Preseason Top 30 Release | Starting Lineup Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - The Saint John's University football team was ranked No. 6 by College Football America Yearbook in the publication's NCAA Division III Preseason Poll released Sunday evening, July 25. Individually, senior wide receiver Ravi Alston (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Vista Murrieta) was named to the College Football America Yearbook's Preseason Starting Lineup (preseason All-America first team) for the second consecutive year.

Mount Union (Ohio) claimed the poll's top ranking, followed by Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), North Central (Ill.), Wisconsin-Whitewater and Wheaton (Ill.). Bethel was the MIAC's other representative at No. 21.

SJU was ranked No. 6 by another preseason publication, Lindy's, and Alston was named to its preseason All-America second team in June.

Alston finished the 2019 season with 88 receptions for 1,444 yards and 13 touchdowns, including 36 catches for 554 yards and five touchdowns in SJU's four postseason games. The 1,444 receiving yards were third-most in Division III and fell 40 yards shy of the program's single-season record of 1,484 (Blake Elliott '03 in 2002). In addition to the College Football America Yearbook distinction a year ago, Alston was also named to Lindy's first team and the D3football.com preseason All-America second team in 2020.
 
The Johnnies begin the 2021 season against Aurora (Ill.), a rematch of the wild 51-47 shootout win (pictured above) in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Division III playoffs, at 1 p.m. Sept. 4 in Clemens Stadium. The game will be SJU's first in 630 days and one of five at home out of the schedule's first six this fall.