Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University senior defensive lineman Michael Wozniak (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) was named one of the 68 finalists for the 2022 Cliff Harris Award, which is presented to the nation's top small-college defensive player, on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

Wozniak is one of the 21 finalists from NCAA Division III (26 from Division II and 21 from NAIA) and the lone representative from the Minnesota Intercollege Athletic Conference.

The 2022 Cliff Harris Award recipient will be announced Dec. 30 and honored Jan. 13 at the Little Rock (Ark.) Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet. In addition to the Cliff Harris Award winner, the top vote getter from each division will also be announced.

A unanimous 2022 All-American (Associated Press second team, American Football Coaches Association second team and D3football.com third team), Wozniak was also named a 2022 Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist and the 2022 MIAC Defensive Player of the Year this fall. The two-time All-MIAC pick started all 12 games at defensive end and finished with 43 tackles (18 solo), including 13.5 for a loss and nine sacks, as well as nine quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick. He totaled 20.0 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks over his last 14 games going back to the 2021 season and ended his Johnnie career with 31.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks in 32 games.

Harris played safety for 10 seasons (1970-79) with the Dallas Cowboys and appeared in five Super Bowls, winning two, and was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls.

SJU (10-2, 7-1 MIAC) won its fourth-consecutive conference championship - an MIAC-record 36th title overall - and made its 32nd postseason appearance (28th in Division III) this fall. The Johnnies were ranked as high as No. 6 nationally in the final Division III polls.