COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John's University football team was ranked No. 24 in
Lindy's Division III Preseason poll, published in its college football preview issue.
In addition, senior linebacker
Carter Hanson (Blue Earth, Minn.) was named to
Lindy's All-Division III first team and senior defensive lineman
Peyton Thiry (Lester Prairie, Minn./Lester Prairie-Holy Trinity) was named to the second team. Hanson was listed as a preseason All-American last week by
The Sporting News, which ranked SJU ninth nationally.
Both Hanson and Thiry were named D3football.com All-America honorable mention in 2015.
SJU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs for the second consecutive season in 2015 and finished with a 10-2 overall record, including a 7-1 mark in MIAC play.
Lindy's ranked SJU two spots behind No. 22 Dubuque (Iowa), which the Johnnies defeated by scores of 45-9 and 51-7 last season.
A two-time D3football.com All-West Region second-team honoree, Hanson started all 12 games and finished second on the team, by one tackle, with 97 stops (35 solo) in 2015. A two-time All-MIAC first-team selection and a 2015 Academic All-American, Hanson collected six tackles for a loss, 1.5 sack, an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He recorded at least six tackles in 10 of the 12 games and begins his senior season this fall seventh in school history with 119 career solo tackles.
A D3football.com All-West Region and All-MIAC first-team selection last fall, Thiry started all 12 games for the Johnnies at defensive tackle and led the team in tackles for a loss (10.5), quarterback sacks (7) and quarterback hurries (9). He led the MIAC with 5.5 sacks in conference play and finished third with 7.5 tackles for a loss.
The Johnnies open the 2016 season with a 1 p.m. kickoff Sept. 3 against St. Scholastica in Clemens Stadium, the first of five regular-season home games this fall. SJU is expected to return 13 of their 24 starters (five on offense, six on defense and both special-teams specialists) in 2016.
