic All-MIAC honors.

Athletes must be a sophomore, junior or senior academically with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale to qualify for Academic All-MIAC recognition.

Transfers, like freshmen, must complete a full academic year to be eligible the following season. Athletically, players must be a member of a MIAC-sponsored varsity team and be academically and athletically eligible. The 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 Johnnie tennis players honored were Anderson (3.54 GPA), Dolezal (3.94 GPA), Draeger (3.85 GPA), Duncan (3.54 GPA) and Wolden (3.67 GPA).

The Academic All-MIAC honor was the third for Anderson and the second for Dolezal and Duncan.

Anderson, Draeger, Duncan and Wolden were also named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team.

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legacy of success

98

YEARS OF HISTORY AS A PROGRAM

5

MIAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

5

ALL-AMERICAN SELECTIONS (SINGLES AND DOUBLES)

3

SJU J-CLUB HALL OF HONOR INDUCTEES

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Here, Your Sport Doesn’t Define You – It Amplifies You

Athletics at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s isn’t just stats and PRs. It’s self-discipline and perseverance and time management and friendships for a lifetime. It’s another tool for student success. And results show it’s a powerful one.

Are you ready to compete as a Bennie or a Johnnie? Come take a closer look – schedule a campus visit today!

tennis Facilities

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

The Donald McNeely Spectrum

Sta-Fit Tennis Dome Sta-Fitʼs tennis dome in nearby Sartell 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.

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Since its construction in 1998, the Donald McNeely Spectrum has been the primary indoor home for Saint Johnʼs University track and field. The 60,000-square-foot facility, designed by Ellerbe Becket Architects, features an eight-lane, 200-meter track. The facility has been upgraded in recent years, including the installation of new video and record boards prior to the start of the 2024 season.

The tennis portion is named in honor of Dr. Lian Chang by her spouse, Paul Winter ʼ61, 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 at Texas Womanʼs University before completing her residency in psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

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An analytical mind helping lead SJU's Draeger to success on the tennis court Alex Draeger has long had an interest in sports analytics.

Part of that comes from growing up as a coachʼs kid. The Saint Johnʼs junior is the son of Matthew Draeger, the head girls tennis and boys basketball coach at Litchfield High School.

Alex, a three-sport standout for the Dragons himself, played for his father and grew up watching him break down film and put together lineups.

“It just fits my personality,” he said. “I love getting into the details of stuff, and Iʼve always been interested in basketball and the numbers side of it. One of the first things I do each morning when I wake up is check the box scores from the NBA the previous night to try and get a feel for how things are doing.

“Part of that, no doubt, comes from being a coachʼs kid – sitting in on film sessions, seeing all the detailed, arranged stuff he did. I was really fascinated by that.”

That analytical mindset has also helped Draeger on the tennis court, where he has developed into an AllMIAC performer for the Johnnies.

As a sophomore a year ago, he finished with a 16-4 record in singles play, the most singles wins in the program since Fabricio Moncada ʼ13 went 20-6 in 2013. He and classmate Sam Wolden also joined forces as a doubles team for the first time, finishing 11-7 and earning all-conference honors.

“The great thing about playing with Sam is that weʼre good friends off the court, too, so we each know what the other is thinking most of the time,” said Draeger, who, like Wolden, was paired with a senior in doubles play their freshmen seasons.

“We both learned a lot our first year playing with guys who had been through all this before and getting the chance to watch how they approached things. That 2026

SJU Tennis

helped a lot, too. But I connected with Sam before we even got here. We played in a doubles tournament together before our freshman year and I got to know him really well. Weʼve both played a lot of tennis and we approach things the same way.”

That approach has proven effective, especially for Draeger, who head coach Jack Bowe said is expected to start the season at No. 1 singles.

“He came on really strong last season and I think heʼs ready to make that step up,” Bowe said. “Alex has probably one of the best returns in the MIAC. He has such good hands. He reads the ball so early and he has great instincts.”

DRAEGER

Off the court, Draeger is majoring in computer science, which he hopes will help prepare him for an analytic career in the sports field.

“I had the chance to sit down with some of the guys who do analytics for the Timberwolves, and they told me coding and that kind of stuff is really helpful to know if I want to get into their field,” Draeger said.

“Thatʼs kind of what drew me to my major.”

Draeger also works in the sports information office at SJU – another way heʼs trying to set up his future professional path.

“Jack (Bowe) connected me with (SJU SID) Ryan (Klinkner),” Draeger said. “He knew this is the field I wanted to get into, so he reached out and got me an interview. I really like what Iʼm doing.

“Anytime you can work around sports, itʼs great.”

Of course, tennis is the sport Draeger is focused on most. And he said his interest in analytics comes in handy there as well.

“Iʼm actually going through things and breaking them down in my head during a match,” he said. “Like if Iʼm missing a few backhands in a certain spot, I try to process what Iʼm doing and what I need to change up. What are the things I need to avoid doing to prevent getting into a bad spot again.

“So it really does help.”

And after poring over the data, Draeger believes SJU has a chance to compete with some of the MIACʼs top contenders this season.

“Our goal is to get back in the conference playoffs,” said Draeger, whose team hasnʼt done that since 2023. “Thatʼs a realistic goal. We have some top guys returning and some younger guys who have gotten a lot better. We know who the usual suspects are, and if we play as well as weʼre capable of, we feel like we can be up there, too.”

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PROUD SPONSOR AND CONTRACTOR FOR JOHNNIE ATHLETICS

tennis in the sju j-club Hall of honor Tom Arth ʼ66, 2019 J-Club Distinguished Service Award Winner Arth – who passed away in 2023 – was a standout tennis player at St. Paulʼs Cretin High School before graduating in 1962. He then came to Saint Johnʼs where he was not only a top player, but the student head coach as well.

ARTH

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.

“Thereʼs such great tradition and longevity here,” said Arth in 2019. “Iʼve known some of these coaches for so long."

Lou Adderley ʼ55 (Inducted 2022) Adderley had played some tennis prior to arriving at Saint Johnʼs University as a ADDERLEY freshman from The Bahamas in 1951.

He hadnʼt 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 ʼ58, a tennis teammate during Adderleyʼs senior season in 1955 when he was not only a star player, but the teamʼs head coach. “We only had outdoor courts back then, but in the winter, he used to practice on the handball courts at Saint Johnʼs. 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.”

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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. Benetʼs Hall, youʼd hardly expect him to be any kind of an athlete,” wrote future U.S. Sen. 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 Augustineʼs 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 nationʼs history, but on some of the countryʼs future leaders as well.

Todd Schlorf ʼ90 (Inducted 2025) Todd Schlorf first turned heads as part of a St. Cloud tennis scene just starting a SCHLORF decade-long boom that culminated in 1991 when Tennis Magazine ranked the community the No. 1 tennis town in the nation.

"It really was a magical time to grow up in St. Cloud as a tennis player," Schlorf recalled. "There were so many opportunities I was able to take advantage of. There was the Augusta Tennis Club out by I-94. I spent a lot of time there over the years. My brother (Jay, also a former player at SJU) owned it at one point.

2026

SJU Tennis

"There was a company in town called Bankers Systems, which was owned by Bill Clemens (who made numerous donations to SJU and the College of Saint Benedict over the years). He was a huge sports enthusiast, and he sponsored a traveling junior tennis program. So 20 boys and 20 girls would get on buses and go to tournaments in the Twin Cities. (Current CSB and SJU head coach) Jack Bowe was one of our coaches."

Schlorf thrived in that environment, fine-tuning his game for the high school level at St. Cloud Tech, where he helped lead the Tigers to Class 2A state titles in 1983 and ʼ85.

led the Johnnies to the national tournament as a team in 1990 – the first and only time in program history thatʼs happened.

He continues to play tennis and has qualified for nationals in the 55-and-over age group.

"The first tournament I ever played in was the 10-and-under division," he said. "Now I play 55-and-over. In a few years, if my legs and body hold up, Iʼll be playing in the 60s. I donʼt plan to stop anytime soon.

"I still enjoy the game and I have a lot of fun out there."

Then it was off to Saint Johnʼs where he where he won MIAC singles titles as both a freshman and senior and earned fourstraight berths in the NCAA Division III tournament (though he only accepted three).

He was a two-time All-American singles selection and a one-time doubles selection with partner Craig Herold. In addition, he

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a sense of connection Thatʼs what Saint Johnʼs University junior Cole Stencel enjoys most about life in Collegeville.

The connection the physics major on a pre-engineering track feels with his professors and peers in the classroom, the connection he feels with his coaches and teammates on the Johnniesʼ cross country and track and field teams, and the connection he feels to the natural beauty that surrounds him each and every day.

“We talk a lot about community here, but itʼs really true,” Stencel said. “This is a very tight-knit place. You get to know everyone really well and you form lasting relationships. Itʼs also a very outdoorsy college, which is something I really enjoy.

There are lakes right outside your door.

There are acres and acres of woods and trails. I donʼt know of any other campus that has this many natural resources.” entails. The more I got to know about it, the more it appealed to me.”

Stencel said the individual attention he gets from his professors at SJU is helping prepare him for future success.

“I feel really comfortable here,” he said. “Thereʼs a big sense of belonging.

Thereʼs a lot of one-on-one time with the faculty. If I have a question, I feel like I can go to any of my professors and talk it over with them. That means a lot.”

A Maple River High School graduate, Stencel made the deanʼs list last semester and is also involved in SJU Campus Ministry.

“They really encourage you to get involved in the community here and thatʼs a good thing,” Stencel said. “Campus life makes up such a big part of the college experience.

Iʼve met so many people who I know are going to be my friends for a lifetime.”

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Stencelʼs interest in engineering springs from his father, Jay, a civil engineering instructor at South Central College in Mankato.

“Thatʼs how I first got acquainted with the field and the concepts,” said Stencel, who plans to attend graduate school, then pursue a career in the mechanical engineering field. “He was the one who told me to check out the kind of jobs that are available and everything engineering

But Stencel said his SJU experience would likely not have been possible were it not for the assistance scholarships have provided. He currently receives the John Drahmann Memorial Scholarship, as well as an academic achievement and alumni referral scholarship.

“That helped cut my bill more than in half right away, which made coming here so much more achievable,” he said.

“I just want to say thank you to all the donors who make it possible for students like me to be immersed in this amazing college experience. Without them, I wouldnʼt be here. So Iʼm extremely grateful.”

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