COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - For the ninth consecutive season, and 13th time in the last 17 years, the Saint John's University football team was the top-ranked institution among NCAA Division III attendance leaders. SJU averaged 8,208 fans per game and attracted 49,249 spectators during six home games in 2009. SJU's average attendance of 8,208 per game outdistanced second-place Hampden-Sydney (Va.) at 4,765 fans per game.
Michigan claimed its 12th consecutive attendance title once again led Division I-A (FBS) in attendance by averaging 108,933 spectators per game, Montana led Division I-AA (FCS) by averaging 24,417 spectators per game and Tuskegee (Ala.) led Division II by averaging 14,553 spectators per game.
As a conference, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) ranked first among Division III conferences for the fifth consecutive year with an average of 3,178 spectators per game. In 48 games this season, the MIAC attracted a total of 152,560 spectators.
SJU ended the 2009 season with an 8-0 record in the MIAC and a 10-1 overall record. The Johnnies earned their MIAC-record 31st conference championship, the 27th under the direction of Gagliardi, and made their 24th postseason appearance (and 11th in the past 12 seasons). Gagliardi ended his record 61st season with a 471-126-11 (.784) career record and a 447-120-10 (.783) record in 57 seasons at SJU.