St. John's defensive end named most impactful DIII player in state
MINNEAPOLIS — St. John’s senior defensive end Michael Wozniak was named the Division III Impact Player of the Year by the Minnesota Football Honors and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
Named for Bobby Bell, the award recognizes players at all three NCAA levels for their impact on the gridiron during the previous season. Wozniak joined Bemidji State quarterback Brandon Alt and Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim as recipients.
“All three of these players made an outstanding impact during the 2022 college football season,” Todd Fultz, President of Minnesota NFF, said in a release. “They produced at the highest level and represented our state on the big stage. We are so thrilled to honor their outstanding achievements during this summer’s Minnesota Football Honors television broadcast.”
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Wozniak recorded 43 tackles during the 2022 season, including 23.5 for a loss. He had nine sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick in his final year as a Johnny.
Wozniak was also in the running for several national awards including the Cliff Harris Award, which is presented to the nation's top small-college defensive player; the Gagliardi Trophy, which named for the former Johnnies coach and is given to the best player in DIII football; and the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. Wozniak was selected as a member of the 2022 National Football Foundation (NFF) Scholar-Athlete Class and the 2022 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: St. John's Michael Wozniak named most impactful DIII player in Minnesota
