COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - It's not often that the Saint John's University football, basketball and wrestling teams are all competing at home on the same day.

But that's exactly what will happen on Saturday, Nov. 9 - a scheduling confluence that provided an opportunity Ryan Thissen wasn't about to let slip away.

Which is why the senior wing on the SJU basketball team approached Jake Schwinghammer, a senior linebacker on the football team, and D.J. Myles, a senior linebacker in football and a standout wrestler, to propose the three sports join forces and organize a winter clothing drive in cooperation with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

"It's our season opener," said Thissen, whose team takes on Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 5 p.m. that day in Sexton Arena. "The same for wrestling, and it's a big regular season game for football. So we know there's going to be a lot of people there."

Those fans will find donation bins set up in Clemens Stadium, where the Johnnies will play host to St. Olaf at 1 p.m., and in Sexton Arena for the basketball game, which will be followed by SJU wrestling's season opener against Nebraska Wesleyan at 7 p.m. in the Donald McNeely Spectrum.
 
Those planning to attend any or all those events are asked to donate new or gently-used winter clothing items – such as hats, gloves, coats, boots and snow pants – for families in need in the greater Central Minnesota community.
 
"In the times we live in, we need love and support for one another more than ever," said Thissen, a multi-time All-MIAC selection who has been among SJU's leading scorers the past three seasons. "There can be such a big divide between people these days, but just taking simple action to help others who need it can really bring communities together."
 
Schwinghammer said the idea originally started off as a coat drive, but the athletes wanted to open it up to a wider range of winter clothing options.

"We felt like coats might be too big an expense for some people and we wouldn't get enough," said Schwinghammer, who ranks among SJU's leading tacklers. "So we decided on asking for all winter clothes, which allows for a wider range of expense. But people still need hats and gloves too.

"The timing to do something like this was perfect with all three sports playing," he continued. "It made so much sense."
 
Myles - who will play football that day but isn't likely to wrestle – said service to the community and helping others are values woven into the tapestry of athletics at SJU.
 
"It's something we try and foster here," he said. "Whether it be raising money at different events throughout the year, or the Kids Fighting Hunger food-packing event that all the teams take part in each March.
 
"It's a way to remind ourselves that our impact doesn't have to be limited to the field, court, mat or pool. It can be much greater than that."
 
The trio has been working with Liz Hamak, a 2024 College of Saint Benedict graduate who is now the volunteer coordinator for emergency services with Catholic Charities.
 
Hamak said efforts like this go a long way toward keeping enough winter clothing in stock for those who need it this winter.
 
"It's especially important for kids at school," she said. "We want to make sure they have adequate clothing for being outside at recess and other times. We always need more winter clothing and drives like this make a big difference.
 
"Athletics at SJU has such a huge pull, and it's really cool to see the athletes themselves taking the initiative to do something like this."