University of St. Thomas Athletics
Photo by: Kylie Macziewski
Seventeen Tommies garner All-Conference honors
11/28/2023 1:00:00 PM | Football
St. Thomas closed season 7-1 in PFL play
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The postseason honors continue to roll in for the University of St. Thomas football team. After another successful season in the Pioneer Football League (PFL), 17 Tommies were selected to the All-Conference teams Tuesday afternoon. Eight total student-athletes represented St. Thomas as either First or Second Team selections, while nine Tommies were named All-Conference Honorable Mention Tuesday afternoon.
Alec Rasmussen (Wayzata, Minn. / Wayzata), Jonathan Bunce (Edina, Minn. / Edina) and Johnson Fallah (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) were voted First Team All-Conference by the PFL coaches, while Andrew McElroy (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook), Hope Adebayo (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley), Matthew Rink (Lincoln, Neb. / Southwest) and CJ Warren (Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial) garnered Second Team honors. The Tommies also landed nine student-athletes on the All-Conference Honorable Mention list, including Joey Fitzgerald (Chicago, Ill. / Brother Rice), Noah Friedt (Lakeville, Minn. / Apple Valley), Luke Herzog (Mendota Heights, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy), Jack Mohler (Woodbury, Minn. / East Ridge), Landon Reed (Naples, Fla. / Community), Langston Robinson (Milwaukee, Wis. / Marquette), Tommy Shelstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Holy Angels), Shawn Shipman (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlain Park) and Brock Stanek (Fort Dodge, Iowa / Fort Dodge-St. Edmond).
The PFL's All-Conference teams are voted on by the league's 11 head coaches. Members of the ballot are nominated by the coaches following the end of the 2023 season.
Meet St. Thomas' PFL All-Conference selections:
Alec Rasmussen (Jr.; OL; Wayzata, Minn. / Wayzata) - First Team
A first team Preseason All-Conference selection, Rasmussen garnered First Team All-PFL honors after an impressive junior season on the Tommies offensive line. As the starting left tackle for St. Thomas, Rasmussen started all 11 games and played every down for the Tommies in 2023. His efforts helped the team rush for 1917 net yards on 412 attempts during the season, and Rasmussen was the starting offensive lineman for five 200+ rushing performances in 2023. St. Thomas additionally set the Division I record for rush yards in a game thanks to Rasmussen's efforts, tallying 378 at Stetson in late October.
Jonathan Bunce (Jr.; LB; Edina, Minn. / Edina) – First Team
Bunce was voted First Team All-PFL for the second consecutive season after a superb junior year for the Tommies. A 2023 Preseason First Team All-Conference selection, Bunce closed the regular season with 63.0 total tackles (23 solo, 40 assists), including 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, one break up and four quarterback hurries. He was the Tommies top tackler in conference play, as Bunce led the team in tackles vs. PFL opponents with 53 at the conclusion of the regular season and ranked top-20 in the conference in total tackles. Additionally, St. Thomas concluded 2023 as the No. 2 scoring and rush defense in the PFL and ranked top-50 in all of FCS in both categories throughout the regular season.
Johnson Fallah (5th; DB; Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) - First Team
Fallah's final season with the Tommies was the best of his career, as he was voted First Team All-Conference by the PFL coaches. In his final season with St. Thomas, Fallah started all 11 games as a defensive back and racked up the stats, tallying 33.0 tackles, 29 of which were solo. He led the team in solo tackles (29) and interceptions (3) and ranked top-10 in the PFL in passes defended and interceptions at the conclusion of the season. Fallah was also named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Tommies to a 36-26 win over Black Hills State to open the 2023 season.
Andrew McElroy (Jr.; WR/KS; Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook) – Second Team
McElroy adds to an already stacked trophy case, as he was voted Second Team All-Conference as a wide receiver for his play in 2023. The first Preseason All-American in program history, McElroy was key to St. Thomas' offensive gameplan in 2023, accumulating 525 receiving yards in nine games. He became the first receiver in the Division I era to eclipse the 1000 career receiving yard mark, doing so in a 121 yard effort at Harvard on September 16. McElroy additionally closed the season with two receiving touchdowns, both of which were scored in PFL play.
Hope Adebayo (Jr.; RB; Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley) – Second Team
Adebayo returned to form in 2023 after missing a chunk of his sophomore season due to injury. A bulldozing running back from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Adebayo earned Second Team All-Conference honors after playing in all 11 games for St. Thomas. As the No. 1 /2 running back, Adebayo racked up 766 yards an 13 carries throughout the year and scored a team-leading, and Division I record, 10 touchdowns during the season. He was named the PFL's Offensive Player of the Week on October 22, 2023 after a monster performance at Stetson, in which Adebayo rushed for 197 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns. It also marked the first of three multi-touchdown performances for the junior, who tallied six of his 10 rushing touchdowns in the final four games of 2023.
Matthew Rink (So.; TE; Lincoln, Neb. / Southwest) – Second Team
Rink garnered the first All-Conference honor of his career, as he was voted Second Team All-Conference Tuesday afternoon after an outstanding season as the Tommies starting tight end. As a sophomore, Rink appeared and started all 11 games for St. Thomas and played a key role on both the offense and special teams unit. Though he didn't tally many receiving yards in 2023, Rink made his catches count, tallying 42 yards on three catches, all at crucial points of the game. As a member of the offensive line, Rink helped the Tommies rush for almost 2000 yards during the season, with two running backs rushing for over 700 yards. Additionally, Rink was named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week after recording a blocked punt-six in St. Thomas' win over Morehead State in late September.
CJ Warren (5th.; DL; Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial) – Second Team
Warren made a huge impact in his fifth season with the Tommies and was voted Second Team All-Conference for his effort. A 6'3 defensive lineman from Circle Pines, Minnesota, Warren helped St. Thomas conclude 2023 as the No. 2 scoring and rush defense in the PFL thanks to his 22.0 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss. Of those 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 were sacks, all of which came in crucial moments for the Tommies. Warren recorded a career and season-high 2.0 sacks in St. Thomas' win over Dayton in late September and tallied sacks against both Black Hills State and Marist during the season.
Joey Fitzgerald (5th.; DL; Chicago, Ill. / Brother Rice)
Like Warren, Fitzgerald was a formidable force on the Tommies defensive line and was named to the PFL All=Conference Honorable Mention team at the conclusion of the season. A fifth year senior, Fitzgerald appeared and started all 11 games for St. Thomas and recorded 27.0 tackles (13 solo, 14 assist) during the year. He ranked fourth on the team in tackles for loss, accumulating 5.5 during the season, including 3.0 sacks. Fitzgerald also added six quarterback hurries to his resume and helped St. Thomas finish second in the conference in rush defense.
Noah Friedt (Jr.; DL; Lakeville, Minn. / Apple Valley)
The Tommie defensive line was a force to be reckoned with in 2023, and Friedt played a large role in that dominance. A junior defensive lineman, Friedt put together a breakout season in 2023, tallying 14.0 tackles in 11 games for St. Thomas. More impressively, 4.5 of Friedt's 14.0 tackles were for loss, and 3.5 were sacks, a career high for the junior. Friedt recorded tackles for loss against Harvard, Dayton, Stetson and Valparaiso, and recorded three of his 3.5 sacks in PFL play. Thanks to Friedt and the rest of the defensive lineman, St. Thomas ranked in the top-50 in the FCS in scoring defense and rush defense consistently throughout the 2023 season.
Luke Herzog (Jr.; LB; Mendota Heights, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy) – Honorable Mention
Herzog's third season with the Tommies was nothing short of spectacular, as he was voted All-Conference Honorable Mention for his play during the 2023 season. In his third season with St. Thomas, Herzog played in all 11 games and tallied 44 tackles, including 23 solo and 4.5 for loss. He added 2.5 sacks, five pass breakups and eight quarterback hurries to his stat line, making him one of the most multi-facetted linebackers in the PFL. Herzog was also named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week on October 1 after helping the Tommies earn a thrilling 17-10 victory over Dayton on a goal line stand in the closing seconds.
Jack Mohler (Sr.; LB; Woodbury, Minn. / East Ridge)
Mohler put together a breakout season in 2023, earning All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades for his efforts as one of St. Thomas starting linebackers. The senior was the top tackler for the Tommies in 2023, as he led the team with 67.0 total tackles and 8.0 tackles for loss. Mohler recorded a career-high 10 tackles in St. Thomas' OT win over San Diego on November 11 and played a key role on the No. 2 rushing defense in the PFL. Thanks to Mohler's efforts, the Tommies held opponents to under 1200 rush yards in 2023, as they averaged just 107.9 yards per game. Additionally, the senior helped St. Thomas extend its nation-leading home field win streak to 31 games.
Landon Reed (Jr.; RB/FB; Naples, Fla. / Community) – Honorable Mention
The PFL head coaches had high expectations for Reed, and he certainly lived up to those, earning an All-Conference Honorable Mention nod in his first season as St. Thomas' starting fullback. Though he wasn't the most popular name on the stat sheet, Reed played a key role in the Tommies offensive success in 2023, as he was both a blocker and run threat in head coach Glenn Caruso's offense. Reed rushed for 61 yards on nine carries during the season and scored one touchdown, which happened to be the game-winner in the season finale against Valparaiso.
Langston Robinson (Jr.; OL; Milwaukee, Wis. / Marquette)
One of three St. Thomas offensive lineman to earn All-Conference honors, Robinson was named All-Conference Honorable Mention after an outstanding season as the Tommies starting center. Langston started all 11 games and played nearly every down for the Tommies in 2023, both for the offensive and kicking units. His efforts helped the team rush for 1917 net yards on 412 attempts during the season, and Langston was the starting center for five 200+ rushing performances in 2023. St. Thomas additionally set the Division I record for rush yards in a game thanks to Langston's efforts, tallying 378 at Stetson in late October.
Tommy Shelstad (5th.; LB; Bloomington, Minn. / Holy Angels)
Shelstad was the epitome of Tommie football in 2023, as he earned All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades for the first time in his career. A fifth year senior, Shelstad put together a career year for St. Thomas thanks to his 48.0 tackles and five quarterback hurries. He ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (7.5) and led the team in sacks, racking up 4.5 throughout the year. Shelstad also helped the Tommie defense hold opponents to just 1187 rushing yards during the season, as St. Thomas ended the year ranked second in the PFL in both rush defense and scoring defense.
Shawn Shipman (Jr.; RB; Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlin Park) – Honorable Mention
Shipman was voted All-Conference Honorable Mention after leading the Tommies run game for most of the 2023 season. As the team's No. 1/2 running back, Shipman appeared in all 11 games for St. Thomas and rushed for 785 yards on 138 carries. He scored five rushing touchdowns throughout the season and became the first St. Thomas running back to rush for over 200 yards in a game against Morehead State in late September. He also joined teammate Hope Adebayo (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley) as the only two running backs in the DI era with multiple 60+ yard rushes in a single game.
Brock Stanek (So.; OL; Fort Dodge, Iowa / Fort Dodge St. Edmond)
Stanek was the third offensive lineman honored by the PFL Tuesday, as he earned All-Conference Honorable Mention honors for his play on the offensive line. Stanek started all 11 games for the Tommies and helped the team rush for 1917 net yards on 412 attempts during the season. Stanek additionally helped St. Thomas set the DI record for rush yards in a game, as the team tallied 378 against Stetson in late October. Stanek also helped two different St. Thomas running backs rush for 700 yards for the first time in the Division I era.
Alec Rasmussen (Wayzata, Minn. / Wayzata), Jonathan Bunce (Edina, Minn. / Edina) and Johnson Fallah (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) were voted First Team All-Conference by the PFL coaches, while Andrew McElroy (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook), Hope Adebayo (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley), Matthew Rink (Lincoln, Neb. / Southwest) and CJ Warren (Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial) garnered Second Team honors. The Tommies also landed nine student-athletes on the All-Conference Honorable Mention list, including Joey Fitzgerald (Chicago, Ill. / Brother Rice), Noah Friedt (Lakeville, Minn. / Apple Valley), Luke Herzog (Mendota Heights, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy), Jack Mohler (Woodbury, Minn. / East Ridge), Landon Reed (Naples, Fla. / Community), Langston Robinson (Milwaukee, Wis. / Marquette), Tommy Shelstad (Bloomington, Minn. / Holy Angels), Shawn Shipman (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlain Park) and Brock Stanek (Fort Dodge, Iowa / Fort Dodge-St. Edmond).
The PFL's All-Conference teams are voted on by the league's 11 head coaches. Members of the ballot are nominated by the coaches following the end of the 2023 season.
Meet St. Thomas' PFL All-Conference selections:
Alec Rasmussen (Jr.; OL; Wayzata, Minn. / Wayzata) - First Team
A first team Preseason All-Conference selection, Rasmussen garnered First Team All-PFL honors after an impressive junior season on the Tommies offensive line. As the starting left tackle for St. Thomas, Rasmussen started all 11 games and played every down for the Tommies in 2023. His efforts helped the team rush for 1917 net yards on 412 attempts during the season, and Rasmussen was the starting offensive lineman for five 200+ rushing performances in 2023. St. Thomas additionally set the Division I record for rush yards in a game thanks to Rasmussen's efforts, tallying 378 at Stetson in late October.
Jonathan Bunce (Jr.; LB; Edina, Minn. / Edina) – First Team
Bunce was voted First Team All-PFL for the second consecutive season after a superb junior year for the Tommies. A 2023 Preseason First Team All-Conference selection, Bunce closed the regular season with 63.0 total tackles (23 solo, 40 assists), including 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, one break up and four quarterback hurries. He was the Tommies top tackler in conference play, as Bunce led the team in tackles vs. PFL opponents with 53 at the conclusion of the regular season and ranked top-20 in the conference in total tackles. Additionally, St. Thomas concluded 2023 as the No. 2 scoring and rush defense in the PFL and ranked top-50 in all of FCS in both categories throughout the regular season.
Johnson Fallah (5th; DB; Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Osseo) - First Team
Fallah's final season with the Tommies was the best of his career, as he was voted First Team All-Conference by the PFL coaches. In his final season with St. Thomas, Fallah started all 11 games as a defensive back and racked up the stats, tallying 33.0 tackles, 29 of which were solo. He led the team in solo tackles (29) and interceptions (3) and ranked top-10 in the PFL in passes defended and interceptions at the conclusion of the season. Fallah was also named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Tommies to a 36-26 win over Black Hills State to open the 2023 season.
Andrew McElroy (Jr.; WR/KS; Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook) – Second Team
McElroy adds to an already stacked trophy case, as he was voted Second Team All-Conference as a wide receiver for his play in 2023. The first Preseason All-American in program history, McElroy was key to St. Thomas' offensive gameplan in 2023, accumulating 525 receiving yards in nine games. He became the first receiver in the Division I era to eclipse the 1000 career receiving yard mark, doing so in a 121 yard effort at Harvard on September 16. McElroy additionally closed the season with two receiving touchdowns, both of which were scored in PFL play.
Hope Adebayo (Jr.; RB; Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley) – Second Team
Adebayo returned to form in 2023 after missing a chunk of his sophomore season due to injury. A bulldozing running back from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Adebayo earned Second Team All-Conference honors after playing in all 11 games for St. Thomas. As the No. 1 /2 running back, Adebayo racked up 766 yards an 13 carries throughout the year and scored a team-leading, and Division I record, 10 touchdowns during the season. He was named the PFL's Offensive Player of the Week on October 22, 2023 after a monster performance at Stetson, in which Adebayo rushed for 197 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns. It also marked the first of three multi-touchdown performances for the junior, who tallied six of his 10 rushing touchdowns in the final four games of 2023.
Matthew Rink (So.; TE; Lincoln, Neb. / Southwest) – Second Team
Rink garnered the first All-Conference honor of his career, as he was voted Second Team All-Conference Tuesday afternoon after an outstanding season as the Tommies starting tight end. As a sophomore, Rink appeared and started all 11 games for St. Thomas and played a key role on both the offense and special teams unit. Though he didn't tally many receiving yards in 2023, Rink made his catches count, tallying 42 yards on three catches, all at crucial points of the game. As a member of the offensive line, Rink helped the Tommies rush for almost 2000 yards during the season, with two running backs rushing for over 700 yards. Additionally, Rink was named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week after recording a blocked punt-six in St. Thomas' win over Morehead State in late September.
CJ Warren (5th.; DL; Circle Pines, Minn. / Centennial) – Second Team
Warren made a huge impact in his fifth season with the Tommies and was voted Second Team All-Conference for his effort. A 6'3 defensive lineman from Circle Pines, Minnesota, Warren helped St. Thomas conclude 2023 as the No. 2 scoring and rush defense in the PFL thanks to his 22.0 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss. Of those 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 were sacks, all of which came in crucial moments for the Tommies. Warren recorded a career and season-high 2.0 sacks in St. Thomas' win over Dayton in late September and tallied sacks against both Black Hills State and Marist during the season.
Joey Fitzgerald (5th.; DL; Chicago, Ill. / Brother Rice)
Like Warren, Fitzgerald was a formidable force on the Tommies defensive line and was named to the PFL All=Conference Honorable Mention team at the conclusion of the season. A fifth year senior, Fitzgerald appeared and started all 11 games for St. Thomas and recorded 27.0 tackles (13 solo, 14 assist) during the year. He ranked fourth on the team in tackles for loss, accumulating 5.5 during the season, including 3.0 sacks. Fitzgerald also added six quarterback hurries to his resume and helped St. Thomas finish second in the conference in rush defense.
Noah Friedt (Jr.; DL; Lakeville, Minn. / Apple Valley)
The Tommie defensive line was a force to be reckoned with in 2023, and Friedt played a large role in that dominance. A junior defensive lineman, Friedt put together a breakout season in 2023, tallying 14.0 tackles in 11 games for St. Thomas. More impressively, 4.5 of Friedt's 14.0 tackles were for loss, and 3.5 were sacks, a career high for the junior. Friedt recorded tackles for loss against Harvard, Dayton, Stetson and Valparaiso, and recorded three of his 3.5 sacks in PFL play. Thanks to Friedt and the rest of the defensive lineman, St. Thomas ranked in the top-50 in the FCS in scoring defense and rush defense consistently throughout the 2023 season.
Luke Herzog (Jr.; LB; Mendota Heights, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy) – Honorable Mention
Herzog's third season with the Tommies was nothing short of spectacular, as he was voted All-Conference Honorable Mention for his play during the 2023 season. In his third season with St. Thomas, Herzog played in all 11 games and tallied 44 tackles, including 23 solo and 4.5 for loss. He added 2.5 sacks, five pass breakups and eight quarterback hurries to his stat line, making him one of the most multi-facetted linebackers in the PFL. Herzog was also named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week on October 1 after helping the Tommies earn a thrilling 17-10 victory over Dayton on a goal line stand in the closing seconds.
Jack Mohler (Sr.; LB; Woodbury, Minn. / East Ridge)
Mohler put together a breakout season in 2023, earning All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades for his efforts as one of St. Thomas starting linebackers. The senior was the top tackler for the Tommies in 2023, as he led the team with 67.0 total tackles and 8.0 tackles for loss. Mohler recorded a career-high 10 tackles in St. Thomas' OT win over San Diego on November 11 and played a key role on the No. 2 rushing defense in the PFL. Thanks to Mohler's efforts, the Tommies held opponents to under 1200 rush yards in 2023, as they averaged just 107.9 yards per game. Additionally, the senior helped St. Thomas extend its nation-leading home field win streak to 31 games.
Landon Reed (Jr.; RB/FB; Naples, Fla. / Community) – Honorable Mention
The PFL head coaches had high expectations for Reed, and he certainly lived up to those, earning an All-Conference Honorable Mention nod in his first season as St. Thomas' starting fullback. Though he wasn't the most popular name on the stat sheet, Reed played a key role in the Tommies offensive success in 2023, as he was both a blocker and run threat in head coach Glenn Caruso's offense. Reed rushed for 61 yards on nine carries during the season and scored one touchdown, which happened to be the game-winner in the season finale against Valparaiso.
Langston Robinson (Jr.; OL; Milwaukee, Wis. / Marquette)
One of three St. Thomas offensive lineman to earn All-Conference honors, Robinson was named All-Conference Honorable Mention after an outstanding season as the Tommies starting center. Langston started all 11 games and played nearly every down for the Tommies in 2023, both for the offensive and kicking units. His efforts helped the team rush for 1917 net yards on 412 attempts during the season, and Langston was the starting center for five 200+ rushing performances in 2023. St. Thomas additionally set the Division I record for rush yards in a game thanks to Langston's efforts, tallying 378 at Stetson in late October.
Tommy Shelstad (5th.; LB; Bloomington, Minn. / Holy Angels)
Shelstad was the epitome of Tommie football in 2023, as he earned All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades for the first time in his career. A fifth year senior, Shelstad put together a career year for St. Thomas thanks to his 48.0 tackles and five quarterback hurries. He ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (7.5) and led the team in sacks, racking up 4.5 throughout the year. Shelstad also helped the Tommie defense hold opponents to just 1187 rushing yards during the season, as St. Thomas ended the year ranked second in the PFL in both rush defense and scoring defense.
Shawn Shipman (Jr.; RB; Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlin Park) – Honorable Mention
Shipman was voted All-Conference Honorable Mention after leading the Tommies run game for most of the 2023 season. As the team's No. 1/2 running back, Shipman appeared in all 11 games for St. Thomas and rushed for 785 yards on 138 carries. He scored five rushing touchdowns throughout the season and became the first St. Thomas running back to rush for over 200 yards in a game against Morehead State in late September. He also joined teammate Hope Adebayo (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley) as the only two running backs in the DI era with multiple 60+ yard rushes in a single game.
Brock Stanek (So.; OL; Fort Dodge, Iowa / Fort Dodge St. Edmond)
Stanek was the third offensive lineman honored by the PFL Tuesday, as he earned All-Conference Honorable Mention honors for his play on the offensive line. Stanek started all 11 games for the Tommies and helped the team rush for 1917 net yards on 412 attempts during the season. Stanek additionally helped St. Thomas set the DI record for rush yards in a game, as the team tallied 378 against Stetson in late October. Stanek also helped two different St. Thomas running backs rush for 700 yards for the first time in the Division I era.
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