2026 SEASON PREVIEW
The Johnnie track and field team looks to claim its first MIAC indoor title since 2022 with an eight-week, 10-meet indoor winter season.
Saint Johnʼs finished ranked as high as 16th nationally (eighth regionally) and finished 25th in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national indoor polls last season.
SJU took third at last yearʼs indoor meet and second – by half of a point – at the MIAC outdoor championships in May.
The Johnnies are down four indoor AllAmericans from a year ago – national high jump runner-up Jackson McDowell ʼ25, heptathletes Max Lelwica ʼ25 and Anthony Thurk ʼ25, and long jumper Zach Schaffer ʼ25 – but return sophomore sprinter Max Reis (West Fargo, N.D./ Spectrum), who emerged as a threetime winner of the honor in the outdoor season. Reis is joined by junior Kieran Murnan (Lakeville, Minn./Holy Angels), who, alongside Reis, contributed to SJUʼs third-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay at the NCAA outdoor championship in May.
Five schools in the MIAC return an indoor All-American, including three from 2025 MIAC champions Bethel (sprinters Landen Liu, Victor Lelinga and Grant Nelson). St. Olaf (distance runner Kevin Turlington and long jumper Max Albertson), Concordia (thrower Cooper Folkestad) and St. Scholastica (thrower Trent Beseth) each have an indoor All-American on their 2026 rosters as well. Three more returners from Bethel, which finished behind Saint Johnʼs in sixth at the national outdoor meet last season, were All-Americans in the outdoor season, while Hamline (2), SJU (2), Concordia (1) and St. Olaf (1) had additional outdoor honorees. In regard to team scoring, The Johnnies return 56.1 percent (50.5 of 90) of their indoor points and 50.1 percent (89 of 177.5) of their outdoor points from 2025.
TO THE MAX
Reis became a steady competitor in the jumps and sprints last season, logging three top-five finishes at the MIAC Indoor Championships last February. He was the runner-up in the 60-meter dash by 0.04 of a second with a 6.78, tying the school record held by Kevin Arthur ʼ25. He also placed fourth in the long jump with a mark of 6.83 meters, 5 inches from third place and All-MIAC honors. He was also fifth in the 200-meter dash with a 22.36.
MURNAN BURNIN � THE TRACK
Murnan provided depth for SJU in the short sprints last indoor season, finishing just shy of the finals in the 60- and 200-meter races. He found his stride in the outdoor season, though, finishing fifth in the 100-meter and earning All-America laurels as the second leg of SJUʼs 4x100-meter relay team.
COLE ON A ROLL
Junior Cole Stencel (Mapleton, Minn./ Maple River) emerged as one of the top competitors in the 2025 MIAC cross country field, taking fourth at the conference meet in November. He was an All-MIAC and AllRegion selection in the fall, advancing to the national championships where he finished 148th out of 291 runners. He achieved his personal best time of 25:26.5 at the MIAC meet and led SJU in all six varsity races this fall. Stencel helped Saint Johnʼs break its distance medley relay record in the
indoor season with a MIAC Championshipworthy performance of 10:17.48. He was also All-MIAC honorable mention in the 1,000-meter with a personal-best 2:31.11.
SMITH ON THE HURDLES
Junior Cooper Smith (Alvarado, Minn./ East Grand Forks) was one of SJUʼs top hurdlers last season, earning AllConference honorable mention honors with a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles at the outdoor championship with a personal-best 53.87 in the event. Although he missed last seasonʼs indoor championship, Smith was a leg of SJUʼs second-place 4x400-meter relay in May and is a three-time All-MIAC performer.
STENCEL
SMITH
MURNAN
N T H E F I E L D
CHAMPIONS
I N L O G I S T I C S
2026 SEASON PREVIEW
CLOSE TO THE TITLE
Senior Owen Montreuil (Jordan, Minn.) earned his fourth All-MIAC honor in the indoor season with a second-place finish in the 600 meters with a time of 1:21.88, 0:00.20 from Macalesterʼs Kalid Ali and the title. He was the third leg of the Johnniesʼ All-Region and MIAC-championship distance medley relay team and is SJUʼs top returning mid-distance runner.
MATT'S GOT A KICK
Junior All-MIAC kicker/punter Matt Hansen (Longmont, Colo./Niwot) is nowhere near done with his athletic season, returning for his third year of track and field after leading MIAC football in scoring – among kickers –in points (76) and made PATs (61-for-61), both of which were MIAC records for conference play. Hansen finished 77-for-77 on PATs overall, and his 77 extra points were an SJU single-season record. He also averaged 36.3 yards on 22 punts, 11 of which landed inside the oppositionʼs 20-yard line and seven of which were fair caught. Hansen ran the football teamʼs fastest 40-yard dash and was a leg of SJUʼs outdoor championship 4x100-meter relay team. He earned points in three indoor events, placing fourth with the 4x200-meter relay team and fifth in the 4x400-meter relay. He was .01 away from a personal best in the long jump, taking seventh with a leap of 6.64 meters.
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS
After finishing seventh in the pole vault in the MIAC indoor meet last year, senior Kole Guth (St. Peter, Minn.) added .40 to his mark to win the title at the outdoor meet last May. He was a steady performer last season and has scored points in all five of his MIAC appearances with two All-MIAC honors and three honorable mentions.
Senior Josh Johnston (Cold Spring,
Minn./Rocori) posted four different topfive performances on the pole vault last season, including a personal best in April of 4.57 meters. He was 10th at the indoor conference meet and improved his mark to score points at the outdoor championship with a 4.27 vault for seventh.
MULTI-TALENTED
Saint Johnʼs swept the multi events at the indoor and outdoor MIAC meets last season and earned three All-MIAC, two All-Region and three All-America honors across the 2025 indoor and outdoor seasons. Sophomore Bailey Evans (Breckenridge, Minn.), who set the SJU freshman record in the decathlon last season, is the prospect to accept the passing of the torch from Lelwica and Thurk. Evans took first in the MIAC heptathlonʼs 60-meter dash (7.19) and second in the shot put (11.73 meters) a year ago and took ninth overall. He was seventh in decathlon to earn team points at the outdoor meet with five top-five finishes, taking first in the 100-meter (11.22), second in the shot put (12.13 meters), third in the discus throw (36.06 meters), fourth in the high jump (1.71 meters) and fifth in the javelin throw (45.51 meters).
2026 ROSTER
Name Yr Event
Hometown / High School
JADEN ALEXANDER FR. SPRINTS MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. / DELASALLE
BASHIR AMOUD JR. HURDLES ST. PAUL, MINN. / HARDING
MASON ANDERSON FR. DISTANCE REDWOOD FALLS, MINN. / REDWOOD VALLEY
JACOB BECKER SR. SPRINTS LINCOLN, NEB. / MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE
RYAN BECKER FR. MID-DISTANCE SHAKOPEE, MINN. / SHAKOPEE
COLLIN BERG SO. DISTANCE BUFFALO, MINN. / BUFFALO
NOAH BESEMANN JR. POLE VAULT NEW BRIGHTON, MINN. / IRONDALE
WOODY BIEN-AIME SR. SPRINTS NAPLES, FLA. / GOLDEN GATE
AIDEN BLAESER SR. HURDLES ST. MICHAEL, MINN. / ST. MICHAEL-ALBERTVILLE
BRENNAN BLAKE SR. SPRINTS MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. / TOTINO-GRACE
BRAYDEN BRAMBACH FR. SPRINTS MORA, MINN. / MORA
ISAK BRANDT JR. HURDLES EAGAN, MINN. / EAGAN
CONNOR BRYNTESON JR. THROWS MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. / ROBBINSDALE COOPER
THOMAS CASS SO. HURDLES STILLWATER, MINN. / STILLWATER AREA
AIDEN CHALMERS SR. DISTANCE CHASKA, MINN. / MINNETONKA
ALEX CHIRHART FR. POLE VAULT ST. CLOUD, MINN. / ROCORI
MITCHELL DEGEN SR. THROWS BRAINERD, MINN. / BRAINERD
CONNOR DOW SO. DISTANCE RAMSEY, MINN. / ANOKA
HOLDEN DVORAK FR. JAVELIN/SPRINTS PRINCETON, MINN. / SPECTRUM
JASON ELLIS FR. THROWS LOXAHATCHEE, FLA. / CARDINAL NEWMAN
BAILEY EVANS SO. MULTI BRECKENRIDGE, MINN. / BRECKENRIDGE
ANTHONY FERRANTE SO. SPRINTS PRIOR LAKE, MINN. / PRIOR LAKE
LOGAN FRANK FR. DISTANCE BURTRUM, MINN. / SAUK CENTRE
JADEN FREEMAN FR. SPRINTS BROOKLYN PARK, MINN. / OSSEO
JALEN GRAHAM SO. THROWS MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. / CHAMPLIN PARK
DEREK GUTH FR. SPRINTS ST. PETER, MINN. / ST. PETER
KOLE GUTH SR. POLE VAULT ST. PETER, MINN. / ST. PETER
ARTHUR HANK SO. SPRINTS CASCAVEL, BRAZIL / COLEGIO PASSO CERTO
MATT HANSEN JR. JUMPS/SPRINTS LONGMONT, COLO. / NIWOT
SEBASTIAN HANSON SO. DISTANCE MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. / TWO RIVERS
TRAE HEADLEE FR. HURDLES BILLINGS, MONT. / SKYVIEW
JACK JOHNSTON JR. DISTANCE MAPLE GROVE, MINN. / MAPLE GROVE
JOSH JOHNSTON SR. POLE VAULT COLD SPRING, MINN. / ROCORI
AIDEN JONES FR. SPRINTS PIERZ, MINN. / PIERZ
BANGALY KABA JR. HURDLES/JUMPS ST. CLOUD, MINN. / APOLLO
VINCENT KALUZA JR. DISTANCE COLD SPRING, MINN. / ROCORI
COLIN KASTER JR. DISTANCE EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. / HOLY ANGELS
TOM KURISCAK SR. THROWS STILLWATER, MINN. / ST. PAUL ACADEMY
AIDEN LANGHEIM SR. MID-DISTANCE JORDAN, MINN. / JORDAN
RAEGAN LOPEZ FR. DISTANCE LAKEVILLE, MINN. / NORTH
JOHN MAILE SR. SPRINTS EDEN VALLEY, MINN. / EDEN VALLEY-WATKINS
2026 ROSTER
Name Yr Event
Hometown / High School
JACOB MALECHA SR. DISTANCE LONSDALE, MINN. / NEW PRAGUE
ADAM MARABLE SO. DISTANCE CRYSTAL, MINN. / ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG
PEYTON MARTINEK JR. DISTANCE COON RAPIDS, MINN. / COON RAPIDS
MAX MCCOY JR. DISTANCE BENNINGTON, NEB. / MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE
IAN MILLS FR. DISTANCE GLENWOOD, MINN. / MINNEWASKA AREA
GRADY MINNERATH SO. THROWS COLD SPRING, MINN. / ROCORI
AUSTIN MOHR FR. POLE VAULT ALEXANDRIA, MINN. / ALEXANDRIA
HUNTER MOHR SO. MID-DISTANCE ALEXANDRIA, MINN. / ALEXANDRIA
LARS MOLENKAMP JR. DISTANCE ALMERE, NETHERLANDS / OOSTVAARDERS COLLEGE
ERICK MONTALVO FR. DISTANCE ST. PAUL, MINN. / ROSEVILLE AREA
JACK MONTGOMERY JR. DISTANCE LONG LAKE, MINN. / ORONO
OWEN MONTREUIL SR. MID-DISTANCE JORDAN, MINN. / JORDAN
AIDAN MOREY SR. SPRINTS OMAHA, NEB. / CREIGHTON PREP
KIERAN MURNAN JR. SPRINTS LAKEVILLE, MINN. / HOLY ANGELS
CONNOR O'BRIEN JR. DISTANCE BELLE PLAINE, MINN. / BELLE PLAINE
A.J. OLESEN SO. DISTANCE WRENSHALL, MINN. / CARLTON
ZANDER OLMSCHENK SO. MID-DISTANCE SAUK CENTRE, MINN. / SAUK CENTRE
NOLAN PFEILSTICKER FR. DISTANCE PLAINVIEW, MINN. / PLAINVIEW-ELGIN-MILLVILLE
JOSH PRETASKY FR. JUMPS CHANHASSEN, MINN. / MINNETONKA
EVAN RASKE SO. DISTANCE BECKER, MINN. / MONTICELLO
MAX REIS SO. JUMPS/SPRINTS WEST FARGO, N.D. / SPECTRUM
NATE ROHRER SO. JUMPS ST. PAUL, MINN. / TWO RIVERS
SAM RUPRECHT FR. THROWS AVON, MINN. / HOLDINGFORD
BODE RUSSELL SO. HURDLES BUFFALO, MINN. / BUFFALO
BILLY SALEH FR. THROWS CORAL GABLES, FLA. / IMMOKALEE
ABDUL SESAY SR. SPRINTS ST. PAUL, MINN. / HARDING
ANTHONY SLETTA SO. JUMPS ST. JAMES, MINN. / ST. JAMES
COOPER SMITH JR. HURDLES ALVARADO, MINN. / EAST GRAND FORKS
WILLIAM SNYDER FR. DISTANCE PAPILLION, NEB. / MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE
NICK ST. PETER SR. DISTANCE MAPLE GROVE, MINN. / MAPLE GROVE
JOHN STEINES FR. DISTANCE ST. PAUL, MINN. / DELASALLE
COLE STENCEL JR. DISTANCE MAPLETON, MINN. / MAPLE RIVER
CHARLES SWALL FR. HURDLES/SPRINTS LOS ALTOS, CALIF. / BELLARMINE COLLEGE PREP
CULLEN THOMPSON FR. THROWS SAUK RAPIDS, MINN. / SAUK RAPIDS-RICE
RYLAN TURQUEZA JR. THROWS EWA BEACH, HAWAII / RADFORD
CHARLES VANGRINSVEN FR. MULTI PRIOR LAKE, MINN. / PRIOR LAKE
LIAM VANROEKEL FR. SPRINTS
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. / LINCOLN
TAKHI VAUGHN JR. SPRINTS EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. / EDEN PRAIRIE
ANDY WHITE SO. SPRINTS
WYATT WITSCHEN JR. SPRINTS
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. / O'GORMAN
MONTICELLO, MINN. / MONTICELLO
senior spotlight
JOHN
MAILE
SPRINTS, EDEN VALLEYWATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
The Chapel Walk, mainly because I enjoy walking the trail and fishing off the banks (of Lake Sagatagan).
What teammate would you most want riding shotgun on a cross-country road trip and why?
Iʼd want (senior) Jacob Becker riding there because I never know what he is going to say next.
If you could have any meal for dinner tonight, what would it be and why?
A big sirloin steak with shrimp and no vegetables. Vegetables are what my food eats, not what I eat.
CONNOR BRYNTESON
THROWS, ROBBINSDALE COOPER HIGH SCHOOL
What is your best memory from your time on campus – on or off the track?
The first thrower dinner we had my freshman year. The whole throwing team got together. We had great food and played board games. This was an amazing community moment.
What is something about you most people may not know?
I play tuba in the brass choir on campus. We will be playing at graduation.
Cats or dogs and how come?
I grew up with cats, so I have to say that. But Iʼd want a bigger house cat if I ever got one.
OWEN MONTREUIL
MID-DISTANCE, JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
What is your best memory from your time on campus – on or off the track?
Going to the lake with my friends at the start of sophomore year.
What were the reasons you chose to come to Saint Johnʼs?
The beauty of the campus and the great finance and accounting program.
If you could have any meal for dinner tonight, what would it be and why?
Salmon, spinach and a sweet potato.
COACHING STAFF
JEREMY KARGERGATZOW
HEAD COACH 11th SEASON as head coach
Jeremy Karger-Gatzow is in his 11th season as the Johnniesʼ head track and field coach in 2026. He replaced Tim Miles, who retired following the 2015 season after 36 seasons at SJU.
Karger-Gatzow team won an MIAC indoor title in 2022 and conference outdoor titles in 2022 and ʼ23.
In 2025, the Johnnies recorded four topthree performances to finish fourth out of 73 teams at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, the programʼs best finish since 2007 when it tied for fourth out of 79 teams.
Additional Coaching Staff
Tim Miles Distance
Miles, a 1975 Saint Johnʼs graduate, was the head coach of the cross country and track and field teams at the school from 1979 through 2015 and remained the Johnniesʼ head cross country coach through the 2022 season. He was named MIAC track and field coach of the year four times (2004, ʼ05, ʼ07, ʼ11) and conference cross country coach of the year on three occasions (1997, 2006 and ʼ07). Prior to returning to SJU, he coached at Cretin High School in St. Paul from 1976-ʼ79.
Joe Vardas Hurdles/Javelin/Jumps/Multi Vardas is a 1994 graduate of St. Cloud State University where he also completed his masterʼs degree in exercise physiology in 1997. He excelled in the short sprints, and especially in the triple jump as a collegian. His knowledge of biomechanics makes him an excellent technician and teacher. He is a USA Track and Field level II coach in the jumps and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and
Karger-Gatzow was named the MIAC Indoor Track and Field Menʼs Coach of the Year in 2022 and the MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Menʼs Coach of the Year in 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Under his watch, Ryan Bugler won SJUʼs fifth individual national championship outdoors with a first-place finish in the steeplechase in 2016. He also coached the Johnniesʼ 4x100meter relay team to a Division III national title in 2019.
In all, SJU athletes have earned indoor and outdoor All-American honors 42 times, including 13 alone in 2025. That included a secondplace finish by Kevin Arthur in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash at the NCAA Division III outdoor meet, as well as a second-place finish indoors by Jackson McDowell in the high jump.
A 2000 graduate of Hamline, Karger-Gatzow was himself a four-year sprinter on the Pipersʼ track and field team. He was a seven-time Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) coach of the year at Minnesota-
Conditioning Association (NSCA). Vardas has coached numerous All-Americans in the long and triple jumps and javelin. He was the 2020 Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year for his outstanding work with his athletes. Maxwell Kuzara ʼ17 Distance Kuzara, a 2017 SJU graduate, returned to the school as an assistant coach in the spring of 2021, bringing a wealth of experience, knowledge and passion. He was named SJUʼs head cross country coach in 2023. Kuzara was an assistant coach at Minnetonka High School, his alma mater, for four years before returning to Saint Johnʼs. At Minnetonka he ran for and coached alongside distance running legends Jeff Renlund, Steve Hoag and Jerry McNeal. A native of Excelsior, Kuzara achieved All-MIAC honors with a thirdplace finish in the 10,000 meters for the Johnnies at the 2016 MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships and again five months later by taking eighth as a senior at the 2016 MIAC Cross Country Championship.
Morris and sent 13 studentathletes to the national meet during his tenure, in which six earned NCAA Division III AllAmerica honors.
He built the co-ed track and field roster at Minnesota-Morris from 12 in his first season to over 50 in 2015. In addition to his coaching duties, he taught various courses in the sport studies and athletic departments.
Karger-Gatzow served as an assistant track and field coach at Bryant University in Rhode Island for two seasons from 2000ʼ02 before leaving to enroll in graduate school at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
He was a teaching assistant in various anatomy and kinesiology courses there and completed his masterʼs degree in movement sciences in 2005.
A native of Glenwood, Minn., Karger-Gatzow was a 1996 graduate of Minnewaska Area High School. He and his wife, Erica, have two children.
John Pollack Pole Vault
Pollack is a 2010 graduate of the University of Minnesota and returned to earn a masterʼs degree in education. He has been coaching the Saint Johnʼs and Saint Benʼs pole vaulters since 2015. His vaulters continue to break school records and routinely qualify for national championship meets. Pollack, a former Mounds View High School vault coach, continues to work with high school athletes by conducting a winter pole vault clinic.
Kevin Arthur ʼ25 Sprints
Arthur was an eight-time All-American sprinter for the Johnnies who finished second in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash at the Division III outdoor meet last season. The Champlin Park High School graduateʼs time in the 100 broke his own school record and was the third-fastest recorded mark in the event in Division III history (10.35).
senior spotlight
NICK ST. PETER
DISTANCE, MAPLE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
What is your best memory from your time on campus – on or off the track?
My best memories from my time on the track have been breaking two school records (distance medley relay and 4x800) during my junior year. I will always remember the joy I felt at the end of those races. My best memories from my time on campus have been simply spending time with my best friends from the cross country and track and field teams. I have met a lot of great friends here at Saint Johnʼs and many great people have passed through these teams during my time in college.
What is something about you most people may not know?
I have a black belt in karate. I got it when I was about 12 years old and I stopped karate after that.
If you could have any meal for dinner tonight, what would it be and why?
A juicy steak with a side of lobster mac and cheese. Nothing beats a really well-cooked steak, and I love noodle dishes.
JOSH JOHNSTON
POLE VAULT, ROCORI HIGH SCHOOL
What were the reasons you chose to come to Saint Johnʼs?
I chose Saint Johnʼs because of its reputation as a school that focuses on academics and connections. I knew of the alumni networking and connectivity here and found that to be important for future opportunities.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
Definitely Lake Sagatagan. Swimming, kayaking, walking around it – you canʼt go wrong really.
What is something about you most people may not know?
I am one of the student photographers for SJU Athletics and have been for three years now. I got the job with zero prior camera knowledge or experience and I love doing it.
BRENNAN BLAKE
What is your major and why did you pick it?
My major is exercise science and my minor is nutrition. I picked exercise science because I am obsessed with health and love to be surrounded by athletics or physical competitions. I will be in the strength and conditioning field after graduation.
What is the biggest challenge youʼve faced as an athlete and how did you overcome it?
Switching sports from baseball to track and field in March 2024 was one of the most difficult but rewarding decisions I have made in my life. Track was, and continues to be, the most humbling challenge I have taken on. Injuries have been a constant for me since joining, so learning how to navigate those has been interesting.
Cats or dogs and how come?
DAWGS!!! Get me a big old husky, German shepherd or beauceron. I want a big, athletic guard dog. I have an 80-pound, 2½ year-old male husky at home and I love that boy. Iʼm convinced that dog could jump over the fence if he wanted to.
SPRINTS, TOTINOGRACE HIGH SCHOOL
TEAM FINISHES
miac Indoor championships
1985 THIRD (10 TEAMS, 72)
1986 FIFTH (10 TEAMS, 50)
1987 FOURTH (10 TEAMS, 62)
1988 FOURTH (10 TEAMS, 60.5)
1989 FOURTH (10 TEAMS, 61)
1990 SEVENTH (10 TEAMS, 47)
1991 SIXTH (10 TEAMS, 50)
1992 EIGHTH (10 TEAMS, 41.5)
1993 SIXTH (11 TEAMS, 67.5)
1994 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 76.5)
1995 SIXTH (11 TEAMS, 79.5)
1996 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 76)
1997 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 153)
1998 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 78)
1999 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 104)
2000 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 73)
2001 SEVENTH (11 TEAMS, 61)
2002 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 80)
2003 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 95.5)
2004 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 116)
2005 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 104)
2006 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 111)
2007 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 124)
2008 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 114.5)
2009 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 75)
2010 SEVENTH (11 TEAMS, 44)
2011 T-FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 72)
2012 SEVENTH (11 TEAMS, 42.5)
2013 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 73)
2014 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 79)
2015 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 61)
2016 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 90)
2017 T-FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 63)
2018 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 71)
2019 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 103)
2020 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 85)
2021 NO CHAMPIONSHIPS
2022 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 185)
2023 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 141.5)
2024 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 143)
2025 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 109)
miac outdoor championships
1930 FIFTH (5)
1931 UNKNOWN
1932 UNKNOWN
1933 UNKNOWN
1934 FIFTH (6 TEAMS, 16)
1935 SEVENTH (7 TEAMS, 10)
1936 FIFTH (7 TEAMS, 9)
1937 SIXTH (7TEAMS, 13)
1938 THIRD (4 TEAMS, 19)
1939 CHAMPION (6 TEAMS, 56.5)
1940 FOURTH (7 TEAMS, 26)
1941 SIXTH (8 TEAMS, 20)
1942 THIRD (7 TEAMS, 44)
1943 DISCONTINUED
1944 DISCONTINUED
1945 DISCONTINUED
1946 SECOND (6 TEAMS, 36)
1947 FIFTH (7 TEAMS, 15)
1948 THIRD (9 TEAMS, 32)
1949 FIFTH (9TEAMS, 11)
1950 SIXTH (8 TEAMS, 6)
1951 THIRD (8 TEAMS, 27)
1952 FIFTH (8 TEAMS, 23)
1953 FIFTH (8 TEAMS, 22)
1954 FOURTH (8 TEAMS, 24)
1955 THIRD (8 TEAMS, 37)
1956 FOURTH (8 TEAMS, 34)
1957 CHAMPION (8 TEAMS, 56)
1958 CHAMPION (9 TEAMS, 54)
1959 THIRD (8 TEAMS, 34)
1960 FOURTH (8 TEAMS, 21)
1961 SECOND (8 TEAMS, 36)
1962 SECOND (8 TEAMS, 56)
1963 THIRD (8 TEAMS, 34)
1964 FOURTH (8 TEAMS, 28)
1965 SEVENTH (8 TEAMS, 11)
1966 FOURTH (8 TEAMS, 22)
1967 THIRD (8 TEAMS, 39)
1968 SECOND (8 TEAMS, 78)
1969 THIRD (8 TEAMS, 53)
1970 CHAMPION (8 TEAMS, 71.5)
1971 CHAMPION (8 TEAMS, 102)
1972 CHAMPION (8 TEAMS, 90)
1973 CHAMPION (8 TEAMS, 77)
1974 THIRD (8 TEAMS, 57)
1975 FIFTH (9 TEAMS, 79)
1976 SECOND (9 TEAMS, 115)
1977 SECOND (8 TEAMS, 104)
1978 THIRD (9 TEAMS, 69)
1979 THIRD (9 TEAMS, 87)
1980 SECOND (9 TEAMS, 92)
1981 SECOND (9 TEAMS, 128)
1982 SECOND (9 TEAMS, 121)
1983 FOURTH (9 TEAMS, 84)
1984 THIRD (10 TEAMS, 80)
1985 THIRD (10 TEAMS, 90)
1986 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 125.5)
1987 THIRD (10 TEAMS, 120)
1988 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 140)
1989 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 121)
1990 FOURTH (10 TEAMS, 85)
1991 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 116.5)
1992 THIRD (10 TEAMS, 105.5)
1993 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 136.5)
1994 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 115.5)
1995 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 134)
1996 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 156.5)
1997 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 211)
1998 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 163.5)
1999 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 217.7)
2000 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 111.5)
2001 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 117)
2002 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 111)
2003 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 148.5)
2004 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 188)
2005 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 172.5)
2006 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 161.3)
2007 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 225)
2008 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 161.5)
2009 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 125.0)
2010 SIXTH (11 TEAMS, 73.0)
2011 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 141.0)
2012 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 101.0)
2013 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 116.0)
2014 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 108.0)
2015 SIXTH (11 TEAMS, 75.0)
2016 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 156.5)
2017 SEVENTH (11 TEAMS, 76.0)
2018 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 114.5)
2019 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 131.0)
2020 NO SEASON
2021 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 135.0)
2022 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 218.25)
2023 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 216)
2024 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 168)
2025 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 206.5)
TEAM RECORDS
NAIA
1959 JERRY SCHOENECKER
1960 JERRY SCHOENECKER
1968 JIM HOLMES
DAVE LAMM
1969 JOHN CRAGG
1970 CHUCK CERONSKY
DON KLUK
NCAA
1970 CHUCK CERONSKY
JOHN CRAGG
DON KLUK
NAIA
1971 DON KLUK
NCAA
1971 DON KLUK
NAIA
1972 MIKE KREMER JOE SKAJA
NCAA
1972 MIKE KREMER JOE SKAJA
NCAA Division III
1974 RUDY SAWYER
GREG TRAXLER
1975 MIKE BAUER
NAIA
1978 JOE PERSKE
NCAA Division III
1979 NORT HATLIE
JOE METZGER
1980 MIKE FRERICKS
1981 MIKE FRERICKS
CHUCK MOORSE
1982 DOUG CLARK
BRIAN SMITH
1983 BRIAN SMITH
JOHN SOWADA
1984 JIM GATHJE
JOHN GATHJE
CHARLIE MAHLER
1985 JIM GATHJE
CHARLIE MAHLER
1986 DEAN DANINGER
JIM GATHJE
ALL-AMERICANS
WADE WEISZ
1987 JOE BOHLKE
DEAN DANINGER
DEAN DANINGER
1988 JOE BOHLKE
DEAN DANINGER
DEAN DANINGER
PAT JENNRICH
WADE WEISZ
1989 KRAIG RUNQUIST
1990 SCOTT LINDELL
KRAIG RUNQUIST
1994 PAUL CHESTOVICH
1995 DAN BESEMANN
1996 JEB MYERS
1999 DARWIN DUMONCEAUX
DARWIN DUMONCEAUX
JOHN GUERTIN
STEVE KIMBLE
2000 JOHN KRUEGER
2003 TOM ENGWALL
MIKE MARSCHEL
JOHN MATHEWS
2004 PAUL FERBER
MIKE MARSCHEL
2005 PAUL FERBER
2006 DEREK JOHNSON
2007 ERIC BUSS
ERIK DILEY
CHRIS ERICHSEN
CHRIS ERICHSEN
CHRIS ERICHSEN
MICHAEL LEITHER
2008 ERIC BUSS
ERIC BUSS
ERIK DILEY
CHRIS ERICHSEN
CHRIS ERICHSEN
CHRIS ERICHSEN
KELLY FERMOYLE
2009 ERIC BUSS
ERIC BUSS
ERIK DILEY
BRAYDEN WAGNER
BRAYDEN WAGNER
2011 TOM HOFFMAN
TIM JUBA
2013 THOMAS FEICHTINGER
2016 RYAN BUGLER
2017 RYAN BUGLER
2019 NICK GANNON
BRADY LABINE
RYAN MILLER
RYAN MILLER
DREW SCHOENBAUER
2020*DREW DOCKENDORF
RYAN MILLER
MAGUIRE PETERSEN
MICHAEL WALLACE
COLLIN TROUT
2021 KEVIN ARTHUR
DREW DOCKENDORF
BRADY LABINE
RYAN MILLER
RYAN MILLER
MAGUIRE PETERSEN
SHAWN SCHINDLER
JACK YOUNG
2022 BRETT HAGUE
MAGUIRE PETERSEN
MAGUIRE PETERSEN
2023 KEVIN ARTHUR
BRETT HAGUE
2024* KEVIN ARTHUR
KEVIN ARTHUR
KEVIN ARTHUR
JACKSON MCDOWELL
2025 KEVIN ARTHUR
MAX LELWICA
JACKSON MCDOWELL
KIERAN MURNAN
EMANUEL POPOCA
MAX REIS
ZACH SCHAFFER
ANTHONY THURK
*The USTFCCCA awarded All-America honors to all national qualifiers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to 1973 the NCAA was divided into the University and College Divisions. College Division schools were those which would be either Division II or Division III today. Beginning in 1985, All-American honors were given to the top eight finishers at the NCAA Division III outdoor championship rather than the top six. Saint Johnʼs athletes who finished 7th or 8th prior to 1985 include: Chuck Moorse, 1980, 800 meters, 7th; 4x400-meter relay team (Mike Frericks, Chris Longbella, Tom Frericks, Chuck Moorse), 1981, 7th; Bob Morris, 1982, steeplechase, 7th; Jim Gathje, 1983, steeplechase, 8th; Charlie Mahler, 1984, 10,000 meters, 7th.
PROUD
SPONSOR AND CONTRACTOR FOR JOHNNIE
ATHLETICS
Here, Your Sport Doesn’t Define You –It Amplifies You
Athletics at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s isn’t just stats and PRs. It’s self-discipline and perseverance and time management and friendships for a lifetime. It’s another tool for student success. And results show it’s a powerful one.
Are you ready to compete as a Bennie or a Johnnie? Come take a closer look –schedule a campus visit today!
track Facilities
Miles Track at Clemens Stadium
An incredible setting named after a true legend. That perfectly describes Miles Track at Clemens Stadium on the campus of Saint Johnʼs University. The regulationsized, eight-lane, 400-meter track was installed inside the “natural bowl” setting of historic Clemens Stadium as part of a facelift to the facility in 1997 that also included the construction of a new press box and concession area. In May 2019, the track was named in honor of Tim Miles, the longtime head cross country and track and field coach
at the school. Miles stepped down as head track coach in 2015 after 36 seasons on the job. During that time, he won MIAC Outdoor Coach of the Year honors six times (1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011). Thirty-eight Johnnies won conference titles at the MIAC indoor meet and his athletes collected 94 titles outdoors. At the national level, Johnnie athletes put together 61 NCAA Division III All-America performances under his watch. He remained as head cross country coach until announcing his retirement in August 2023.
The Donald Mcneely Spectrum
Since its construction in 1998, the Donald McNeely Spectrum has been the primary indoor home for Saint Johnʼs University track and field. The 60,000-square-foot facility, designed by Ellerbe Becket Architects, features an eight-lane, 200-meter track. The facility has been upgraded in recent years, including the installation of new video and record boards prior to the start of the 2024 season.
2025 SEASON IN PICTURES
track & field in the sju j-club Hall of honor
John McDowell ʼ64
(Inducted 2019)
John McDowell ʼ64 holds the distinction of having played for not one, but two legendary head football coaches.
At Saint Johnʼs University, the 1964 graduate was a two-time All-American and two-time All-MIAC selection under the tutelage of John Gagliardi, who would go on to become college footballʼs alltime wins leader. McDowell was a key member of the 1963 Johnnie team that won the first of Gagliardiʼs four national championships in Collegeville, playing on both the offensive and defensive line. Then, after graduating, he went on to a six-season professional career in the NFL and Canadian Football League, the first season of which was spent with the Green Bay Packers – then led by legendary coaching icon Vince Lombardi. But it wasnʼt just football where McDowell excelled. He was also a member of the Johnniesʼ basketball team and a standout in track and field, winning four MIAC titles in the discus and two in the shot put.
John Cragg ʼ71 (Inducted 2019)
John Cragg ʼ71 finished his collegiate career as a three-time All-American in cross country and twice earned All-American honors in track and field.
He finished second in the nation in cross country as a sophomore and junior in 1969 and ʼ70. Meanwhile, his time of 28:52.31 at six miles in track and field – recorded in 1970 – converts to a faster time in the 10,000 meters than any Johnnie runner has yet been able to achieve at that distance.
Jim Gathje ʼ86 (Inducted 2021)
Jim Gathje ʼ86 had a standout career at SJU on both the trail and track. He finished in the top 10 at the MIAC meet in cross country twice, including a championship as a senior in the fall of 1985 – the same season in which he finished 19th at the Division III national meet.
But it was in track and field that he made his biggest impact, specifically in the steeplechase – an event that blends distance running, hurdling and water jumps.
That mixture proved uniquely suited to Gathjeʼs skill set. He finished in the top eight at the Division III national outdoor meet all four years during his time with the Johnnies, winning back-to-back national titles in 1985 and ʼ86. His best time in the event – 8:39.80 in 1985 – remains both a school and Division III record 35 years later.
Cyril Paul ʼ59 (Inducted 2022)
Cyril Paul ʼ59 was on one of the top sprinters in school history.
As a freshman in 1956, Paul joined with twin brothers Kevin ʼ58 and Keith ʼ58 Hughes to form the core of a mile relay team that went on to win three-straight MIAC titles. Paul ran the anchor leg. The team went through the 1956 season unbeaten, breaking the school record three times, including at the conference meet.
Paul won both the 100- and 220-yard dash as a sophomore in 1957 – helping SJU capture its first conference team title in 18 years. His time in the 100 that season (9.9 seconds) was a MIAC record, and his school records in both events would stand until they were broken by Dave Lamm ʼ68.
Dave Lamm ʼ68 (Inducted 2022)
Dave Lamm ʼ68 was a five-time MIAC outdoor champion sprinter who earned NAIA All-America honors in the 200-meter dash as a senior.
During his first season at SJU in 1966, he won the 100 at the MIAC meet, but had to settle for second in the 220 after a stumble. He returned to win both events as a junior in 1967, then repeated the feat as a senior in 1968 when he earned the Randy Bartholomaus Memorial Trophy as the meetʼs most valuable performer. He set conference records in both events.
As a junior, Lamm qualified for the 100 at the 1967 NAIA national meet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota – failing to make the finals in an event won by Texas Southernʼs Jim Hines who went on to win two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City before playing briefly in the NFL.
He qualified for nationals in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes as a senior in 1968 (because it was an Olympic year, the NAIA national meet used the Olympic distances), finishing third overall in the 200 in a time of 21.3 seconds (hand timed), which stood as a school record until it was broken by Kevin Arthur ʼ25 in 2022. His time in the 100 at the meet (10.4 seconds) stood as a program mark until 2018, when it was first broken by Ryan Miller ʼ22.
Darwin Dumonceaux ʼ99 (Inducted 2023)
Darwin Dumonceaux ʼ99 earned All-MIAC honors in the shot put five times and All-American honors twice – including as a senior in 1999 when he won a Division III outdoor national championship with a throw of 57-10¼ (17.63 meters).
CRAGG
MCDOWELL
PAUL
LAMM
GATHJE
DUMONCEAUX
That made him the first SJU track and field athlete to capture a national title since Jim Gathje won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in both 1985 and ʼ86. The national championship capped a season in which heʼd finished fourth in the shot put at the Division III indoor meet, then won the MIAC outdoor title after having finished as conference runner-up three times (1997 outdoor, 1998 indoor and 1999 indoor). He had previously won a conference indoor title in 1997.
Chris Erichsen ʼ08 (Inducted 2023)
Chris Erichsen ʼ08 is one of the most decorated cross country and track athletes in school history.
Erichsen finished third in the 800 at the MIAC indoor meet and third in the 1,500 at the MIAC outdoor meet as a freshman in 2005. And he was just getting started. As a sophomore, he won conference titles in the mile (indoors) and 1,500 (outdoors) while finishing second in the 800 (indoors). As a junior, he placed sixth at the MIAC cross country championships, then placed first in the 1,500 and 5,000 (outdoors) and second in the mile (indoors) in track.
He finished fourth in the 5,000 at both the NCAA Division III indoor and outdoor national meet and finished second in the 3,000 steeplechase – an event heʼd just taken up that season.
Erichsen again finished second in the event as a senior in 2008 – capping a final year that saw him win the MIAC title in cross country and finish third nationally, then add conference track titles in the steeplechase, 1,500 (outdoors), mile (indoors) and 5,000 (indoors and outdoors). He also finished second in the 800 (indoors) and the 10,000 (outdoors). He placed sixth in the 5,000 at the Division III national indoor meet and second in the 5,000 outdoors.
His competitive drive didnʼt dissipate when he graduated from SJU. Erichsen continued to pursue competitive distance running, qualifying for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in the marathon where he finished 40th
out of the 85 top runners in the nation.
Chuck Ceronsky ʼ70 (Inducted 2024)
Chuck Ceronsky ʼ70 was the MIAC cross country champion in 1968, and the conference runner-up the following year. But he also had plenty of success in track and field, including in the steeplechase.
That was the event in which he earned All-American honors twice as a senior –first at the NAIA national meet in Billings, Montana, where he finished second overall, behind only Larbi Oukada of Fort Hays (Kansas) State who had already competed for Morocco in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
He then finished third at the NCAA college division meet held at Macalester in St. Paul.
Ceronsky also helped the Johnnies win the first of four straight MIAC outdoor track titles as a senior in 1970, snapping Macalesterʼs 11-year championship run.
Tim Miles ʼ76 (Inducted 2024)
Tim Miles coached the SJU track and field team for 36 seasons (19802015) and led the Johnnies to five MIAC outdoor titles. He remained as head cross country coach at the school for 44 seasons, stepping down after the 2022 campaign. He led his teams to nine conference titles in that sport and 22 berths in the NCAA Division III national meet.
Miles was named MIAC track and field coach of the year four times (2004, ʼ05, ʼ07, ʼ11) and conference cross country coach of the year on three occasions (1997, 2006 and ʼ07). His athletes earned All-American honors 18 times in cross country and 61 times in track and field.
That included four track and field national titles: Brian Smith in the 5,000 meters in 1983, Jim Gathje in the steeplechase in 1985 and ʼ86 and Darwin Dumonceaux in the discus in 1999.
He has remained an assistant coach after stepping down in 2015 and helped coach Ryan Bugler to a national title in the steeplechase the following year. This past January, he was inducted into the USA Track and Field Minnesota Hall of Fame.
Brian Smith ʼ83 (Inducted 2025) Brian Smith earned All-America honors three times in cross country (a sport he participated in for the first time at SJU) and track and field while recording seven All-MIAC performances.
In the spring of 1983, he won the 1,500 and finished second in the 5,000 at the MIAC championships before winning a national title in the 5,000 at the Division III national meet held in Naperville, Illinois – recording a time of 14:19.70, a school record that still stands 42 years later.
Jim Kavanaugh of Illinois Benedictine led the field for much of the race, but with 600 meters to go, Smith made his push – bringing home the first national championship in program history. Two of his teammates, Rob Sauer and Charlie Mahler, finished 10th and 11th in that race.
"I decided I was going to break it open and see who had the goods," Smith remembered. "So I put the hammer down. There were no prelims that year – just the final. So I was fresh and ready to go.
"Really, it all came down to running my race. That was the philosophy (head coach) Tim (Miles) instilled in us. Making sure our checkpoints come from within."
Smith worked his way up to that point. In 1981, he finished third in the 10,000 meters at the MIAC meet, then placed second in the 10,000 and first in the 5,000 the following year before going on to a second-place finish in the 5,000 at the NCAA Division III national meet. He closed out his collegiate career with a third-place finish at the Division III national cross country meet in Newport News, Va. in the fall of 1983.
ERICHSEN
MILES
SMITH
CERONSKY
a sense of connection
Thatʼs what Saint Johnʼs University junior Cole Stencel enjoys most about life in Collegeville.
The connection the physics major on a pre-engineering track feels with his professors and peers in the classroom, the connection he feels with his coaches and teammates on the Johnniesʼ cross country and track and field teams, and the connection he feels to the natural beauty that surrounds him each and every day.
“We talk a lot about community here, but itʼs really true,” Stencel said. “This is a very tight-knit place. You get to know everyone really well and you form lasting relationships. Itʼs also a very outdoorsy college, which is something I really enjoy. There are lakes right outside your door. There are acres and acres of woods and trails. I donʼt know of any other campus that has this many natural resources.”
A Maple River High School graduate, Stencel made the deanʼs list last semester and is also involved in SJU Campus Ministry.
“They really encourage you to get involved in the community here and thatʼs a good thing,” Stencel said. “Campus life makes up such a big part of the college experience. Iʼve met so many people who I know are going to be my friends for a lifetime.”
Stencelʼs interest in engineering springs from his father, Jay, a civil engineering instructor at South Central College in Mankato.
“Thatʼs how I first got acquainted with the field and the concepts,” said Stencel, who plans to attend graduate school, then pursue a career in the mechanical engineering field. “He was the one who told me to check out the kind of jobs that are available and everything engineering
entails. The more I got to know about it, the more it appealed to me.”
Stencel said the individual attention he gets from his professors at SJU is helping prepare him for future success.
“I feel really comfortable here,” he said. “Thereʼs a big sense of belonging. Thereʼs a lot of one-on-one time with the faculty. If I have a question, I feel like I can go to any of my professors and talk it over with them. That means a lot.”
But Stencel said his SJU experience would likely not have been possible were it not for the assistance scholarships have provided. He currently receives the John Drahmann Memorial Scholarship, as well as an academic achievement and alumni referral scholarship.
“That helped cut my bill more than in half right away, which made coming here so much more achievable,” he said.
“I just want to say thank you to all the donors who make it possible for students like me to be immersed in this amazing college experience. Without them, I wouldnʼt be here. So Iʼm extremely grateful.”
Guth sets sights on new heights during senior season
For Kole Guth, the high (literally) was followed by the low.
It was the spring of 2023 and Guth – then a Johnnie freshman – was competing in the pole vault at the Gustavus Twilight Meet in front of his hometown crowd in St. Peter. He recorded a vault of 15-feet-1 that day, a height that still stands as a personal best.
But just a week later, Guth hurt his knee, an injury with effects that linger to this day.
“The week before was such a fun meet,” he recalled. “Iʼd finally put some stuff together and reached a great height. It was in St. Peter, where I went to high school, and my family, friends and even my old high school coach were there to watch.
“But the next week, as I was jumping, I felt a stinging pain in my knee. It was the start of patellar tendinitis that Iʼve been battling ever since.”
Indeed, the injury set the tone for a frustrating sophomore season as Guth worked through pain while trying to get back to the height heʼd reached just before getting hurt.
“That whole season I was trying to figure out how to vault while dealing with my knee,” he said. “Really, I was just continuing to rehab to get to the point where I was able to go out and compete as best I could.”
Things got better, though, during his junior season a year ago. The pain didnʼt go away, but Guth found a way to approach things better on a mental basis.
“Iʼd been struggling with a lot of small things, mainly on the mental side, that were limiting how high I could go,” he said. “But I kept talking with the coaches,
and one day everything seemed to click. I started having the kinds of meets I should have been having all season and that built up a lot of confidence.
“I started to realize not everything has to be perfect. If you trust in your training, relax and take some of the pressure off yourself, you can go out there and do big things.”
Which is just what Guth did at the MIAC Outdoor Championship meet at Macalester where he vaulted to a height of 15 feet, just an inch below his previous personal best and good enough to win his first conference title.
“That was great to see,” SJU head coach Jeremy Karger-Gatzow said. “Heʼs a guy who came in with a great work ethic and a good attitude. He never gives up, and those kinds of guys are always going to rise up and meet the challenges in front of them.”
Now Guth is ready to begin the process of defending his title, while perhaps adding an indoor conference crown as well. He got off to a good start when the Johnnies opened the season at the CSB/Alumni & Friends Meet on Jan. 24 at McNeely Spectrum, reaching a height
of 14-1¼ to finish second overall.
“I donʼt know if (winning a conference title) has changed my outlook on things that much,” he said. “A bit of pressure goes away because you actually accomplished a goal. But thereʼs still the pressure of trying to defend your title. And Iʼm still trying to beat my personal best.
“Overall, Iʼm just trying to enjoy this time and have fun. Itʼs my last season of collegiate track and field. So I want to make the most of it.”
Athletics has always played a big role in Guthʼs life. At St. Peter, he was a quarterback and punter in football and a wrestler who worked his way up from 106 pounds when he was younger to 182 pounds by his senior year.
He was also a two-time state meet qualifier in track and field, finishing fourth overall in the pole vault in Class 2A as a senior in the spring of 2022.
The exercise science major hopes that background will serve him well as he pursues a career in sports performance, hopefully in the Mankato-St. Peter area or the south suburbs of the Twin Cities.
He was a strength and conditioning intern at MSU-Mankato for a summer and is completing an internship at ETS Performance in Sauk Rapids this semester.
“I want to help athletes get stronger and faster and do some coaching on the side,” he said. “Thatʼs the ultimate goal. I think a lot of the stuff Iʼve gone through, and the lessons Iʼve learned from people Iʼve worked with, have helped prepare me pretty well to work with others.”
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senior spotlight
AIDAN MOREY
SPRINTS, CREIGHTON PREP (NEBRASKA) HIGH SCHOOL
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
This is honestly a difficult question because there are so many beautiful and impactful places on campus. If I had to choose, Iʼd say my favorite place is wherever my friends and roommates are, because the people Iʼve met at Saint Johnʼs are what truly make the campus feel like home.
If you were lost in the woods, which teammate would you most want with you and why?
Iʼd want (senior) John Maile with me. I could contribute my Eagle Scout skills, and he could use his hunting experience. Between the two of us, Iʼm confident weʼd be able to survive for a long time. Heʼd also do a great job staying positive and keeping morale up with a few jokes along the way.
What is something about you most people may not know?
I have nine siblings and Iʼm from Omaha, Nebraska.
AIDEN KOLE
MID-DISTANCE, JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
The boardwalk loop. When I have to log some miles for practice, I try to get out there every chance I get because of how beautiful and peaceful it is.
What is your major and why did you pick it?
Finance. I chose it because I have always been interested in how money decisions shape peoples’ lives and businesses over time.
What is something about you most people may not know?
The tear ducts in my eyes don’t work.
JACOB
LANGHEIM GUTH BECKER
SPRINTS, MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE (NEBRASKA) HIGH SCHOOL
What were the reasons you chose to come to Saint Johnʼs?
The community, location and the professors I talked to on my visit.
What is the biggest challenge youʼve faced as an athlete and how did you overcome it?
Switching from short sprints to longer sprints was a hard change to make because it pushed me a lot more.
What is something about you most people may not know?
I own a Kaiser Darrin (a rare American sports car from 1954).
What is something about you most people may not know?
I have seven siblings.
What – if any – music is part of your pre-meet ritual and why?
Rap or metal. It gets me pumped up and ready to compete.
What is the biggest challenge youʼve faced as an athlete and how did you overcome it?
Getting injured my freshman year. I overcame it by continuing to work hard and trusting in my training.
POLE VAULT, ST. PETER HIGH SCHOOL
