Saint John's Johnnies

Saint John's (SJU) has been in the MIAC since the 1920–21 academic year, and competes in 11 intercollegiate varsity sports, which are: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and wrestling.

The Johnnies finished the 2012 season second with a MIAC record of 14–6 and a total of 29 wins. This tied an SJU record for most wins in a season. The team also qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. This was the third time the Johnnies were able to claim the MIAC Playoff championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.gojohnnies.com/news/2013/2/25/BASEBALL_0225131715.aspx|title=Saint John's University – Season Preview: SJU Baseball Opens 2013 Campaign Tonight|work=Saint John's University|access-date=June 19, 2015}} The head coach, Jerry Haugen, has coached the SJU baseball team for 36 seasons with a career record of 665–567–5. He is in the top 25 on the NCAA Division III most winning active coaches win list.

SJU tied for fifth and played in the playoffs. The SJU basketball team ended the 2012–2013 season with a loss to Augsburg in the quarterfinal round of the MIAC playoffs. Their record for the season was 74–67. Three Johnnies earned All-MIAC recognition. The head coach of this team is Jim Smith, and he has a 755–535 career record. The 2013–2014 season will be his 50th season coaching the Johnnies.{{cite web|url=http://www.gojohnnies.com/news/2013/2/27/BASKETBALL_0227134048.aspx?path=mbball|title=Saint John's University – Marx Named All-MIAC, Kuck Earns All-Rookie Honors|work=Saint John's University|access-date=June 19, 2015}}

The cross country team of Saint John's finished fourth of 27 teams at the NCAA Central Regional. They followed behind St. Olaf, Central of Iowa, and Luther of Iowa. The Johnnies were ranked seventh in regular season. The 2012 SJU cross country team earned U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches' Association All-Academic recognition.{{cite web|url=http://www.gojohnnies.com/news/2012/11/10/XCOUNTRY_1110120817.aspx?path=mcross|title=Saint John's University – Johnnie Cross Country Claims Fourth at NCAA Regional|work=Saint John's University|access-date=June 19, 2015}}

{{main|Saint John's Johnnies football}}

St. John's is widely known for its football program, which consistently ranks in the top 25 in the nation at the NCAA Division III level. They had a 653–251–24 record following the 2019 season.{{Cite web|url=https://gojohnnies.com/sports/2008/8/5/FOOTBALL_0805084928.aspx|title=SJU Football History|website=Saint John's University Athletics|language=en|access-date=2020-02-13}} SJU is a 34-time conference champion, and four-time national champion, having most recently won in 2003 against the University of Mount Union by a score of 24–6.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncaa.com/history/football/d3|title=DIII Football Championship History {{!}} NCAA.com|website=www.ncaa.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-13}} Their former rivalry with the nearby University of St. Thomas, who in 2021 moved to NCAA Division I, was considered to be one of the greatest rivalries in Division III football, with games regularly drawing tens of thousands of fans and national media attention.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.d3football.com/notables/top-single-game-attendance|title=Top single-game attendance|date=2019-11-17|website=D3football|language=en|access-date=2020-02-13}} Former St. John's offensive tackle Ben Bartch was drafted in the 4th round (116th overall) by Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2020 NFL draft. He is the first MIAC player to be drafted into the NFL since 2003.

The 2012 SJU golf team was ranked third in the final Golf World/Nike Golf Coaches' Division III poll. They were ranked behind Oglethorpe (Ga.) and Methodist (N.C.). The Johnnies moved up a total of 15 spots throughout the year.{{cite web|url=http://www.gojohnnies.com/index.aspx?tab=golf&path=mgolf|title=The Official Athletics Site of Saint John's University|access-date=June 19, 2015}}

The 2012–2013 SJU hockey season ended in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Tournament in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The Johnnies lost to Wisconsin-Eau Claire 4–2. Wisconsin was ranked fourth and had beaten the Johnnies earlier in the season 5 to 1. SJU's record was 16–8–4 (9–4–3 MIAC).{{cite web|url=http://www.gojohnnies.com/news/2013/3/6/HOCKEY_0306134139.aspx|title=Saint John's University – Three-Goal, Second-Period Outburst Ends SJU's Season|work=Saint John's University|access-date=June 19, 2015}}

Thomas Haigh, an instructor in the St. John's department of mathematics, founded the St. John's Rugby Club in the spring of 1968. A former St. John's Prep School student, he learned the game while an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. Rugby is a club sport at Saint John's.{{cite web|last=CSB/SJU|title=Chapter XII: Rugby|url=http://www.csbsju.edu/sju-archives/sjuhistory/booksaboutstjohns/scoreboardbook/scoreboardchapter12|access-date=30 March 2014}} The Saint John's University rugby team captured the National Small College championship with a 31–16 win over Duke University Sunday, April 28, 2013, at Infinity Park, Glendale, Colo. They repeated this accomplishment again, defeating New England College 37–25 in a comeback win on April 27, 2014, at Infinity Park. A total of 211 teams competed for the National Small College championship, which is based on men's enrollment (schools must have fewer than 4,500 male students to compete in this division).{{cite web|last=CSBSJU|title=SJU Rugby team wins at nationals|url=http://www.csbsju.edu/news/rugby-nationals-13|publisher=St. Cloud Time column|access-date=30 March 2014}}{{cite web|last=CSBSJU|title=SJU rugby team captures second consecutive national title|url=http://www.csbsju.edu/news/rugbynational14}}

SJU opened its new soccer complex in the 2013 season. In 2012, the Johnnies ended the soccer season with a 9-6-4 (6-2-2 MIAC) record and finished fourth.{{cite web|url=http://www.gojohnnies.com/news/2013/2/13/SOCCER_0213130105.aspx|title=Saint John's University – Johnnie Soccer Posts 2013 Schedule|work=Saint John's University|access-date=June 19, 2015}}

The SJU track and field team is the reigning MIAC outdoor champion for 2023 and won the indoor and outdoor championships in 2022. Saint John's 4x100 meter team also won the NCAA Division III national championship in 2019 with a team of Nick Gannon, Drew Shanebaur, Brady Labine, and Ryan Miller.

Seniors Mitch Hagen and Chris Stevermer will compete at the NCAA Division III Championships on March 15–16.{{when|date=June 2024}} Hagen is ranked fourth in the 2013 tournament. Stevermer was third at regionals and is unranked in the tournament. Both competed in the tournament in 2012, but lost against higher-ranked opponents. Four other Johnnies will compete in the national tournament. Ryan Arne, Ryan Michaelis, John Scepaniak, and Nick Schuler are all appearing at the national tournament for the first time.{{cite web|url=http://www.gojohnnies.com/news/2013/3/13/WRESTLING_0313131939.aspx|title=Saint John's University – SJU's Hagen & Stevermer: Leaders On and Off the Mat|work=Saint John's University|access-date=June 19, 2015}}

The club was founded in 1986 by Peter Farrell, under faculty advisement of Brother Dietrich Reinhardt, OSB. The club is a non-varsity, athletic program affiliated with and partially funded by SJU Student Services. A student board of directors consists of a president, vice-president, treasurer and secretaries that help run the administrative part of the club. The Johnnies participate in the Men's College Lacrosse Association and the Upper Midwest Lacrosse Conference.{{Cite web|url=http://mcla.us/team/st_johns/|title=St. John's Johnnies – Schedule – MCLA|website=mcla.us|language=en|access-date=2017-05-31}} The Johnnies have been the UMLC Division II Champions in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2014. They have earned a trip to the MCLA Division II National Championship Tournament in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014—appearing in the Final Four of the Tournament in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2014. The streak of 10-straight appearances in the National Championship Tournament is an MCLA record. The Johnnies were the National Runner-Up in 2006, 2007 and 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sjulacrosse.com/page/show/438794-sju-lacrosse-team-history|title=Team History|website=St. John's University (MN) Lacrosse|language=en-us|access-date=2017-05-31}}

File:Clemens Stadium, Home of Johnnie Football at Saint John's University - panoramio.jpg

Saint Benedict (CSB) joined the MIAC in the 1985–86 academic year, and competes in 12 intercollegiate varsity sports, which are: basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball. In 2019 the athletic teams at CSB were officially rebranded from the "Blazers" to the "Bennies".

In the history of CSB Athletics, 36 teams have won conference titles and seven other playoff titles, while making 53 team and 80 individual national postseason appearances. CSB finished second in the MIAC All-Sports rankings in both 2023 and 2024. CSB has had 1,033 all-conference student-athletes, 110 All-Americans, and 24 conference coaches of the year.

CSB basketball has won 15 conference titles. CSB basketball coach Mike Durbin is MIAC career wins leader and celebrated his 500th win in the 2008–2009 basketball season.{{cite web|title=2012–2013 Women's Basketball Coaching Staff|url=http://www.csbblazers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=574&path=wbball|publisher=College of St. Benedict|access-date=February 14, 2013}}

CSB runner Fiona Smith has won six individual NCAA DIII National Championships in 2023 and 2024, including indoor 3K & 5K (2023 and 2024), cross country (2023), and outdoor 5K (2024). Bennie Jaylyn Ahlberg also qualified for the 2024 NCAA DIII women's outdoor pole vault.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-16 |title=Fiona Smith and Jaylyn Ahlberg named qualifiers to the NCAA DIII Track and Field Championships |url=https://gobennies.com/news/2024/5/17/womens-track-and-field-fiona-smith-named-qualifier-in-the-5k-and-10k-at-the-ncaa-diii-track-and-field-championships.aspx |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=College of Saint Benedict Athletics |language=en}}

CSB golf is coached by Daryl Schomer, who started as head coach in the 2011–2012 season.{{cite web|title=Blazer Athletics History|url=http://www.csbsju.edu/csb-archives/csbhistory/csbathletics.htm|publisher=College of St. Benedict and St. John's University|access-date=25 April 2013}} In his first season at CSB as head coach, Schomer led the Blazers to finish third in the MIAC.{{cite web|title=2012–2013 Women's Golf Coaching Staff|url=http://csbblazers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=577&path=wgolf|publisher=College of St. Benedict|access-date=April 24, 2013}} The Blazers finished in fifth place at the 2012 MIAC Championships. The Blazers shot the seventh-best round of the tournament in the final round, led by a 79 from Bridget Cummings, who placed 11th individually.

CSB soccer has won five conference titles.

In 2024, CSB Swim & Dive was named a CSCAA Scholar All-American Team, for the 13th straight year.{{Cite web |title=Women's Track and Field - Story Archives |url=https://gobennies.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/archives?path=wswim |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=College of Saint Benedict Athletics |language=en}}

Bennie hockey is coached by Lindsay Macy and assisted by Dale Sager.

CSB volleyball had made appearances in the NCAA National Tournament 14 times, most recently in 2012, and has won the MIAC Conference Championship seven times, most recently in 2009.{{cite web|title=MIAC Volleyball Playoff History|url=http://csbblazers.com/sports/2010/4/19/WVB_0419104743.aspx?id=500|publisher=College of St. Benedict|access-date=April 4, 2013}} The volleyball team has been coached by Nicole Hess since 2009, with assistant coaches Amanda Anderson, Theresa Naumann, and Heather Piper-Olsen.{{cite web|title=2015 Women's Volleyball Coaching Staff|url=http://www.csbblazers.com/coaches.aspx?path=wvball&|access-date=28 April 2014}} Coach Nicole Hess achieved her 100th win as a coach on November 1, 2011, against Gustavus Adolphus College.{{cite web|title=2012 Women's Volleyball Coaching Staff|url=http://csbblazers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=597&path=wvball|publisher=College of St. Benedict|access-date=April 4, 2013}}

=== Facilities ===

CSB and SJU offer a variety of club sports for students to stay active and involved. At SJU, club sports include hockey, crew, lacrosse, Nordic skiing, rugby, clay target team, ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball. At CSB, club sports include crew, dance team, figure skating, lacrosse, Nordic skiing, rugby, soccer, clay target team, ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball.

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• [https://gojohnnies.com/ Saint John's]
• [https://gobennies.com/ Saint Benedict]

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