MIAC Release

FARMINGTON, Minn. – Six Saint John's University soccer student-athletes earned MIAC honors when the conference announced its 2026 awards on Monday, Nov. 9. 

Freshman defender Billy Cornett (Minneapolis, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall), freshman forward Jacob Oliver (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) and sophomore forward Eli Ryan (Victoria, Minn./Minnetonka) were named All-MIAC, while freshman midfielder Ethan Brown (Lakeville, Minn./Rosemount) was All-MIAC honorable mention.

A pair of freshmen forwards - Soren Benson (Brainerd, Minn./Lake Region Christian) and Grady Monette (Andover, Minn.) - were named to the MIAC All-Playoff team.

Ryan, who as an MIAC All-Playoff team selection last fall, played eight of the 10 league games and still led the MIAC with six assists in conference play. He is currently third in NCAA Division III in assists per game (0.68) and fourth in total assists (13), and is third on the team with 19 points (3g/13a).

Cornett started all 10 MIAC games and collected five points (2g/1a) in a team-leading 826 minutes played on the back line. Overall, he is tied with fellow freshman defender Aidan Buckneberg (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Southwest) for the team lead in game-winning goals (3), is tied for third with seven goals and is fifth in points (17). Cornett leads team with 1,712 minutes played and is 3-for-3 on penalty kicks.

Oliver led the MIAC in points (17) and shots on goal per game (1.6) and was second in both goals (6) and assists (5) in 10 conference games. He is currently second in the league in goals (10), points (26) and shots on goal (29) overall.

Brown tallied two goals in conference play and has a balanced five goals and six assists, including two game-winners, in 22 games this fall. He is second on team with 1,517 minutes played.

Benson was third on the team in both goals (3) and points (8) in conference play. Overall, he is tied for third on the team with Cornett with seven goals and is fourth in points (18). Benson tallied the Johnnies' second goal in the 3-2 quarterfinal win over Augsburg and put SJU on the scoreboard first in the 2-1 semifinal victory at Gustavus Adolphus. He has three goals in the Johnnies' last five games.

Monette finished second in the MIAC in shots per game (2.67) and fifth in both points (10) and goals (4) in conference play. He currently leads the MIAC in shots (63) and shots on goal (32), and is third in assists (9) and points (25) when all games are considered. Monette tallied an assist on the eventual game-winning goal against Augsburg and again on the game-winner in overtime at Gustavus. He then scored the game-tying goal in Saturday's MIAC playoff championship game. Monette has a point in each of SJU's last five games for a total of 11 (4g/3a) during the span.

As a team, No. 22 SJU led the MIAC in goals (28), goal differential (+2.00), shots (200) and corner kicks (75) in league play.

The Johnnies have set program records for wins (17-2-3 overall), goals (75), assists (83) and points (233) so far this fall. SJU finished third in the MIAC with a 7-2-1 record and advanced to the MIAC playoff championship, where it tied No. 1 St. Olaf 1-1 before falling via penalty kicks.

SJU earned one of the 22 at-large bids to the 64-team 2026 NCAA Division III Tournament and hosts the first two rounds this Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15, at Haws Field in Collegeville.

The NCAA announced the bracket this morning (Nov. 9).

This Weekend's Schedule
Saturday's First Round
11 a.m.: No. 22 Saint John's vs. Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.)
1:30 p.m.: No. 21 North Park (Ill.) vs. Whitman (Wash.)

Sunday's Second Round
1 p.m.: Friday's winners

Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for students (college-age 13) and $5 for children (ages 3-13). Children ages two and under are free.

Each of the 16 regionals' winners advance to the tournament's second weekend of competition Nov. 20-22. The Final Four is scheduled for Dec. 3 and 5 at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

The Johnnies are making their fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the first since 2005, head coach Tudor Flintham's senior season at SJU.

Saturday's first-round game is the Johnnies' first at home in the NCAA tournament since Nov. 12, 1989 (a 2-1 loss in overtime to UC-San Diego).