MIAC Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's senior quarterback Aaron Syverson (Minnetonka, Minn.) was named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, Gary Fasching '81 was named the MIAC John Gagliardi Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his 12-year tenure and 19 Johnnies earned a program-record 20 All-MIAC honors when the 2024 MIAC Football Awards were announced on Monday, Nov. 25. Two others were All-MIAC honorable mention.

In addition to Syverson, the other 18 Johnnies honored were as follows:

-Junior safety Noah Arneson (Independence, Minn./Orono);
-Senior punter Spencer Ell (Morristown, Minn./Bethlehem Academy);
-Senior center Charlie Folkens (Rogers, Minn.);
-Senior defensive lineman Zach Frank (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial);
-Senior defensive lineman Landon Gallagher (Murieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta);
-Junior tight end Joey Gendreau (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka);
-Senior defensive lineman Isaac Hetland (Osakis, Minn.);
-Freshman cornerback Westin Hoyt (Forest Lake, Minn.);
-Senior guard Nick McKenzie (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer);
-Senior Marselio Mendez (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall), as both a receiver and returner;
-Sophomore linebacker Aiden McMahon (Maple Grove, Minn.);
-Senior kicker Conor Murphy (Sioux Falls, S.D./O'Gorman);
-Senior offensive tackle Grant Peroutka (Rosemount, Minn.);
-Senior linebacker Hayden Sanders (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park);
-Junior cornerback Blake Simonson (Waconia, Minn.);
-Junior running back Caden Wheeler (Andover, Minn.);
-Junior wide receiver Dylan Wheeler (St. Paul, Minn./Mounds View);
-Senior linebacker Cooper Yaggie (Breckenridge, Minn.).

The All-MIAC honor is the third-consecutive for Syverson and Yaggie, and the second for Arneson, Ell, Frank, Murphy, Peroutka and Sanders.

SJU led the MIAC with the 20 All-MIAC selections, followed by Bethel (17), Concordia (7) and Gustavus Adolphus (5).

Senior defensive lineman Joe Akoh (Hugo, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) and sophomore running back Will Blakey (St. Paul, Minn./Central) were All-MIAC honorable mention.

Syverson played all eight conference games and led the MIAC in every passing statistic for the second-consecutive season: completions (213), attempts (286), completion percentage (.745), passing yards (2,953/369.1 ypg.), passing touchdowns (36) and pass-efficiency rating (199.95). He set MIAC records (conference games only) for passing yards per game (369.1), 300-yard passing games (7), consecutive 300-yard passing games (6) and 400-yard passing games (3). Syverson broke the MIAC's single-season record with 37 passing touchdowns in 2023.

Overall, Syverson ended the regular season as the NCAA Division III leader in completion percentage (.765); second in completions per game (26.7), passing yards per game (355.9), passing touchdowns (43), points responsible for per game (26.4) and total offense (355.0 ypg.); fifth in passing efficiency (200.5); and ninth in yards per pass attempt (10.2). He passed for over 300 yards in eight of the 10 games this fall, including three over 400, and for five or more touchdowns five times with seven games of four or more. Syverson directed SJU to points on 63.1 percent of his possessions (63.9 percent in MIAC play), totaling 432 points in 273:17 played (4.19 points per possession, 1.6 points per minute). He completed 78.3 percent (94-for-120) of his passes for 1,105 yards and 11 touchdowns (to two interceptions) in three wins against nationally ranked teams (then-No. 4/now No. 10 Wartburg and then-No. 24/now No. 21 Bethel, twice).

Syverson owns the program and MIAC records for pass completions (919), passing yards (12,065) and touchdown passes (139), as well as the SJU marks for completion percentage (.689), passing yards per game (309.4), total offense (12,177 yards) and 300-yard passing games (18). He is second in SJU history in career pass attempts (1,333) and third in both passing efficiency (175.0) and quarterback wins as a starter (35-4 record).

Fasching led SJU to an 8-0 MIAC record and its MIAC-record 37th conference title, its fifth in the last six seasons. The Johnnies are making their 33rd postseason appearance (29th in Division III) and the current 10-0 record serves as the program's 26th 10-win season. Fasching currently boasts a 109-19 (.852) record, including a 78-10 (.886) mark in MIAC play.

The All-MIAC honor is the first for Mendez and Dylan Wheeler, who both were All-MIAC honorable mention last fall. Wheeler was a two-time MIAC Offensive Player of the Week and led the MIAC in scoring, both in touchdowns (16) and total points (96), and finished fifth in receptions (54) and sixth in receiving yards (821) in conference games. Overall, Wheeler ended the regular season second in Division III in receiving touchdowns (19), eighth in total touchdowns, 10th in receptions per game (7.5) and 16th in receiving yards (1,065). The 19 receiving touchdowns are second-most in program history, three behind the record of 22 set by Blake Elliott '03 in 2002.

Mendez achieved All-MIAC distinction as both a receiver and returner after he led the conference in all-purpose yards per game (164.6) and with an average of 17.9 yards per catch, among those with 30 receptions or more, in league play. He finished third in the league in receiving yards (857), tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (10) and eighth in receptions (48). Mendez is currently second on the team in all three receiving categories – catches (56), yards (935) and touchdowns (12) – and averages 146.9 all-purpose yards per game, which is good for 13th in Division III. He leads the Johnnies with 23 catches of 20 yards or more and seven of his 10 touchdowns covered 20+ yards.

Among MIAC tight ends, Gendreau led the conference in receptions (43), tied for first with four receiving touchdowns and was second with 500 receiving yards in league play. He is currently third on the team in catches (50), receiving yards (616) and receiving touchdowns (4) overall.

Caden Wheeler missed the Johnnies' first two games of the season due to a broken foot (Jones fracture) suffered in August, but returned and took the conference by storm before he suffered a season-ending injury Oct. 26 vs. Gustavus Adolphus. At the time, Wheeler was leading the MIAC in rushing – 456 yards and three touchdowns on 76 carries (6.0 avg.) – and averaged 117.2 yards from scrimmage (rushing + receiving) in five games thanks to an addition 18 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Folkens, McKenzie and Peroutka were stalwarts on the line for an SJU offense that led the MIAC in total offense (523.1 ypg.) - for the sixth-consecutive season - and passing offense (384.8 ypg.) for the second-straight year in conference play. The 384.8 passing yards per game were a new program record, surpassing last year's 375.6 yards per MIAC game. Peroutka has started the Johnnies' last 35 games on the offensive line, including each of the last 10 at right tackle. Folkens, meanwhile, has started each of SJU's last 25 games at center and McKenzie the last 20 at left guard (24 overall).

A two-time All-MIAC (2022 and 2024) and honorable mention (2021 and 2023) selection, Murphy led the MIAC in scoring - among kickers - with 64 points and made PAT's (49), and tied for third with five made field goals (5-for-6). He is 61-for-63 on PAT's and 5-for-7 in field-goal attempts so far this fall in all  games. The program's all-time leader in made PATs with 236, Murphy is fourth in made field goals (23) and fifth in points scored (305).

Ell finished third in the MIAC with a 39.8 average on 19 punts, including six inside the 20-yard line in conference play. He has a 39.3 average on 21 punts overall this season and a 38.1 mark on 126 career punts.

The Johnnies' defense tied with Bethel for the conference lead in scoring offense (14.6 ppg.) and finished second the other three main statistics in conference play: total defense (259.6 ypg.), rushing defense (55.1 ypg.) and passing defense (204.5 ypg.). The 55.1 rushing yards per league game was the least allowed since 1998 (43.0 ypg.).

Yaggie and McMahon tied for the team lead with 53 total tackles each in conference play and both linebackers also totaled 5.5 tackles for loss apiece. Yaggie led the Johnnies with 32 solo tackles and totaled 1.5 sacks, an interception, six pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. He leads SJU in solo tackles (34), is tied for the team lead in quarterback hurries (4) and is second in both total tackles (59) and pass breakups (6) this season. He cracked SJU's all-time list for career solo tackles at No. 10 with 115 on Nov.  16.

McMahon collected three sacks and an interception in MIAC play and currently leads the team in tackles with 63 (28 solo), including 7.5 for a loss and five sacks.

Sanders was a two-time MIAC Defensive Player of the Week this fall and posted 46 tackles (19 solo), including 6.5 for a loss and two sacks in league games. He is tied for the team lead with 10.5 tackles for loss overall, including 4.5 sacks, and is third with 58 total tackles.

Hetland tied for second in the MIAC with seven sacks in conference play and was ninth with eight tackles for loss to lead SJU. Frank was right behind in a tie for sixth in the league with 5.5 sacks and tied for 10th with 7.5 tackles for loss. Both linemen had three quarterback hurries apiece. Overall, Frank is tied with Sanders for the team lead with 10.5 tackles for loss and leads the Johnnies with eight sacks. Gallagher collected three tackles for loss and two sacks in seven MIAC games.

Arneson ended the MIAC schedule second on the team in solo tackles (25) and fourth in overall tackles (38). Hoyt tied for third in the MIAC with three interceptions in league play and broke up five other passes, while Simonson led the conference in both passes defended (10) and pass breakups (8) in league games.

Blakey tied for second in the MIAC with eight rushing touchdowns in conference play and rushed for 288 yards on 66 carries (4.4 avg.). He has 10 rushing touchdowns in 10 games overall with 398 yards on 83 rush attempts (4.8 avg.).

Akoh registered two tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and batted down two passes in MIAC play.
 
No. 3/4 SJU hosts No. 18/19 Wisconsin-La Crosse (8-3, 5-2 WIAC) in the second round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs at noon Saturday, Nov. 30, in Clemens Stadium.