D3football.com Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – A program-record nine Saint John's University student-athletes were named to the 2021 D3football.com All-Region 6 teams on Wednesday, Dec. 8.

Senior wide receiver Ravi Alston (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Vista Murrieta), junior tight end Alex Larson (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge), senior center Nick Neumann (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) and junior defensive lineman Michael Wozniak (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) were named to the first team. Senior tackle Tyler Johnson (Willmar, Minn.), senior linebacker Kyle Kornovich (Rogers, Minn.), senior defensive lineman Seth Morem (Red Wing, Minn.) and senior running back Henry Trost (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) were named to the second team. Senior defensive lineman Metoriah Faoliu (Wildomar, Calif./Vista Murrieta) was named to the third team.

All nine Johnnies earned All-MIAC first-team honors Nov. 23. 

The Johnnies have now had 49 All-Region honorees over the last seven full seasons.

The first SJU wide receiver to be named the MIAC Most Valuable Player since 2003 (Blake Elliott), 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 an Associated Press All-American in 2019 and a consensus preseason All-American in both 2020 and 2021. He ended his career sixth in program history in receptions (153) and eighth in receiving yards (2,350) in only 25 games played (2019 and 2021 seasons). Alston's average of 94.0 receiving yards per game is an SJU record.

The All-Region honor is also the second straight for Neumann, who is 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.).

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.

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). 

Morem was the co-recipient of the MIAC Mike Stam Award as the conference's top defensive or offensive lineman. He finished second on the team in tackles for loss (15), sacks (8.5) and quarterback hurries (6), and was third in total tackles (53). Morem ended his career with 25 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 40 games played.

Johnson started all 12 games at left tackle in 2021, his first competitive season on the offensive line. He caught two passes, both for touchdowns, as a tight end in 2019, but put on 30 pounds and transitioned to offensive tackle for 2020-21.

Kornovich started all 12 games at linebacker and led the Johnnies in interceptions (2) and pass breakups (6) this fall. He finished second on the team in solo tackles (37) and total tackles (65), and also totaled 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and four quarterback hurries.

Trost played 11 of the 12 games and rushed for 796 yards and 18 touchdowns on 143 carries (5.6 avg.). Of the 11 games played, Trost played the full game or into the fourth quarter in only four of them. He suffered a torn labrum in the second quarter of SJU's 31-25 win over then-No. 12 Bethel on Sept. 25 and ended the regular season 10th in Division III in scoring (11.6 ppg.), 11th in rushing touchdowns (17) and 13th in both points scored (102) and total touchdowns (17). The 18 rushing touchdowns are the fifth-most in an SJU season and his 33 career rushing scores are tied for fourth in program history.

Faoliu started all 12 games at nose guard and finished third on the team in tackles for loss (11) and sacks (4), and fourth in total tackles (49), in 2021. He also collected four quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

The D3football.com All-America teams are scheduled to be released prior to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the NCAA Division III Championship game, on Friday, Dec. 17.

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.