COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The reigning Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) champion Saint John's University football team reports to Collegeville this Wednesday, Aug. 14. 

The Johnnies, who are ranked No. 3 nationally in three preseason forecasts, are scheduled to hold their first practice at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, in Clemens Stadium. A tentative preseason practice schedule is listed below. 
 
A roster of over 190 student-athletes is expected to report this week for seventh-year head coach Gary Fasching '81, including 14 starters from last year's 12-1 (8-0 MIAC) team. Two of those starters are returning All-Americans and 2019 preseason All-Americans, senior quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) and senior guard Dan Greenheck (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall).

SJU won its MIAC-record 33rd conference title and made its 29th postseason appearance (25th in Division III), advancing to the national quarterfinals, last fall. The Johnnies ended the 2018 season ranked in the NCAA Division III's top 10 in nine statistical categories: first in team passing efficiency (186.59), third in both fumble recoveries (17) and takeaways (35), fourth in least tackles for loss allowed per game (3.69), fifth in scoring offense (47.5 ppg.), sixth in turnover margin (+1.38 tpg), seventh in first downs (295), ninth in scoring defense (11.1 ppg.) and 10th in total offense (491.8 ypg.). 

The Johnnies open the 2019 season with a 1 p.m. kickoff Sept. 7 at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wis. SJU's first of five regular-season home games is also Family Weekend, Sept. 21 vs. Gustavus Adolphus.

2019 SJU Football Preseason Practice Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 15 – 2:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 16 – 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 17 – 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 18 – 2:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 19 – 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 20 – 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 21 – 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 22 – 9:30 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 23 – 2 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 24 – 10 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 25 – No Practice
Monday, Aug. 26 – 4:30 p.m. (first day of classes)
Tuesday, Aug. 27 – 4:15 p.m. (begin normal practice schedule)

*practice times are subject to change