2025 SJU Cross Country Program

SEASON PREVIEW

With six of their top seven runners back from a year ago, members of the Saint John’s University cross country team begin this season with high expectations.

SJU finished as the runner-up at the MIAC Championships in 2024, and 11th overall at the NCAA North Regional.

Three Johnnies finished in the top 20 at last year’s conference meet. Junior Vincent Kaluza (14th; Cold Spring, Minn./ Rocori) crossed the line in 25:38, followed by fifth-year senior Eamon Cavanaugh (17th; Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park and River Forest) and junior Cole Stencel (19th; Mapleton, Minn./Maple Grove).

The rest of the top five consisted of seniors Aiden Chalmers (23rd; Chaska, Minn./Minnetonka), Nick St. Peter (30th; Maple Grove, Minn.) and Jacob Malecha (33rd; Lonsdale, Minn./New Prague).

Kaluza’s performance earned All-MIAC honors.

He once again led the Johnnies with a 42nd-place finish at the NCAA North Regional, followed by Chalmers (58th), Stencel (59th), St. Peter (78th) and Cavanaugh (81st). Malecha finished three seconds behind Cavanaugh to finish 85th and Gathje was 100th.

This year’s conference meet is scheduled for Nov. 1 at the Highland 9-Hole Golf Course in St. Paul. The North Regional meet is scheduled for Nov. 15 in Colfax, Wisconsin.

N T H E F I E L D

CHAMPIONS

I N L O G I S T I C S

COACHING STAFF

MAXWELL KUZARA

Following a three-year stint as an assistant coach, 2017 Saint John’s University graduate Maxwell Kuzara is now in his third season as the Johnnies head cross country coach and head distance track & field coach in 2025. He took over for Tim Miles ’76, who stepped down in August 2023 after serving as head coach at SJU for 44 years, but remains on staff as an assistant coach.

Kuzara first returned to Saint John’s on the coaching staff in the spring of 2021 after spending four years as an assistant coach at Minnetonka High School. At Minnetonka he coached alongside Minnesota distance running legends Jeff Renlund, Steve Hoag and Jerry McNeal. He also worked for four years in the endurance event world, organizing marathons, triathlons and mountain bike races all over the U.S., including the Twin Cities Marathon here in Minnesota.

Kuzara studied exercise science and global business leadership while

a student at Saint John’s, and achieved All-Conference honors in cross country and placed third and fourth in MIAC Championship 10,000-meter races as an athlete. Kuzara lives in nearby St. Joseph, Minnesota, with his wife, Manon, who also ran cross country and track & field at the College of Saint Benedict, their daughter, Marais, and their dog, Willa. Kuzara holds a USA Track & Field Level 2 certification in endurance as well as a USA Track & Field Cross Country Specialist certification and a USTFCCCA injury management certification.

He served as the Johnnies head coach from 1979 to August 2023. His cross country teams won nine MIAC titles, finished among the MIAC’s top-two squads 25 of the last 44 years and qualified to compete at the national meet 22 times – recording 12 top-10 team finishes.

Under his tenure, SJU won five MIAC outdoor titles, with Miles’ athletes earning a combined 586 All-MIAC and 60 All-American honors. SJU dedicated the outdoor track within Clemens Stadium, now called Miles Track, in his honor in May 2019.

Prior to that, he coached two individual Minnesota state cross country champions at Cretin High School in St. Paul from 1976 to 1979.

As a student in Collegevillle, Miles was a natural science major who went on to receive his master’s degree in forestry at the University of Minnesota in 1979.

As a Johnnie athlete, he was all-conference in cross country and the MIAC 6-mile champion and steeplechase runner-up on the track as a senior. He was inducted into both the Saint John’s University J-Club Hall of Honor as well as the USA Track & Field Minnesota Hall of Fame in 2024.

Tim Miles, a 1976 Saint John’s University graduate, is in his 47th year coaching cross country and track & field at Saint John’s.

Miles resides in nearby St. Cloud with his wife, Sue, and their dog, Cece.

2025 ROSTER

Name Yr Hometown High School

MASON ANDERSON FRESHMAN REDWOOD FALLS, MINN. REDWOOD VALLEY

COLLIN BERG SOPHOMORE BUFFALO, MINN. BUFFALO

EAMON CAVANAUGH SENIOR OAK PARK, ILL. OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST

AIDEN CHALMERS SENIOR CHASKA, MINN. MINNETONKA

CONNOR DOW SOPHOMORE RAMSEY, MINN. ANOKA

LOGAN FRANK FRESHMAN BURTRUM, MINN. SAUK CENTRE

SEBASTIAN HANSON SOPHOMORE MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. TWO RIVERS

JACK JOHNSTON JUNIOR MAPLE GROVE, MINN. MAPLE GROVE

VINCENT KALUZA JUNIOR COLD SPRING, MINN. ROCORI

COLIN KASTER JUNIOR EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. HOLY ANGELS

RAEGAN LOPEZ FRESHMAN LAKEVILLE, MINN. NORTH

JACOB MALECHA SENIOR LONSDALE, MINN. NEW PRAGUE

ADAM MARABLE SOPHOMORE CRYSTAL, MINN. ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG

PEYTON MARTINEK JUNIOR COON RAPIDS, MINN. COON RAPIDS

MAX MCCOY JUNIOR BENNINGTON, NEB. MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE

IAN MILLS FRESHMAN GLENWOOD, MINN. MINNEWASKA AREA

LARS MOLENKAMP JUNIOR ALMERE, NETHERLANDS OOSTVAARDERS COLLEGE

ERICK MONTALVO FRESHMAN ST. PAUL, MINN. ROSEVILLE AREA

JACK MONTGOMERY JUNIOR LONG LAKE, MINN. ORONO

CONNOR O’BRIEN JUNIOR BELLE PLAINE, MINN. BELLE PLAINE

A.J. OLESEN SOPHOMORE WRENSHALL, MINN. CARLTON

NOLAN PFEILSTICKER FRESHMAN PLAINVIEW, MINN. PLAINVIEW-ELGIN-MILLVILLE

EVAN RASKE SOPHOMORE BECKER, MINN. MONTICELLO

WILL SNYDER FRESHMAN PAPILLION, NEB. MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE

NICK ST. PETER SENIOR MAPLE GROVE, MINN. MAPLE GROVE

JOHN STEINES FRESHMAN ST. PAUL, MINN. DELASALLE

COLE STENCEL JUNIOR MAPLETON, MINN. MAPLE RIVER

8,000m all-time list

Name Time Date Meet High School

1. Brian Smith 23:56 1983 NCAA III Championship, Newport News, VA Bayard (Iowa)

2. Chris Erichsen 24:10.65 2007 Willamette Invitational, Salem, OR Spring Valley

3. John Krueger 24:14.3 1999 NCAA III Championship, Winneconne, WI Stillwater

4. John Gathje 24:16 1983 NCAA III Championship, Newport News, VA Rochester Lourdes

5. John Cragg 24:21c 1969 Notre Dame Invitational, South Bend, IN St. Paul Cretin

6. Kelly Fermoyle 24:24.40 2007 Willamette Invitational, Salem, OR Henry Sibley

7. Lloyd Young 24:31.4 2021 NCAA III Championship, Louisville, KY Bloomington Kennedy

8. Chet Boom 24:31.5 1999 NCAA III Championship, Winneconne, WI Shakopee

9. Chuck Ceronsky 24:52c 1968 NAIA Championship, Oklahoma City, OK Minneapolis DeLaSalle

10. Joe Metzger 24:54c 1978 NCAA III Championship, Davenport, IA St. Paul Cretin

11. Lee Hodin 24:59.1 1999 NCAA III Championship, Winneconne, WI Spokane Mead (Wash.)

12. Charlie Mahler 25:02 1982 Midwest Collegiates, Kenosha, WI La Crosse Aquinas (Wis.)

13. Dave Lyndgaard 25:02c 1973 NCAA III Championship, Wheaton, IL New Richland

14. Tommy Feichtinger 25:03.9 2015 UW La Crosse Drews Invite, Ettrick, WI Mount Michael (Neb.)

15. Jim Gathje 25:04 1985 Carleton Invitational, Northfield, MN Rochester Lourdes

16. Bob Morris 25:04 1982 Midwest Collegiates, Kenosha, WI Osseo

17. Andy Goldsmith 25:04.8 2021 NCAA III North Regional, Colfax, WI Cascia (Okla.)

18. Rob Sauer 25:05 1981 NCAA III Midwest Regional, Davenport, IA Robbinsdale Armstrong

19. Kris Jungels 25:06 1989 NCAA III Championship, Rock Island, IL Onamia Crosier

20. Pickle Gillach 25:06.5 1987 NCAA III Championship, Holland, MI Arvada (Colo.)

21. Ryan Steines 25:07 1996 NCAA III Championship, Rock Island, IL Cumberland (Wis.)

22. Vincent Kaluza 25:08.6 2024 UW Eau Claire Blugold Invite, Colfax, WI Rocori

23. Tim Smit 25:10.3 2005 Willamette Invitational, Salem, OR Colfax (Wis.)

24. Jeb Myers 25:10.8 1995 NCAA III Championship, West Salem, WI Shakopee

25. Scott Lindell 25:11 1989 NCAA III Championship, Rock Island IL Robbinsdale Cooper

26. Tim Heisel 25:12c 1972 Notre Dame Invitational, South Bend, IN Hopkins Eisenhower

27. Dustin Franta 25:12.5 2010 UW-La Crosse Drews Invite, West Salem, WI La Crescent

28. Matt Larkin 25:13 1981 NCAA III Midwest Regional, Davenport, IA Benilde-St. Margaret

29. Joe Bohlke 25:13 1986 NCAA III Central Regional, Waverly, IA Osseo

30. John Thoemke 25:14 1982 NCAA III Central Regional, Pella, IA Crosier Seminary

31. Ryan Bugler 25:15.3 2016 UW Eau Claire Invitational, Colfax, WI Okinawa School Intl.

32. Jim Meyers 25:16 1982 Midwest Collegiates, Kenosha, WI St. Ignatius (Ill.)

33. Mitch VanBruggen 25:20.4 2005 Willamette Invitational, Salem, OR Buffalo

34. Paul Cornelison 25:21 1986 NCAA III Central Regional, Davenport, IA Benilde-St. Margaret

35. Joe Skaja 25:21c 1969 Notre Dame Invitational, South Bend, IN St. Cloud Tech

36. Mike Brennan 25:22.4 1994 NCAA III Championship, Bethlehem, PA Rochester Lourdes

37. Nick Overby 25:24c 1973 NCAA III Championship, Wheaton, IL Edina

38. Todd Larsen 25:25.5 1999 NCAA III Championship, Winneconne, WI Park Center

39. Bob Simmons 25:26 1992 UW-La Crosse Drews Invite, West Salem, WI Hill-Murray

40. Nick Thoemke 25:27.2 1999 NCAA III Championship, Winneconne, WI St. Paul Central

41. Jeff Brain 25:27c 1968 Notre Dame Invitational, South Bend, IN Seattle Prep (Wash.)

42. Bob Loegering 25:27.6 1987 NCAA III Championship, Holland, MI Rochester Lourdes

43. Andy Keenan 25:27.7 2001 NCAA III Championship, Rock Island, IL Fridley

44. Mike McGowan 25:28 1982 Midwest Collegiates, Kenosha, WI Blue Earth

45. Mike Cook 25:28.5 1999 NCAA III Championship, Winneconne, WI Park Center

46. Matt Scherber 25:29.2 2013 NCAA III Central Regional, St. Olaf, MN Sartell

47. Cam Green 25:31.10 2007 Willamette Invitational, Salem, OR Edina

48. Pete Gathje 25:31c 1978 NCAA III Midwest Regional, Pella, IA Rochester Lourdes

49. Mike Fahey 25:32c 1972 Notre Dame Invitational, South Bend, IN Norwood Young America

50. Tim Miles 25:32c 1975 Notre Dame Invitational, South Bend, IN St. Paul Cretin

ACADEMIC HONORS

Academic All-MIAC (since 2005):

*3.5 GPA AND A SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR OR SENIOR TO QUALIFY

2005 CHRIS ERICHSEN

ERIC NELSEN

TIM SMIT

MITCH VANBRUGGEN

2006 CHRIS ERICHSEN

ZACH HUNTER

MITCH VANBRUGGEN

2007 CHRIS ERICHSEN

KELLY FERMOYLE

ZACH HUNTER

2008 ZACH HUNTER

2010 GRANT COOK

DAVID FORSTER

JOE GAIR

2011 ANDREW CLASEN

JOE GAIR

RUAIRI MOYNIHAN

2013 LUKAS BUEHLER

JAKE BURR

THOMAS FEICHTINGER

PRESTON ZIMNY

2014 JAKE BURR

THOMAS FEICHTINGER

BEAU GERDING

ANDREW HANSEN

PRESTON ZIMNY

2015 LUKAS BUEHLER

MATTHEW BURGSTAHLER

THOMAS FEICHTINGER

ANDREW HANSEN

2016 LUKAS BUEHLER

MATTHEW BURGSTAHLER

KEVIN LAMB

MICHAEL NELSON

JOSEPH RABAEY

WILL ZIMMERMAN

2017 MATTHEW BURGSTAHLER

TREY COLLINS

KEVIN LAMB

NICK RETHEMEIER

2018 JACK COLLERAN

SAMUEL CRUZ

KEVIN LAMB

NOAH WEBB

2019 TREY COLLINS

ANDY GOLDSMITH

SETH JACKSON

NOAH WEBB

2020 RILEY BERG

JACOB CZECH

DILLON DIEKMANN

ANDY GOLDSMITH

MITCH GRAND

ALEXEI HENSEL

SETH JACKSON

MAX KRAUSE

JACOB LIPKE

NICO MERICKEL

NATHAN MEYER

TOM NEMANICH

CHARLIE OTTO

SAM RENGO

LLOYD YOUNG

2021 TOMMY ALLEN

RILEY BERG

DILLON DIEKMANN

JACOB GATHJE

ANDY GOLDSMITH

MITCH GRAND

CARTER GROVE

ALEXEI HENSEL

MAX KRAUSE

JACOB LIPKE

NICO MERICKEL

NATHAN MEYER

TOM NEMANICH

MAX VOGEL

LLOYD YOUNG

2022

TOMMY ALLEN

RILEY BERG

EAMON CAVANAUGH

NATE COURCHANE

DILLON DIEKMANN

JACOB GATHJE

JOE GATHJE

MITCH GRAND

CARTER GROVE

ALEXEI HENSEL

DANNY KLOEPPNER

JACOB LIPKE

WILL MATTOCK

NICO MERICKEL

TOM NEMANICH

SAM RABAEY

SAM RENG

LIAM SHEELEY

AIDAN THOMAS

LLOYD YOUNG

2023 TOMMY ALLEN

AIDEN CHALMERS

JOE COFFEY

NATE COURCHANE

JACOB GATHJE

JOE GATHJE

DANNY KLOEPPNER

PARKER KOLAND

ETHAN LEONARD

NICK ST. PETER

AIDAN THOMAS

LLOYD YOUNG

2024 EAMON CAVANAUGH

AIDEN CHALMERS

NATE COURCHANE

AARON FREIER

JOE GATHJE

JACK JOHNSTON

VINCENT KALUZA

ETHAN LEONARD

JACOB MALECHA

PEYTON MARTINEK

MAX MCCOY

LARS MOLENKAMP

SAM RABAEY

LIAM SHEELEY

NICK ST. PETER

COLE STENCEL

GAVIN SWIFT

AIDAN THOMAS

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Academic All-Region (since 2004-05)

2006-07 CHRIS ERICHSEN (FIRST TEAM)

2007-08 CHRIS ERICHSEN (FIRST TEAM)

2013-14 THOMAS FEICHTINGER (FIRST TEAM)

2017-18 MATTHEW BURGSTAHLER (FIRST TEAM)

2022-23 RILEY BERG

CARTER GROVE

LLOYD YOUNG

2023-24 TOMMY ALLEN

LLOYD YOUNG

*AS SELECTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTORS OF AMERICA (COSIDA)/COLLEGE SPORTS COMMUNICATORS (CSC)

Academic All-American

2006-07 CHRIS ERICHSEN (SECOND TEAM)

2007-08 CHRIS ERICHSEN (FIRST TEAM)

2017-18 MATTHEW BURGSTAHLER (SECOND TEAM)

2022-23 CARTER GROVE (THIRD TEAM)

LLOYD YOUNG (THIRD TEAM)

2023-24 TOMMY ALLEN (THIRD TEAM)

*AS SELECTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTORS OF AMERICA (COSIDA)/COLLEGE SPORTS COMMUNICATORS (CSC)

MIAC Elite 22 Award Winner

*HIGHEST GPA OF ALL THE ALLCONFERENCE HONOREES

2017-18 MATTHEW BURGSTAHLER 2022-23 TOMMY ALLEN

NCAA Division III Scholar Athlete of the Year

*HIGHEST GPA OF ALL THE ALLAMERICAN HONOREES

2007 CHRIS ERICHSEN

USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Teams (since award began in 1991)

*AVERAGE TEAM GPA OF AT LEAST 3.1 TO QUALIFY

USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Athletes

*AT LEAST A 3.3 GPA AND FINISH IN THE TOP 25% OF THEIR REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TO QUALIFY

1992 BRIAN GROSS

1992 BOB SIMMONS

1992 PAUL CHESTOVICH

1992 DAN DEUHS

1993 DAN DEUHS

1993 ADAM SPARKS

1994 MIKE BRENNAN

1994 RYAN STEINES

1995 RYAN STEINES

1995 JON KOCH

1995 ADAM SPARKS

1995 TONY KINZLEY

1996 ADAM SPARKS

1996 RYAN STEINES

1996 JEB MYERS

1996 JON KOCH

1996 BRAD BAUER

1997 FRANK BENDEWALD

1997 MARK JANIKULA

2005 CHRIS ERICHSEN

2005 TIM SMIT

2005 MITCH VANBRUGGEN

2006 ANDREW STEVENS

2006 CHRIS ERICHSEN

2006 ZACHARY HUNTER

2006 MITCH VANBRUGGEN

2007 CHRIS ERICHSEN

2007 KELLY FERMOYLE

2007 ZACHARY HUNTER

2008 ZACHARY HUNTER

2009 DUSTIN FRANTA

2009 PATRICK LOWDER

2010 DUSTIN FRANTA

2010 RUAIRI MOYNIHAN

2011 GRIFFIN HAYES

2011 TOM HOFFMAN

2012 THOMAS FEICHTINGER

2014 PRESTON ZIMNY

2014 THOMAS FEICHTINGER

2015 THOMAS FEICHTINGER

2015 JAKE BURR

2017 MATTHEW BURGSTAHLER

2018 KEVIN LAMB

2018 NOAH WEBB

2019 TREMAYNE COLLINS

2022 TOMMY ALLEN

2022 DILLON DIEKMANN

2022 CARTER GROVE

2022 LLOYD YOUNG

2023 LLOYD YOUNG

2024 VINCENT KALUZA

Regional

NCAA MIDWEST REGIONAL

1978 NINTH (23 TEAMS, 249)

1979 12TH (20 TEAMS, 326)

1981 SECOND (29 TEAMS, 122)

NCAA CENTRAL REGIONAL

1982 CHAMPION (17 TEAMS, 35)

1983 THIRD (16 TEAMS, 82)

1984 THIRD (16 TEAMS, 86)

1985 THIRD (16 TEAMS, 118)

1986 FOURTH (16 TEAMS, 136)

1987 THIRD (16 TEAMS, 110)

1988 THIRD (18 TEAMS, 99)

1989 SECOND (19 TEAMS, 101)

1990 SIXTH (19 TEAMS, 147)

1991 THIRD (21 TEAMS, 131)

1992 SECOND (20 TEAMS, 86)

1993 THIRD (19 TEAMS, 90)

1994 THIRD (20 TEAMS, 118)

1995 CHAMPION (21 TEAMS, 73)

1996 CHAMPION (21 TEAMS, 60)

1997 CHAMPION (23 TEAMS, 72)

1998 CHAMPION (22 TEAMS, 53)

1999 SECOND (25 TEAMS, 65)

2000 FIFTH (23 TEAMS, 137)

2001 SEVENTH (22 TEAMS, 193)

2002 SIXTH (23 TEAMS, 188)

2003 EIGHTH (22 TEAMS, 236)

2004 NINTH (22 TEAMS, 258)

2005 FIFTH (20 TEAMS, 159)

2006 FOURTH (23 TEAMS, 109)

2007 THIRD (23 TEAMS, 127)

2008 SECOND (26 TEAMS, 139)

2009 EIGHTH (25 TEAMS, 183)

2010 FIFTH (26 TEAMS, 147)

2011 SIXTH (26 TEAMS, 201)

2012 FOURTH (27 TEAMS, 155)

2013 EIGHTH (26 TEAMS, 214)

2014 EIGHTH (27 TEAMS, 259)

2015 SEVENTH (29 TEAMS, 230)

2016 EIGHTH (30 TEAMS, 233)

2017 EIGHTH (31 TEAMS, 251)

2018 10TH (31 TEAMS, 272)

TEAM FINISHES

2019 NINTH (28 TEAMS, 272)

NCAA NORTH REGIONAL

2021 NINTH (31 TEAMS, 220)

2022 SEVENTH (35 TEAMS, 228)

2023 15TH (34 TEAMS, 394)

2024 11TH (31 TEAMS, 318)

Nationals

1967 NAIA 27TH (30 TEAMS, 682)

1968 NAIA EIGHTH (35 TEAMS, 227)

1969 NCAA EIGHTH (42 TEAMS, 296)

1970 NCAA EIGHTH (47 TEAMS, 374)

1971 NCAA 30TH (51 TEAMS, 796)

1972 NAIA 27TH (41 TEAMS, 665)

1973 NCAA FIFTH (33 TEAMS, 217)

1974 NCAA 11TH (41 TEAMS, 376)

1975 NAIA 35TH (47 TEAMS, 897)

1976 NCAA 24TH (42 TEAMS, 608)

1977 NCAA 27TH (46 TEAMS, 692)

1980 NAIA 14TH (36 TEAMS, 382)

1981 NCAA NINTH (22 TEAMS, 226)

1982 NCAA FIFTH (21 TEAMS, 120)

1983 NCAA SIXTH (21 TEAMS, 182)

1983 NAIA 23RD (37 TEAMS, 576)

*1984 FOURTH (21 TEAMS, 148)

1985 NINTH (21 TEAMS, 264)

1987 11TH (21 TEAMS, 276)

1988 EIGHTH (21 TEAMS, 254)

1989 EIGHTH (21 TEAMS, 263)

1991 19TH (21 TEAMS, 407)

1992 14TH (21 TEAMS, 308)

1995 NINTH (21 TEAMS, 284)

1996 11TH (21 TEAMS, 259)

1997 SEVENTH (21 TEAMS, 239)

1998 FOURTH (21 TEAMS, 143)

1999 SEVENTH (24 TEAMS, 255)

2000 16TH (24 TEAMS, 409)

2005 15TH (24 TEAMS, 366)

2006 FIFTH (32 TEAMS, 234)

2007 13TH (32 TEAMS, 416)

2008 22ND (32 TEAMS, 533)

*SJU HAS COMPETED AT THE

NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP

ONLY SINCE THE 1984 SEASON MIAC

1947 FIFTH (FIVE TEAMS, 100)

1948 FIFTH (SIX TEAMS, 99)

1949 FIFTH (SIX TEAMS, 115)

1950 SECOND (SIX TEAMS, 65)

1951 NO TEAM

1952 FOURTH (FOUR TEAMS, 77)

1953 SECOND (THREE TEAMS, 47)

1954 CHAMPION (FOUR TEAMS, 35)

1955 FOURTH (FOUR TEAMS, 68)

1956 THIRD (FOUR TEAMS, 59)

1957 NO TEAM

1958 NO TEAM

1959 NO TEAM

1960 NO TEAM

1961 NO TEAM

1962 NO TEAM

1963 NO TEAM

1964 NO TEAM

1965 THIRD (THREE TEAMS, 53)

1966 FOURTH (SEVEN TEAMS, 102)

1967 SECOND (SEVEN TEAMS, 56)

1968 CHAMPION (SEVEN TEAMS, 31)

1969 CHAMPION (SEVEN TEAMS, 19)

1970 CHAMPION (SEVEN TEAMS, 26)

1971 CHAMPION (EIGHT TEAMS, 45)

1972 CHAMPION (EIGHT TEAMS, 37)

1973 SECOND (EIGHT TEAMS, 50)

1974 FOURTH (NINE TEAMS, 70)

1975 THIRD (SEVEN TEAMS, 69)

1976 FOURTH (SEVEN TEAMS, 80)

1977 FOURTH (NINE TEAMS, 104)

1978 THIRD (EIGHT TEAMS, 81)

1979 SECOND (EIGHT TEAMS, 74)

1980 SECOND (EIGHT TEAMS, 52)

1981 CHAMPION (NINE TEAMS, 21)

1982 CHAMPION (NINE TEAMS, 23)

1983 CHAMPION (NINE TEAMS, 31)

1984 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 45)

1985 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 64)

1986 THIRD (NINE TEAMS, 98)

1987 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 53)

1988 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 35)

1989 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 64)

1990 THIRD (10 TEAMS, 80)

1991 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 76)

1992 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 67)

1993 SECOND (10 TEAMS, 58)

1994 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 56)

1995 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 48)

1996 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 46)

1997 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 44)

1998 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 32)

1999 CHAMPION (10 TEAMS, 34)

2000 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 54)

2001 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 77)

2002 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 112)

2003 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 124)

2004 SIXTH (11 TEAMS, 155)

2005 FIFTH (10 TEAMS, 105)

2006 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 35)

2007 CHAMPION (11 TEAMS, 49)

2008 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 116)

2009 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 101)

2010 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 96)

2011 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 111)

2012 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 103)

2013 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 108)

2014 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 120)

2015 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 96)

2016 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 66)

2017 THIRD (11 TEAMS, 109)

2018 FIFTH (11 TEAMS, 130)

2019 SIXTH (11 TEAMS, 143)

2021 THIRD (10 TEAMS, 86)

2022 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 59)

2023 FOURTH (11 TEAMS, 120)

2024 SECOND (11 TEAMS, 96)

team travel

The Saint John’s cross country team blazes trails both close and far from home.

The Johnnies’ travel starts in the preseason when the team makes it’s annual training camp trip for a few days of fantastic training and team bonding before the school year starts. The location of the training camp changes, but in the fall of 2024 the team went to Itasca State Park, and this fall (2025) the team went to Lutsen, Minnesota, on the north shore of Lake Superior.

The team also routinely travels outside the Midwest most seasons, including a trip to the Lewis and Clark Invitational in Portland, Oregon, in 2021 where the Johnnies competed against some of the top Division I, II and III teams from outside their own region. That trip was followed by a few days on the Oregon coast sightseeing and running along the Pacific Ocean.

In 2023, SJU traveled east to Pennsylvania, getting a sneak peak of the course at Big Spring High School in Newville, Pennsylvania, where then-senior Lloyd Young would return to compete at the NCAA Division III national meet later in the year. From there, it was on to sightseeing at both Gettysburg National Military Park and in Washington, D.C.

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!

LAST SEASON IN PICTURES

Cross country

Saint John’s sits 75 miles northwest of the Twin Cities in Central Minnesota’s cabin country. Our campus encompasses 3,000 acres of woods and lakes with over 12 miles of winding trails, and we are surrounded by many more miles of rolling country roads – a distance runner’s dream. Our routes have names such as Island Lake, Big Fish and Lover’s Lane. We do a lot of passive hill training at Saint John’s as hills are essentially unavoidable.

Our exceptional indoor and outdoor tracks stand 100 feet from each other. Our six lane, 200-meter indoor facility was resurfaced in 2023. Our scenic outdoor track, named Miles Track after long-time SJU head coach Tim Miles, sits below hillsides and tall trees and is well-sheltered from the wind.

a sense of connection

That’s what Saint John’s 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 Johnnies 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 it’s really true,” Stencel said. “This is a very tight-knit place. You get to know everyone really well and you form lasting relationships. It’s 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 don’t know of any other campus that this many natural resources.”

A Maple River High School graduate, Stencel made the Dean’s List last semester and is also involved in SJU Campus Ministry.

“They really encourage you to get involved in the community here and that’s a good thing,” Stencel said. “Campus life makes up such a big part of the college experience. I’ve met so many people who I know are going to be my friends for a lifetime.”

Stencel’s interest in engineering springs from his father Jay, a civil engineering instructor at South Central College in Mankato.

“That’s how I first got acquainted with the field and the concepts,” said Cole, 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. “There’s a big sense of belonging. There’s 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 wouldn’t be here. So I’m extremely grateful.”

senior spotlight

EAMON

AIDEN CAVANAUGH CHALMERS

OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST (ILLINOIS) HIGH SCHOOL

What were the reasons you chose to come to Saint John’s?

I knew I would not receive as well-rounded and unique an education anywhere else.

What is your major and why did you pick it?

History. Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.

If you could have any meal for dinner tonight, what would it be and why?

My Mom’s red beans and rice.

NICK ST. PETER

MAPLE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL

What is your major and why did you pick it?

Data Science. I picked it because I want to work in baseball analytics/baseball operations and this major best suits me with the knowledge I need.

What is your favorite place on campus and why?

I always enjoy spending time with the team in the reef. I’ve picked up countless memories and funny moments there.

Cats or dogs and how come?

I’d go with cats because I love their calm and cuddly nature. I definitely want a couple cats when I get older.

MINNETONKA HIGH SCHOOL

What is your favorite place on campus and why?

The outdoor track, without a doubt. I’ve logged countless miles there during workouts and races, but some of my best memories are just hanging out with friends during football games. It’s where hard work and community come together.

If you could have any meal for dinner tonight, what would it be and why?

I’d rally the team and head to Fogo de Chão for an all-you-can-eat steak dinner. It’s an investment, but absolutely worth every penny. Nothing bonds a team like a shared mission to eat every last piece of meat in the restaurant.

What is your best memory from your time on campus - in cross country or otherwise?

One of my most profound memories at Saint John’s came the first week of my freshman year. There was a big group of cross-country runners just hanging out on the beach at Lake Sag. We proceeded to go on a barefoot walk to the chapel, which was a bit painful, but enjoyable. We then swam the whole way back to the beach - a tradition that has been passed down over many generations of runners at Saint John’s.

JACOB MALECHA

What were the reasons you chose to come to Saint John’s?

I loved the campus, the different facilities and the nature that surrounds SJU. I heard only great things about the school from past alumni and current students - such as the tight-knit community and the great networking opportunities. I toured most of the schools in the MIAC, and SJU was by far the most vibrant and lively campus environment.

What is something about you most people may not know?

I’m a huge fan of coffee, and I enjoy getting coffee from a bunch of different coffee shops. I drink a lot of coffee, maybe too much of it.

If you were lost in the woods, which teammate would you most want with you and why?

The easy answer here is (junior) Max McCoy. He’s got plenty of experience with camping and being out in nature. I’d definitely trust him the most to get us out of that situation. Plus, I’d learn a thing or two along the way.

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cross country in the sju j-club hall of honor

Jim Smith (inducted 2018) The winningest collegiate basketball coach on any level in Minnesota, Jim Smith coached the sport at SJU for 51 seasons, retiring after the 2014-15 season with 786-556 career record (.586).

But he also served in many other roles in the athletic department over the years, including as the Johnnies’ head cross country coach from 1965-73.

In that capacity, he led SJU to fivestraight MIAC titles from 1968-72.

John Cragg ’71 (inducted 2019) John Cragg finished his collegiate career as a three-time All-American in cross country and twice earned AllAmerican honors in track and field.

He finished second in the nation in cross country as a sophomore and junior in 1969 and ‘70. 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.

With Cragg leading the way, the Johnnies dethroned longtime conference power Macalester atop the MIAC in men’s cross country.

From 1956-67, the Scots won 11 of 12 conference championships. But Saint John’s won the title in 1968 – when Cragg was a sophomore –marking the first of five in a row.

Jim Gathje ’86 (inducted 2021) Jim Gathje had a standout collegiate career 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 Gathje’s 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 ‘86. His best time in the event - 8:39.80 in 1985 - remains both a school and Division III record today.

Chris Erichsen ’08 (inducted 2023)

Chris Erichsen is one of the most decorated cross country and track and field athletes in SJU history.

He 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 he he’d just taken up that season. Erichsen then 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.

cross country in the sju j-club hall of honor

His competitive drive didn’t 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 ’70 (inducted 2024) Though transfer rules kept Chuck Ceronsky from competing in cross country as a sophomore in the fall of 1967, he began forming the core of a talented group of distance runners that also included future multi-time All-American John Cragg (who finished second to Ceronsky in the mile at the 1966 Catholic state meet while running for Cretin) and multi-time All-MIAC performers like Jeff Brain and Joe Skaja (also an AllAmerican in cross country in 1971).

When the MIAC meet was held in Collegeville during the 1968 season, Ceronsky finished first overall and the Johnnies came away as team champions – ending Macalester’s dynastic run of six-straight titles and 11 of the past 12.

It was the first of five-straight conference crowns for SJU, including during Ceronsky’s senior season in 1969 when he finished second behind only Cragg, who won the first of his back-to-back individual titles that year. Ceronsky also had 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.

He went on to serve as an assistant coach to Jim Smith in cross country and track-and-field as he pursued his master’s degree in theology.

Tim Miles ’76 (inducted 2024) Tim Miles coached the SJU track and field team for 36 seasons (1980-2015) and led the Johnnies to five MIAC outdoor titles. He remained as head cross country coach 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.

He was named MIAC track and field coach of the year four times (2004, ’05, ’07, ’11) and conference cross country coach of the year on three occasions (1997, 2006 and ’07). His athletes earned All-American honors 18 times in cross country and 61 times in track and field.

As a runner at SJU, he earned All-MIAC honors in cross country and was the conference six-mile champion in track and field as a senior in 1976 – the same year he finished as runner-up in the steeplechase.

Brian Smith (Inducted 2025) One of the most decorated distance runners in Saint John’s history, Brian Smith was a three-time All-American across cross country and track and field. The graduate of tiny Bayard High School in Iowa also recorded seven All-MIAC performances between the two sports. In 1981, he finished third in the 10,000 meters at the MIAC meet. He 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.

That set the stage for the spring of 1983 when he won the 1,500 and finished second in the 5,000 at the conference championships before winning a national title in the 5,000 at the Division III national meet – becoming the first national champion in program history.

Smith closed out his collegiate career with a third-place finish at the Division III national cross country meet in the fall of 1983 - a particularly impressive feat for someone who did not compete in the sport before enrolling at SJU.