AFCA Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University senior linebacker Jake Schwinghammer (Woodbury, Minn./Tartan) was one of 22 student-athletes across all divisions of college football named to the 2024 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the award, which was established in 1992 to recognize a select group of college football players who have made a commitment to service and enriching the lives of others.

Schwinghammer is one of four honorees from the NCAA Division III level – joining running back Aaron Ellingson of Bethel, offensive lineman Matt Wrather of John Carroll (Ohio) and linebacker Thomas Grehan of Johns Hopkins (Md.).

Schwinghammer is the eighth Johnnie to be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the seventh in the last eight seasons – joining wide receiver Jimmy Buck '23, defensive lineman Michael Wozniak '22, quarterback Chris Backes '21, offensive lineman Ben Bartch '20, quarterback Jackson Erdmann '19 and wide receiver Will Gillach '19. Defensive end Kevin McNamara '07 was the first SJU student-athlete to receive the honor in 2006. The full list of SJU's honorees and nominees is below.

Over the summer, sports information directors from Division I, Division II, Division III and NAIA schools across the country submitted nominations of players they felt best embodied the spirit of the Good Works Team award. A voting panel was faced with a list of 178 nominees that was narrowed down to the 22 student-athletes and an honorary coach, Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman, named to the team.

The 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be invited to New Orleans to participate in a special community service project ahead of the 2025 Allstate Sugar Bowl, where the entire team will also be recognized on the field at halftime on New Year's Day.

Schwinghammer is currently tied for second on the team with nine tackles (six solo), including 1.5 for a loss, through the season's first two games. He started all 10 games last fall and finished fifth on the team in tackles (53, 32 solo), including 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries. The Johnnies' defense finished second in the MIAC in all four statistics in conference play: total defense (275.0 ypg.), rushing defense (65.9 ypg.), passing defense (209.1 ypg.) and scoring defense (17.1 ppg.). He has 75 tackles (43 solo), including 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 25 career games.

Off the field, Schwinghammer is in his first year serving as the president of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University's St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Club on campus, taking over for 2023 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member Jimmy Buck '23. The club holds bi-weekly meetings and contacts businesses to partner with for fundraising events. He is in his fourth year overall raising money for St. Jude's and is also the president of SJU Football's St. Jude committee. Schwinghammer co-captained the team's efforts with Buck and raised over $63,000 in 2023.

He is the co-founder and vice president of the Johnnies and Bennies in Communities (JBIC) Club, which was established in February 2024. The club's goal is community service with local organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and Feed My Starving Children, as well as elderly groups.

Schwinghammer studied abroad in London during Spring 2024 and spent eight weeks from March-April working at a school that consisted of only adult students with special needs through an internship with Caritas Westminster. He worked hand-in-hand with the students by teaching classes, handling finances and day-to-day operations, as well as learning to communicate with deaf students via sign language and translating for students in Spanish. The goal of the school is to integrate the students into the community and help them reach their full potential. 

Schwinghammer is a biochemistry major (pre-medicine emphasis) with a 3.33 GPA. From May 18-26 (2024), he was in Guatemala as a medical volunteer (left). He worked in medical clinics, providing free health care to the underprivileged residents who came from near and far (some from hundreds of miles away) for services. Schwinghammer spent time translating and speaking Spanish for his peers and doctors, as well as issuing diagnoses and treatments directly with the patients. He intends to take the EMT course offered by CSB/SJU in Spring 2025 to achieve his certification.

No. 6/7 SJU (2-0 overall) returns to the field following its bye with the MIAC opener at No. 24 Bethel on Saturday, Sept. 28. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Arden Hills.

SJU's Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominees/Honorees Since 2006
2024 - Linebacker Jake Schwinghammer '25 (Allstate AFCA Good Works Team)
2023 - Wide Receiver Jimmy Buck '23 (Allstate AFCA Good Works Team)
2022 - Defensive Lineman Michael Wozniak '22 (Allstate AFCA Good Works Team)
2021 - No Nominee 
2020 - Quarterback Chris Backes '21 (Allstate AFCA Good Works Team)
2019 - Offensive Lineman Ben Bartch '20 (Allstate AFCA Good Works Team)
2018 - Quarterback Jackson Erdmann '19 (Allstate AFCA Good Works Team)
2017 - Wide Receiver Will Gillach '19 (Allstate AFCA Good Works Team)
2016 - Linebacker Carter Hanson '17 
2015 - Offensive Lineman Ben Brown '16 
2014 - Offensive Lineman Alex Jarosz '15 
2013 - Running Back Colin Moynihan '14 
2012 - Running Back Stephen Johnson '13 
2011 - Defensive Back Andrew Rotschafer '11 
2010 - Linebacker John Stanton '10 
2009 - No Nominee 
2008 - Running Back Jeff Schnobrich '09 
2007 - No Nominee 
2006 - Defensive Lineman Kevin McNamara '07 (Allstate AFCA Good Works Team)