MIAC Release

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Saint John's sophomores Ronan O'Connor (Woodbury, Minn./Hill-Murray) and Thomas Theising (Minneapolis, Minn./Wayzata) were named the MIAC Men's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Athletes of the Week, respectively, on Monday, Nov. 3.

The weekly honor is the third of the season for O'Connor, who helped SJU (12-4-3, 5-4-1 MIAC) to a pair of road wins and its first playoff appearance since 2023 with nine points (4g/1a) in the two games. He scored a hat trick against Saint Mary's, scoring the first, third and fourth goals in a 5-1 win on Oct. 28. He also assisted the game-winner and had a chance for four goal in a game but missed his second PK attempt of the day. He also scored the game-winner and the only goal in a 1-0 victory at Hamline on Nov. 1. 

His performance last week enabled him to take sole possession of the single season scoring record with 20 goals, passing the record set by Ken Potts in 1974. His 50 points (20g/10a) are also second-most in a season behind Potts' 56 in '74.

Theising backstopped an SJU defense that held the opposition to just one goal and three shots on goal. He also scored the first goal of his collegiate career – a game-winner at Saint Mary's – and tallied three shots in 41 minutes on Oct. 28. He added an assist on O'Connor's goal at Hamline.

The sixth-seeded Johnnies travel to face third-seeded No. 6 Augsburg in the MIAC quarterfinals at 5 p.m. tonight (Monday, Nov. 3) at Edor Nelson Field in Minneapolis.