AP Release | D3football.com Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Four Saint John's University football student-athletes earned All-America honors on Friday evening, Dec. 17.

Senior wide receiver Ravi Alston (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Vista Murrieta) and senior center Nick Neumann (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) were named to the Associated Press (AP) Division III All-America second team.

Junior defensive lineman Michael Wozniak (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) was named to the D3football.com All-America first team, while Alston earned third-team honors and junior tight end Alex Larson (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) was named to the fourth team.

The four awardees bring the total to 109 SJU football student-athletes who have earned All-America honors a total of 143 times. 

The AP All-America distinction was the second consecutive for Alston, who was also named to the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) All-America second team earlier this week (Dec. 14). D3football.com's All-Americans, as well as the 2021 Gagliardi Trophy recipient, were announced this evening prior to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Canton, Ohio. 

The first SJU wide receiver to be named the MIAC Most Valuable Player since 2003 (Blake Elliott '03), Alston played 11 of his team's 12 games and led SJU in receptions (65), receiving yards (906) and receiving touchdowns (9). The D3football.com All-Region selection is the second consecutive for Alston, who was a consensus preseason All-American in both 2020 and 2021. 

He ended his career tied for fourth in program history in 100-yard receiving games (9), sixth in receptions (153) and eighth in receiving yards (2,350) in only 25 games played (the 2019 and 2021 seasons). Alston's average of 94.0 receiving yards per game is an SJU record.

A two-time All-Region honoree, Neumann was a three-time All-MIAC first-team pick and started the Johnnies' last 44 games at center. SJU ended the regular season fourth in Division III in both first downs (266) and red-zone offense (.914/53-for-58), ninth in completion percentage (.685), 10th in both passing efficiency (172.2) and scoring offense (46.5 ppg.), 13th in fewest tackles for loss allowed (3.4 tflpg.) and 16th in total offense (482.5 ypg.).

Wozniak started all 12 games on the defensive line and finished with a team-leading 15.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, including 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in two NCAA playoff games. He totaled 30 tackles (20 solo), five quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Wozniak returned this year after suffering a season-ending hand injury on the first defensive play of the 2019 season - a tackle for loss - at Wisconsin-Stout. The Johnnies' defense ended the regular season third in Division III in red-zone defense (.435/9-for-22), 13th in scoring defense (11.0 ppg.), 18th in both defensive touchdowns (3) and fourth-down defense (.265/9-for-35), 19th in total defense (250.6 ypg.) and 20th in third-down defense (.288/38-for-130). 

The 6-foot-7 Larson played 11 of the 12 games and finished second on the team in receptions (33) and receiving touchdowns (8), and third in receiving yards (476). The eight receiving touchdowns were the fourth-most by a Johnnie tight end.

SJU (11-1, 8-0 MIAC) won its MIAC-record 35th conference title and made its 31st postseason appearance (27th in Division III) this fall.