By Frank Rajkowski, SJU Writer/Video Producer

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - For Michael Wozniak, the moment came early in the Saint John's University football team's 39-33 season-opening victory over Aurora (Ill.) on Sept. 4 at Clemens Stadium.

Aurora's All-American quarterback Gavin Zimbelman had his team on the move, but on 3rd-and-10 at the Saint John's 31, he dropped back to pass and was smothered by Wozniak and fellow defensive lineman Metoriah Faoliu (Wildomar, Calif./Vista Murrieta) for a loss of nine yards.

The sack forced an Aurora punt and brought the crowd of 8,688 in attendance to its feet.

"I saw the student section going crazy and the fans were so loud," Wozniak recalled. "It had been so long that I'd almost forgotten how many people actually come to these games and how much they get into it.

"To experience it right away in full force again made me realize how much I missed being part of that atmosphere."

It was indeed a long road to get back to that spot for the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Robbinsdale (Minn.) Armstrong High School graduate.

He turned the heads of the coaching staff as a freshman in 2018, appearing in seven games and recording seven tackles (2.5 for a loss). He earned a starting spot at defensive end heading into the 2019 season-opener at Wisconsin-Stout.

He started strong, dropping a Blue Devils ballcarrier for a loss on the first play the SJU defense was on the field. But in the process, he collided with teammate Danny Pietruszewski '20 and broke his left hand.

"I remember trying to push up off it and just collapsing," Wozniak said. "I stayed out there for the rest of that series, but it felt weird. After I came off the field, I went over to the trainers and, sure enough, it was broken.

"Right away, I thought I'd be out 4-6 weeks. But then I saw a specialist who told me that, because of how it was broken, if I broke it again I might never get full use of that hand back. So that was that. 

"I talked to (head coach) Gary (Fasching) and we agreed it would be best to sit out the rest of the season and wait until next year."

But next year never came. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 season. And though Wozniak was able to return to practice with his teammates, he didn't get the chance to show what he could do as a starter against opposing offenses.

"It took almost two full years to get back here and it was really hard," Wozniak said. "I know the coaches believed in me, but I got so sick of hearing the word 'potential' because potential means you haven't done it yet. This year was about actually showing what I could do and leaving potential behind."

Which is exactly what Wozniak has done. Now playing at a defensive tackle spot, he has recorded 26 tackles, including 13.5 for a loss, and an MIAC-best 9.5 sacks. Those efforts earned him a spot on the All-MIAC first-team defense announced Tuesday. 

He made himself at home in the opposing backfield during his team's 41-14 victory over Lake Forest (Ill.) in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs Nov. 20 at Clemens Stadium, recording six tackles – including 4.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks.

"We've always known he was going to be a really good player," said SJU defensive coordinator Jerry Haugen '76, who will take over as acting head coach for the Johnnies' second-round matchup against Linfield (Ore.) at noon Saturday in Clemens Stadium with head coach Gary Fasching recovering and in protocol after having tested positive for COVID-19.

"Even during his freshman year, he was already in our top group of defensive linemen. He's not the biggest guy in the world, but he's so fast. He uses his quickness to compensate for whatever he's lacking in size. He just has a knack for making plays."

Wozniak also excels away from the field. The double major in accounting and economics was a 2020 Academic All-MIAC pick (the honors were awarded even though there was no season) and earned College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District honors last week. And the past two seasons, he has also been a member of the SJU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

This past summer, he completed an internship working in mergers and acquisitions for Agiliti, a medical device company based in Bloomington, Minn.

"I'd love to wind up in investment banking or finance somewhere," he said. "Right now, I'm just trying to do as much networking as I can. That's one of the best parts about being at Saint John's – the network of alumni that are available to help you."

Technically, Wozniak has two years of eligibility remaining beyond this season because of a medical redshirt and the extra year all athletes were awarded due to the impact the pandemic had on the 2020-21 school year. But his plans are to return in 2022, then graduate.

Before that, though, there is the matter of completing a run in the Division III playoffs this fall. The Johnnies (11-0 overall) will face a steep challenge from the Wildcats (10-0), who are averaging 51.9 points and 503.4 yards per game. Linfield has been held under 40 points just once in 10 games and has scored 50 or more points seven times.

Wozniak said it will feel a little different with Haugen – a 46-year assistant coach with the program and the Johnnies' head baseball coach since 1978 – taking over the head coaching duties in Fasching's absence.

But he said his team will make the adjustment.

"It's going to be a little weird, but (Fasching) was able to Zoom into one of our team meetings, and it seems like he's feeling better," Wozniak said. "That's what matters most – his health and his well-being. It will be different not having him there, but I think we've all gotten used to doing things differently over the past year-and-a-half.

"In some ways, it gives us a little extra motivation. He's done so much for all of us. We want to get this win so he can get back and be on the sideline again for the next one."