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Saint John’s won its MIAC-record 37th conference championship and made its 33rd postseason appearance (29th in Division III) in 2024. The 10-win season was the program’s 26th. The Johnnies return 12 of 23 starters from a year ago (six on offense, six on defense) and need to replace both on special teams. SJU was ranked No. 4 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Preseason Top 25 poll and No. 5 in D3football.com’s Preseason Top 25 poll this summer.
Minnesota-Morris, meanwhile, finished fourth in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) with a 4-3 record (5-5 overall) last fall. The Cougars were picked to again finish fourth out of six teams in last month’s UMAC preseason coaches’ poll. UMM suffered a 17-16 loss at Concordia-Chicago last Saturday (Sept. 6) in its 2025 season opener. The Cougars had a first-and-goal on the CUC 5-yard line, but had to settle for a 15-yard field goal to increase their lead to 16-10 with 1:32 remaining in the game. ConcordiaChicago responded by going 62 yards on four plays in 27 seconds to score the game-winning touchdown – and critical extra point – with 58 seconds left.
Today’s game is the sixth meeting between SJU and Minnesota-Morris on the football field, but the first since 1977 (a 16-3 home win for Morris). The series is tied at 2-2-1. The Johnnies are 11-2-1 all-time against current UMAC members: Crown (1-0), Martin Luther (2-0) and Northwestern (6-0).
Saint John’s University and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame will jointly honor 2025 College Football Hall of Fame electee Blake Elliott ʼ03 with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments®, at halftime of today’s game. A 2019 inductee into the SJU J-Club’s Hall of Honor, Elliott joins his head coach, SJU’s legendary John Gagliardi, in the College Football Hall of Fame. Gagliardi, who was inducted in 2006, is college football’s all-time wins leader and the namesake of the Gagliardi Trophy, presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division III. Elliott is the first College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the Division III level since John Carroll linebacker
London Fletcher – a 16-year veteran of the NFL – earned the honor in 2019.
The Melrose, Minn., native ended his career with three NCAA playoff records, two MIAC records and 29 SJU receiving records. Elliott, who was also a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy in 2002, was invited to play in both the AFCA Aztec Bowl and Hula Bowl following the 2003 season. His NCAA all-divisions record for consecutive games played with a reception (47) was not broken until 2008. He finished his career second all-time in all NCAA divisions in catches (327) and second in NCAA Division III in touchdown receptions (56). Elliott posted 369 receptions for 4,826 yards and 63 touchdowns in his career, as well as rushing for 744 yards and eight touchdowns on 109 carries (prior to the 2002 season, the NCAA did not recognize playoff-game stats in season or career totals). Elliott was just as dangerous on special teams, totaling 3,065 yards and seven touchdowns on 195 returns, kickoff and punt combined.
Three Johnnies – senior defensive lineman Zach Frank (Lino Lakes, Minn./ Centennial), senior tight end Joey Gendreau (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) and senior wide receiver Dylan Wheeler (St. Paul, Minn./Mounds View) – were named to the D3football.com Preseason All-America first team on Aug. 18.
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6’3” 270 lbs DL
CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL
What were the reasons you chose to come to Saint John’s?
The amazing community here, education and career preparation, and growth in my faith.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an athlete and how did you overcome it?
Tearing my meniscus in 2022. I overcame it by taking it day-by-day and doing all the right things to rehab.
17
6’3” 190 lbs WR
MAPLE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
Clemens Stadium. Even when we aren’t practicing or playing, the vibes just looking around are always immaculate.
What is something about you most people may not know?
I can speak French.
5’11” 175 lbs DB
WACONIA HIGH SCHOOL
What is your best memory from your time on campus – in football or otherwise?
Making the game-winning interception in the MIAC Championship Game (against Bethel) last year.
If you were lost in the woods, which teammate would you most want with you and why?
(Senior linebacker) Andrew Molenaar. I don’t know why, but I feel like I can trust him with my life.
6’3” 295 lbs OL
ST. THOMAS ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL
What is something about you most people may not know?
I have a twin sister.
Cats or dogs and how come?
Dogs because they are a man’s best friend. Cats just like to hide from you.
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6’0” 210 lbs LB STILLWATER HIGH SCHOOL
What is something about you most people may not know?
I was in Chess Club in middle school.
What teammate would you most want riding shotgun on a cross-country road trip and why?
(Senior tight end) Joey Gendreau. We’ve ended up on some pretty sweet trips together. A road trip sounds like something inevitable to be added to that list.
6’0” 180 lbs WR
ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL
What were the reasons you chose to come to Saint John’s?
The great balance between school, sports and social life.
What is something about you most people may not know?
I used to have pet gerbils named Salt and Pepper.
BY FRANK RAJKOWSKI
James Herberg had a good thing going as the head coach at Rocori High School where the Cold Spring native led the Spartans to the Class 4A state title in 2019 and a state runner-up finish in 2023.
So he wasn’t about to leave all that for any old job.
But when an opportunity opened up at Saint John’s University this past offseason, the fit was too perfect to pass up.
“Coaching at the college level has always been a goal I’ve had in the back of my mind,” said Herberg, who joined the Johnnie coaching staff last May as a defensive assistant working with the team’s secondary.
“I’ve always wanted to do it. But family is really important to me and I didn’t want to uproot us at this point in our lives. I told my wife there were really only one or two jobs I’d make the jump for. But when I had the chance to come to Saint John’s, it
was a no-brainer. I’ve had the chance to get to know (head coach) Gary (Fasching) and he values a lot of the same things I do. I’ve always had an enormous amount of respect for the coaching staff he’s put together here and the way they operate.”
Fasching, too, saw Herberg as a natural fit in Collegeville.
“I’ve had the chance to watch James as a head coach for a while now, and I was always impressed with the way his teams played,” Fasching said. “You can see he coached his players the right way.”
Herberg - who also helped lead Rocori to the 2011 Class 4A state title as a defensive assistant – joins a list of successful Central Minnesota high school coaches who have signed on in Collegeville over the years.
That starts with Fasching himself, who led St. Cloud Cathedral to Class B (old classification) titles in in 1992 and ’93 before joining then-head coach John Gagliardi’s staff in 1996.
But it also includes names like the late Dean Taylor, who spent decades as the head coach at Sartell (leading the Sabres to a Class A state title in 1994) before spending eight seasons as a Johnnie assistant, and Jim Mader, who led Albany to 15 state tournament appearances and won a pair of state titles before
going on to a long run as an assistant under both Gagliardi and Fasching.
On the current staff, Andy Auger served as the head coach at Cathedral for three seasons (2013-15) and was an assistant at the school for another 10.
“These are talented athletes, but also quality human beings who excel in the classroom and on the field.”
“It’s important to bring in very good coaches to work with our players,” Fasching said. “And you get the chance to add a great coach like (Herberg), who is also a great person, you jump at it.”
Herberg said things have been going great so far.
“It’s been incredible,” he said. “I’m coaching really amazing players, but they all want to get so much better. These are talented athletes, but also quality human beings who excel in the classroom and on the field.”
Former SJU star Blake Elliott to be inducted into College Football Hall of Fame this December
According to the National Football Foundation, more than 5.78 million student-athletes have played college football since the first recognized game on Nov. 6, 1869.
But only a select few (1,111 players and 237 coaches to be exact) have earned induction to the College Football Hall of Fame.
It’s an incredibly difficult bar to clear, especially if you played at a smaller school – far from the bright lights of the Big Ten, SEC and other traditionally recognized power conferences.
Which makes Blake Elliott’s induction extra special.
The former SJU All-American wide receiver – who finished his career ranked second all-time at all levels of NCAA football in receptions and second in Division III history in touchdown catches - first appeared on the ballot in 2014 and gradually picked up support with each passing year.
This past January, Elliott ’03 finally got the call – joining a 2025 induction class that also includes coaching icons like Nick Saban and Urban Meyer, and such former standout players as Michael Strahan, Michael Vick and former Vikings tight end Jim Kleinsasser.
“It’s pretty surreal to see your name mentioned on a list like that,” said Elliott, who will be officially inducted during the 67th National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9 at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
“Those guys are not only all-time greats, but they’ve gone on to do amazing things in their post-playing days. You can’t turn on TV these days without seeing Michael Strahan (who is part of the FOX NFL Sunday pregame show and also hosts ABC’s Good Morning America). Michael Vick just became a head coach (at Norfolk State). It’s pretty lofty company to be in.”
But company in which Elliott belongs.
After sitting out the 1999 season due to an injury suffered in the preseason, the Melrose High School graduate earned a starting spot at wide receiver in 2000, recording 60 catches for 967 yards and 14 touchdowns as part of an offense that also boasted high-powered receiving threats in senior wide receiver Jeremy Forsell ’01 and senior tight end Nate Kirschner ’01.
His efforts helped lead the Johnnies all the way to the national championship game before falling 10-7 to Mount Union (Ohio) on a last-second-field goal.
By the following year, Elliott was firmly established as the Johnnies’ go-to guy offensively – earning both All-MIAC and All-America honors for the first of three seasons in a row. The 2002 season was particularly impressive as he piled up 1,484 yards receiving and 22 touchdown catches – both of which still stand as single-season school records.
He set a total of 29 school marks during his career, many of which remain his to this day. His NCAA all-divisions record for consecutive games played with a reception (47) wouldn’t be broken until 2008. And his 4,826 career receiving yards and 63 career touchdown catches remain SJU and MIAC records.
“He’s the best Division III player I’ve ever seen,” said Ryan Keating ’03, SJU’s starting quarterback in 2001, part of 2002 (before a season-ending broken arm) and all of 2003.
“I know there have been other fantastic players who have gone on to great success. But Blake was as good as they come when it came to making things happen on the field. He was a oncein-a-generation kind of playmaker.”
“With blake, we’ve learned to expect the unexpected”
And 2003 proved a once-in-a-generation season for both Elliott and the Johnnies.
After returning for a fifth year on a medical redshirt, Elliott finished the season with 117 catches for 1,319 yards and 13 touchdowns – coming up huge when it mattered most. That included a thrilling 50-yard kickoff return to set up the game-winning touchdown in a dramatic 29-26 win over Bethel that sealed an MIAC title and moved legendary SJU head coach John Gagliardi past Eddie Robinson atop college football’s all-time victory list.
Elliott finished that game with 15 catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns before a crowd of 13,107 at Clemens Stadium, with around 100 members of the Minnesota and national media gathered to chronicle the occasion.
“With Blake, we’ve learned to expect the unexpected,” Gagliardi said of him that season. “He’s made a lot of amazing plays.”
“All players are equal, but some are more equal than others. He’s good. He’s very good.”
He proved that again a few weeks later against Mount Union in the national championship game when he rushed for a game-breaking 51-yard touchdown in the
third quarter despite battling a hamstring injury. SJU went on to win 24-6, snapping the Purple Raiders’ record 55-game winning streak. Elliott – who began seeing time in the backfield during the postseason in an effort to find new ways to get the ball into his hands – was named the game’s outstanding player. He finished the day with 11 carries for 110 yards and caught five passes for 51 yards.
“That win was no fluke, you know,” Elliott said. “We may have been the underdogs, but we’d been knocking at the door for three seasons before that. And in every aspect of the game – offense, defense, special teams – we were more dominant that day.”
“It’s an individual award, but it’s also an opportunity to again shine the spotlight on Saint John’s football, and that’s what makes me most happy.”
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13th SEASON as head coach
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
Kole Heckendorf is in his eighth season as SJU’s offensive coordinator and his 13th 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.
Additional Coaching Staff
Josh Bungum ’16 Quarterbacks
Will Blakey Running Backs
Mike Magnuson ’90 ................... Offensive Line
Ben Eli ’16 ..................................... Offensive Line
college football history retired following the 2012 season.
Since that time, Fasching has guided the Johnnies to six MIAC titles and led his team to eight-straight NCAA Division Ill playoff berths from 2014-’22 (no season in 2020) – a program 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.
Brandon Novak is in his 26th 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 Ill national championship 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.
Max Jackson ’19 Defensive Assistant
James Herberg Defensive Backs
Collin Franz ’21 .......................... Defensive Line
Andy Auger ’95 ..................................... Defense
He has since been named MIAC coach of the year seven times (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2024). 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.
Damien Dumonceaux is in his 20th 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 2003-’04, earning AllAmerican 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.
Tom Wicka ’90
Alexi Johnson ’17
Isaiah Traufler ’24 ............................. Tight Ends
0 JOEY GENDREAU Sr. TE 6-3 230 SHOREWOOD, MINN./MINNETONKA
1 TREY FEENEY Jr. QB 6-3 205 MOORHEAD, MINN./MOORHEAD
2 X’ZAYVION CLAYTON Fr. QB 5-11 165 FLORIDA CITY, FLA./SOUTH DADE
2 DYLAN WHEELER Sr. WR 6-2 195 ST. PAUL, MINN./MOUNDS VIEW
3 ZANDER DITTBENNER Sr. QB 6-0 200 MANKATO, MINN./WEST
4 RILEY SCHWELLENBACH Jr. WR 5-9 160 WOODBURY, MINN./EAST RIDGE
5 JOEY MOBERG Sr. WR 5-10 200 ST. PAUL, MINN./JOHNSON
6 THOMAS JACOBS Jr. WR 5-10 170 LAKELAND, MINN./STILLWATER AREA
7 MASON DELZER So. RB 6-1 210 SPICER, MINN./NEW LONDON-SPICER
8 COREY BOHMERT Jr. RB 5-10 175 MAHTOMEDI, MINN./MAHTOMEDI
9 BROCK HOLTHAUS Fr. WR 5-10 180 MONTICELLO, MINN./MONTICELLO
9 LUCAS JANSKY Sr. QB 6-1 200 KIMBALL, MINN./KIMBALL AREA
10 SAM NOLAN Jr. WR 6-0 185 LAKEVILLE, MINN./NORTH
12 REECE DAWSON So. QB 6-3 215 ROGERS, MINN./ROGERS
15 QUINTON MENDOZA Fr. QB 6-1 180 WHITTIER, CALIF./DIAMOND BAR
16 CARSON HEGERLE So. WR 6-2 190 WEST FARGO, N.D./WEST FARGO
17 FAARIS AMEGANKPOE Sr. WR 6-3 190 MAPLE GROVE, MINN./MAPLE GROVE
19 OWEN AMRHEIN Sr. WR 5-11 185 WACONIA, MINN./WACONIA
20 CARSON GELLERMAN Fr. TE 6-3 200 BECKER, MINN./BIG LAKE
21 LOGAN EISELE So. RB 6-0 205 BECKER, MINN./BECKER
23 DYLAN KIRCHNER Jr. RB 6-0 200 ANDOVER, MINN./ANDOVER
24 WYATT MCCABE So. RB 5-10 190 MAYER, MINN./WATERTOWN-MAYER
25 TAKHI VAUGHN Sr. RB 5-10 180 EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN./EDEN PRAIRIE
26 CADEN CHAPMAN So. RB 5-9 190 MILFORD, IOWA/OKOBOJI
27 CADEN WHEELER Sr. RB 5-10 200 ANDOVER, MINN./ANDOVER
28 ANDREW FLATEN So. RB 5-9 195 ALEXANDRIA, MINN./ALEXANDRIA
30 HENRY SIEVERS Fr. K/P 5-9 160 MAPLE GROVE, MINN./MAPLE GROVE
31 LUKE BIENIEK Fr. RB 5-11 180 HOLDINGFORD, MINN./HOLDINGFORD
32 ANDY BECKER So. RB 5-10 210 KIMBALL, MINN./KIMBALL AREA
33 SEDRIC MELVIN JR. Fr. RB 5-8 200 HOMESTEAD, FLA./SOUTH DADE
34 TYLER HOHEISEL Jr. RB 5-11 190 MONTICELLO, MINN./MONTICELLO
36 LANDON HUBER Fr. K/P 6-2 230 LAKELAND, MINN./STILLWATER AREA
37 WIL GOLDSCHMIDT Fr. RB 5-7 180 WACONIA, MINN./WACONIA
38 NICK BUBOLTZ Fr. P 6-1 215 DETROIT LAKES, MINN./DETROIT LAKES
39 KEEGAN KNUTSON Fr. WR 5-10 170 RED WING, MINN./RED WING
40 JUDE MENDEZ Fr. RB 5-9 175 ODESSA, TEXAS/HOLY CROSS
42 ANDREW TAVALE Fr. RB 5-11 210 ST. JOSEPH, MINN./SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN
43 MAVERICK HARPER So. RB 5-11 200 LINO LAKES, MINN./CENTENNIAL
44 TANNER DAVIS Fr. RB 6-1 210 MINNETRISTA, MINN./HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC
45 ISAAC HUNTER Fr. RB 5-8 180 STILLWATER, MINN./STILLWATER AREA
46 CARTER PORTER Fr. WR 6-0 190 SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF./PACIFIC
47 JACKSON BRAXTON Fr. WR 6-0 190 SHAKOPEE, MINN./SHAKOPEE
50 BEN HAGEN Fr. OL 5-11 290 NEW RICHLAND, MINN./WASECA
51 BARRETT VAN DEUN Jr. OL 6-1 285 OMAHA, NEB./MILLARD WEST
56 EDDIE REECE Sr. OL 6-5 250 HUDSON, WIS./HILL-MURRAY
58 ISAAK NOWAK Jr. OL 6-3 280 ANDOVER, MINN./ANDOVER
59 SULLY WEIBEL Fr. OL 6-0 295 CAMBRIDGE, MINN./CAMBRIDGE-ISANTI
60 IAN DEGROSS Sr. OL 6-3 290 ELKO, MINN./NEW PRAGUE
61 BILLY SALEH Fr. OL 6-3 330 CORAL GABLES, FLA./LASALLE
63 JOE VASCELLARO Sr. OL 6-3 295 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN./ST. THOMAS ACADEMY
64 HUNTER NETHING So. OL 6-3 295 ELK RIVER, MINN./ELK RIVER
65 AIDEN DE OLIVEIRA Fr. OL 6-3 285 MIAMI, FLA./BELEN JESUIT
66 JASON ELLIS Fr. OL 6-2 320 LOXAHATCHEE, FLA./CARDINAL NEWMAN
67 GENO BIETER Fr. OL 6-5 250 ST. PAUL, MINN./CRETIN-DERHAM HALL
68 JOEY NELSON So. OL 6-5 280 CHANHASSEN, MINN./CHANHASSEN
69 HENRY ANDERSON So. OL 6-2 300 EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN./EDEN PRAIRIE
70 ALEX MARKGRAF Sr. OL 6-0 270 ST. MICHAEL, MINN./ST. MICHAEL-ALBERTVILLE
71 THOMAS GRAVES So. OL 6-3 290 ST. PAUL, MINN./CRETIN-DERHAM HALL
72 JACOB LOPAU So. OL 6-7 305 ST. JOSEPH, MINN./ROCORI
73 DIEGO HURTADO So. OL 5-11 250 CHANDLER, ARIZ./HAMILTON
74 ETHAN LINCOLN Jr. OL 6-3 285 SCANDIA, MINN./FOREST LAKE
75 JOSH QUIRK So. OL 6-1 270 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN./EDINA
77 MIKEY OFTEDAHL So. OL 6-2 305 MINNETRISTA, MINN./MOUND-WESTONKA
78 MICHAEL BOUGIE Jr. OL 6-5 310 SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN./CRETIN-DERHAM HALL
79 LAKLEN VOGEL Fr. OL 6-3 285 COLD SPRING, MINN./ROCORI
80 HUGO LOHMANN Fr. TE 6-2 215 EXCELSIOR, MINN./CHANHASSEN
81 MICHAEL BECKIUS So. WR 6-0 190 NEW PRAGUE, MINN./NEW PRAGUE
82 RYAN WARFORD Jr. WR 6-0 190 WOODBURY, MINN./CRETIN-DERHAM HALL
83 ANDREW SCHAFFER Jr. WR 6-1 195 CHASKA, MINN./CHASKA
84 E.J. HOSTY Jr. TE 6-7 210 CHICAGO, ILL./FENWICK
85 LOGAN JOHNSON Fr. WR 6-0 185 ST. PAUL, MINN./MOUNDS VIEW
86 CADE BERG Jr. WR 6-5 190 PLYMOUTH, MINN./ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG
87 WILLIAM NASH Fr. WR 6-1 160 ST. PAUL, MINN./ST. THOMAS ACADEMY
88 CHARLIE PLUM Sr. TE 6-4 230 INVER GROVE HTS., MINN./CRETIN-DERHAM HALL
89 ANDREW HARREN Jr. TE 6-5 230 RICE, MINN./SAUK RAPIDS-RICE
90 MATT HANSEN Jr. K/P 5-11 150 LONGMONT, COLO./NIWOT
91 JARON CALVERT Fr. K/P 5-11 210 ELK RIVER, MINN./ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL
0 MARK ROGALSKI So. DB 6-0 205 EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN./ST. THOMAS ACADEMY
1 JACK ST. FLEUR Sr. DB 6-0 210 SAN DIEGO, CALIF./CHRISTIAN UNIFIED
2 NOLAN DUMONCEAUX So. DB 6-1 200 FOREST LAKE, MINN./FOREST LAKE
3 LOGAN SUGGS So. DB 5-10 190 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN./TOTINO-GRACE
4 WILL PEROUTKA So. DB 5-11 175 ROSEMOUNT, MINN./ROSEMOUNT
5 LANDON DANNER So. LB 6-2 215 ROSEMOUNT, MINN./ROSEMOUNT
6 ISAAC POTTER Sr. LB 6-0 215 WASECA, MINN./WASECA
7 EVAN WAHLIN Sr. DB 5-11 185 SARTELL, MINN./ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL
8 PEYTON GOETTLICHER Jr. DB 5-11 190 MANKATO, MINN./WEST
9 WESTIN HOYT So. DB 6-1 200 FOREST LAKE, MINN./FOREST LAKE
10 BLAKE SIMONSON Sr. DB 5-11 175 WACONIA, MINN./WACONIA
11 TEDDY WACKMAN Fr. DB 6-2 190 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN./SPRING LAKE PARK
12 DAYLEN CUMMINGS So. DB 6-0 190 LINO LAKES, MINN./CENTENNIAL
14 A.J. FIDER Fr. DB 5-10 180 EXCELSIOR, MINN./MINNETONKA
14 ALEX HARREN Sr. LB 6-2 210 RICE, MINN./SAUK RAPIDS-RICE
15 CHARLIE KING So. DL 6-6 265 FARIBAULT, MINN./BETHLEHEM ACADEMY
16 CADEN RENSLOW Jr. DB 6-1 195 INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MINN./SIMLEY
17 VINCENT PYNE Jr. DB 6-0 185 ROSEMOUNT, MINN./ROSEMOUNT
18 WILL SEYMOUR So. DB 6-1 175 NEW PRAGUE, MINN./NEW PRAGUE
19 ADAM SCHAVEY Jr. LB 5-11 200 WINNEBAGO, MINN./BLUE EARTH AREA
20 HUDSON POOLE So. DB 5-10 165 EXCELSIOR, MINN./MINNETONKA
21 NICK WILTON Fr. DB 6-1 180 HOMESTEAD, FLA./SOUTH DADE
22 ANDREW LIPKE So. LB 6-3 215 STEWART, MINN./HUTCHINSON
22 CHARLIE RYKS Sr. DB 6-0 195 MAPLE GROVE, MINN./BRECK
23 AIDEN MCMAHON Jr. LB 6-1 220 MAPLE GROVE, MINN./MAPLE GROVE
24 JOHN HAWKINS Sr. DB 6-0 180 ST. CLOUD, MINN./CATHEDRAL
25 ZACHARIAH HUNTER Sr. LB 6-0 210 STILLWATER, MINN./STILLWATER AREA
27 JADEN ALEXANDER Fr. DB 5-9 160 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN./DELASALLE
28 JOHN KARKULA Fr. DB 6-2 210 LAKE ELMO, MINN./STILLWATER AREA
29 KADEN PRONGA Fr. DB 6-0 180 CHANHASSEN, MINN./CHANHASSEN
30 DARBY BOELTER So. DB 5-10 185 CROSSLAKE, MINN./PEQUOT LAKES
30 WILL DIANA So. LB 6-1 220 EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN./EDEN PRAIRIE
31 MASON MCKELVY So. LB 6-1 195 AUSTIN, TEXAS/WESTLAKE
32 AARON BAISLEY Fr. LB 6-0 210 COLD SPRING, MINN./ROCORI
33 REID FIALA Fr. LB 6-4 220 DUVALL, WASH./CEDARCREST
34 KOOPER JOHNSON Fr. DB 5-9 170 REDWOOD FALLS, MINN./REDWOOD VALLEY
35 TYLER SMITH Fr. DB 6-1 190 CARVER, MINN./CHANHASSEN
36 GRIFFIN MURRAY Fr. DB 6-0 180 JORDAN, MINN./HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC
37 ZACH HELFMANN Jr. LB 6-2 240 ST. LOUIS PARK, MINN./ST. LOUIS PARK
41 QUINN LUNDGREN Fr. LB 6-0 210 PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA./CARDINAL NEWMAN
42 BRADYN KOST Fr. LB 6-0 205 SAUK RAPIDS, MINN./SAUK RAPIDS-RICE
43 CAMPBELL KUIPER Fr. LB 6-1 220 PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WIS./ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC ACAD.
44 ANDREW MOLENAAR Sr. LB 6-0 220 SHOREVIEW, MINN./MOUNDS VIEW
46 SEAN JAMISON Fr. LB 6-3 180 CHERRY HILL, N.J./CHERRY HILL
48 ANDREW
57
59
62
ROGERS, MINN./ROGERS
TIMMY LAWAL
6-1 210 ST. CLOUD, MINN./CATHEDRAL 82 CHARLES SWALL Fr. DL 6-1 215 LOS ALTOS, CALIF./BELLARMINE COLLEGE PREP 84 ROCCO HOWES Fr. DL 6-4 205 WHEAT RIDGE, COLO./HOLY FAMILY 85 BRADEN SOTIS So. DL 6-1 220 TEMECULA, CALIF./LINFIELD CHRISTIAN 86 TIM JOHNSON So. DL 6-2 250 ELK RIVER, MINN./ELK RIVER
88 ALEX WIMMER So. DL 6-1 230 ANOKA, MINN./ANOKA
89 MELVIN WALLACE Fr. DL 6-0 240 LINO LAKES, MINN./CENTENNIAL
90 LANDON GALLAGHER Sr.
MURRIETA, CALIF./VISTA MURRIETA
OTSEGO, MINN./ROGERS
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
MINN./AUSTIN
12 DYLAN SHAFER WR 5-11 175 Sr. DEER ISLAND, ORE./ST. HELENS
13 DOMINIC GARZA DB 5-10 180 Fr. RUPERT, IDAHO/MINICO
14 HAYDEN CHARBONEAU QB 6-2 210 So. BARNUM, MINN./BARNUM
15 ORION KNAKMUHS WR 6-0 185 Sr. WALNUT GROVE, MINN./WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE
17 ESTEN SCHLIMGEN QB 5-11 195 Fr. MITCHELL, S.D./HANSON
18 AIDAN MATTAIR LB 5-11 185 Fr. MURTAUGH, IDAHO/MURTAUGH
19 CHRISTIAN DAVIS K 6-1 170 Fr. PHILADELPHIA, MISS./CHOCTAW CENTRAL
20 JORDAN JOYCE DB 5-8 175 Fr. LYNNWOOD, WASH./MEADOWDALE
22 JUAN “JT” GARZA DB 6-4 185 Jr. RUPERT, IDAHO/MINICO
23 BRENTON OVERALL LB 5-11 195 Jr. KUNA, IDAHO/MELBA
24 COLE LAITINEN RB 5-11 190 Fr. BARNUM, MINN./BARNUM
25 OSCAR WEAH JR. RB 5-9 185 Fr. WARWICK, R.I./BISHOP HENDRICKEN
26 SEAN-KELEY CHINANGA RB 5-9 185 So. WOODBURY, MINN./EAST RIDGE
27 ETHAN STEEL LB 5-11 215 So. PORCUPINE, S.D./LAKOTA TECH
28 NICK BRANDNER DB 5-11 205 Jr. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN./ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG
29 DYLAN YOUNG DL 6-2 235 Jr. LITTLE FALLS, MINN./LITTLE FALLS
30 DERRICK DOHMEN LB 5-9 190 So. INVER GROVE, MINN./SIMLEY
31 JACKSON VIEMEISTER DB 5-11 185 Fr. COLD SPRING, MINN./ROCORI
33 SAMUEL O’ROURKE JR. LB 6-0 205 Jr. PINE RIDGE, S.D./LAKOTA TECH
34 DEREK HOGLIN RB 5-11 175 Fr. PILLAGER, MINN./PILLAGER
35 TREVER COCKERILL P 5-8 225 Fr. KALISPELL, MONT./KALISPELL GLACIER
36 EVAN RYDBERG RB 5-10 175 Fr. IRONTON, MINN./CROSBY IRONTON
37 HABEN NEGUSE K 6-0 160 So. WORTHINGTON, MINN./MINNESOTA WEST CC
41 RUSTEN HATCH LB 6-2 195 Fr. GRACE, IDAHO/NORTH GEM
43 SALVADOR OROZCO LB 6-0 190 Jr. LONG PRAIRIE, MINN./LONG PRAIRIE-GREY EAGLE
45 GREGORY OHMAN LB 5-10 205 Sr. LAKE NEBAGAMON, WIS./NORTHWESTERN
46 DORION SOLARES DL 5-11
91 BRENNAN JOHNK
COACHING STAFF
HEAD COACH: MARTY HOFFMANN (EIGHTH SEASON)
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: HUNTER GLENN (FIFTH SEASON)
DEFENSIVE LINE COACH: NATE GEHLEN (SEVENTH SEASON)
OFFENSIVE LINE COACH: VICTOR LOPEZ (FIRST SEASON)
WIDE RECEIVERS COACH: ETHAN TANG (FIRST SEASON)
LINEBACKERS COACH: SAM ROLLE (THIRD SEASON)
DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH: JOHN ROLAND (FIRST SEASON)
Once again this season, the Saint John’s football team will be teaming up with former longtime KARE-11 TV anchor Randy Shaver to battle cancer.
Since Gary Fasching took over the Johnnies head coaching job in 2013, the team has joined other colleges and high schools across Minnesota in designating a game to raise money to benefit the Randy Shaver Cancer and Research Community Fund.
This year, that game will be SJU’s Homecoming matchup against Augsburg on Sept. 27 at Clemens Stadium. Donations collected at the game, and money SJU players raise on their own, will go to fund research, prevention, treatment and other programs related to cancer that supports the community's needs. Already, though, Tackle Cancer T-shirts are available for purchase, including at today’s game in the tailgate lot and at the entrances to the stadium.
And donations can be made via Venmo by using the QR code on this page.
It’s a cause that’s deeply personal for Fasching, who lost his sister Rita to brain cancer in 2019, and to many of his players as well. Fasching and his wife, Cindy (who lost her mother and a sister to cancer), also sit on the Shaver Fund advisory board.
“We take great pride in raising money for such an important cause,” Fasching said. “Cindy and I both have family members we’ve lost to cancer. So have many of our players. Every year, when I ask our guys how many of them know someone who’s been impacted by cancer, every hand goes up. So this is something that affects almost all of us.”
Shaver himself is a survivor of bouts with both Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and prostate cancer. Since 2012, his Tackle Cancer campaign has raised over $4.1 million to support those with cancer in Minnesota –including over $635,000 in 2024 alone.
This year, the goal is $650,000.
“Having been on the inside of this through being on the board, I’ve seen the impact
these donations have,” Fasching said. “So much progress is being made.”
SPONSOR AND CONTRACTOR FOR JOHNNIE
John Gagliardi made an immediate impression in the fall of 1953 when the legendary head football coach led Saint John’s to its first MIAC title in 15 years during his debut season as the Johnnies’ head coach.
Bill Braun was one of the players who helped make that possible.
A native of Melrose, Braun was one of the team captains that season – and the senior education major stood out at the end position on both sides of the ball.
It was Braun who hauled in a 51-yard touchdown pass from Jim Lehman for the Johnnies’ first touchdown in a stunning 21-7 victory over Gustavus before a crowd of over 2,500 in Collegeville on Sept. 26 of that year, snapping the Gusties’ 21-game conference winning streak.
It marked the signature victory of Gagliardi’s first season and the Associated Press dubbed it the “upset of the decade in the MIAC.”
Not bad for a group of players still adjusting to a head coach they weren’t yet sure what to make of.
“When John first came aboard that spring, he was young and we all wondered what we had here,” Braun said in a 2023 interview. “But he turned out to be just an outstanding coach.
“It’s amazing all that he went on to accomplish.”
Indeed, Gagliardi went on to spend 60 seasons in Collegeville and finished his career with 489 career victories - the most of any coach in college football history.
But Braun –who alongside teammates Dick Coy and Casey Vilandre earned Catholic AllAmerican honors that season – helped get things started.
After graduating from SJU, he and his wife Georgia moved to Ely where he taught and coached for 36 years. The couple had 11 children and Braun remained an Ely resident until his death last September at the age of 92.
Through it all, his passion for football remained strong.
“The Boundary Waters canoe trips with friends and co-workers from Ely Memorial during the summer were a relaxing break from school, but he absolutely loved teaching and coaching football and was ready to get back to it every August,” read a line from his obituary.
Become a Bennie or a Johnnie and you’ll unlock the magic of today’s game day community, camaraderie and commitment to excellence to carry with you every day on campus. This is who we are.
Come take a closer look –schedule a campus visit today!
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 117 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-ʼ40, 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 per-game attendance in NCAA Division III in each of the last 21 seasons – including crowds of 10,000 or more 25 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 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.
When it comes to training, the right facilities are important.
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 full-core machines, and cardiovascular machines such as treadmills, ellipticals and exercise bicycles.
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 fulllength football field, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, two cross-court 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.
Fans of Johnnie athletics are among the most passionate in all of NCAA Division III.
That’s demonstrated year-round, but especially when it comes to the Go Johnnies Challenge.
The 24-hour, online giving campaign benefits the Saint John’s athletic department. Johnnie fans and supporters are encouraged to donate to the sport/s of their choosing and/or challenge their friends and former teammates with a matching gift.
This year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday (Sept. 16).
“The Go Johnnies Challenge is more than a day of giving – it’s a rallying point for everyone who believes in Saint John’s athletics,” said Adam Herbst, SJU’s executive director of university relations. “Your generosity fuels opportunities for
our studentathletes, sustains championship-level programs and ensures the Johnnie tradition of excellence thrives for years to come.”
Every gift of every size makes a difference and enhances the SJU student-athlete experience. One hundred percent of all gifts go toward the sport the donor chooses. Gifts can be made in advance, or day of, at gojohnnies.com/gjc25.
Last year, a total of 916 donors contributed $239,834 to support SJU’s student-athletes, athletic programs and the Fighting Saints Battalion (the ROTC program consisting of CSB and SJU and St. Cloud State students).
In all, the Go Johnnies Challenge has now raised $1.5 million for SJU athletics in the six-year history of the event.
“I want to thank Johnnies fans for their
incredible generosity in the past, and we hope to make the 2025 Go Johnnies Challenge even bigger and better than ever before,” SJU interim director of athletics Dan O’Brien said.
“The funds we raise together enable us to improve the overall studentathlete experience while continuing to strengthen each and every one of our athletic programs at SJU.”
For more information visit Go johnnies challenge @ gojohnnies.com/gjc
When Saint John’s and Minnesota-Morris clash this afternoon at Clemens Stadium, it will mark the first meeting between the two schools on the football field since 1977.
That ended a stretch in which the two teams met five times in nine years. The first matchup came on Nov. 9, 1968, in Morris and it was a big afternoon for SJU senior safety Tom Klein.
The St. Cloud Tech High School graduate picked off three passes that day, all near the goal line, as the Johnnies rolled to a 41-0 victory. The result was an upset as SJU entered the afternoon 5-4 overall, needing a win to avoid a .500 finish. The Cougars, though, entered play 7-0 – making them the state’s lone unbeaten small college program.
“I can’t remember all the details of that game because it was a long time ago, but I do remember we weren’t going anywhere because of our record, and we had a little extra motivation because of the way Morris had been touting theirs,” Klein recalled. “They were undefeated, and the icing on the cake for them was going to be taking down the mighty Johnnies. But they may have counted their chickens before they hatched a little bit.”
That attitude was reflected in the chilly reception St. Cloud Times sportswriter Dave Long reported Klein and his teammates
received from the crowd in advance of the season finale for both programs.
“Obscene signs, yells, gestures and a little garbage accompanied the Johnnies as they made their way onto the field,” Long wrote in his account of the game.
But the taunts only served to fire up the Johnnies. Minnesota-Morris took the opening kickoff and marched all the way to the SJU 32. But Klein picked off a pass from Cougars quarterback John Nordgaard at the 2-yard line, setting the stage for a 69-yard touchdown run by Bill Laliberte that put the Johnnies on top 7-0.
And they did not look back from there.
“This is as fired up as we’ve been in a long time,” Laliberte, who carried the ball 21 times for 219 yards, told the Times afterward. “We wanted this one badly to start with,
a tie with a number of other players for the second-most in a single game in school history. Only Paul Gans (vs. Augsburg in 2003) and Greg Thoma (vs. Carleton in 1992) had more with four each.
“I remember I really wanted one more interception because that would have been a school record at the time,” said Klein, whose son Erik went on to become an All-MIAC linebacker for the Johnnies. “But for me the real motivation was ending my career with a win. That was the culmination of all those years playing in high school and college. I was lucky enough to play on some great teams. We lost to Edina when I was a sophomore at Tech, then I didn’t lose another game until I was a sophomore at SJU. We didn’t lose another game the rest of the time in high school, then my freshman year at SJU (1965), we went undefeated and won a national title.
“That senior year had been a little down by Saint John’s standards. So we wanted to end things on a winning note.”
SJU again defeated Minnesota-Morris 46-14 at home on Sept. 7, 1974. But from there, the series largely belonged to the Cougars, who beat SJU 8-6 in 1975. The two teams tied 15-15 to start the 1976
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.
2
FOOTBALL
Invitational
SEPT. 13 vs. Minnesota-Morris (Blake Elliott Day)
SEPT. 20 @ Hamline
SEPT. 27 vs. Augsburg (Homecoming) GOLF
SEPT. 13-14 @ UW-Eau Claire Invite
SEPT. 20-21 vs. SJU Fall Invite
SEPT. 27-29 @ MIAC Championship
SOCCER
SEPT. 15 @ UW-River Falls
SEPT. 17 vs. St. Scholastica
SEPT. 20 vs. Bethel
SEPT. 27 @ Gustavus Adolphus SEPT. 30 vs. Augsburg SWIMMING & DIVING
SEPT. 27 vs. Alumni
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