Johnnie athletes make the most of NCAA’s fifth-year rule

At the end of high school sports careers, some long for just one more game, one more season or one more bus ride with their teammates. In high school, athletes only get those four seasons; there’s no going back for more.

However, college athletics offers student-athletes an opportunity eligibility for a fifth season. To gain this extra year, athletes must fulfill a certain credit requirement, which allows them to stay an extra semester or a full academic year.

Thus, giving student athletes their one more game, one more season and one more bus ride. SJU has a handful of people taking advantage of this opportunity to do what they love one last time.

SJU senior football player Erik Bjork is one of them.

Bjork knew he wanted to take a fifth year at the end of the football season last year.

“I wasn’t ready to be done, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play one more year,” Bjork said.

Bjork says his experience during his last season has been incredible so far. He’s making the most of his last run with the Johnnies by cherishing each moment with his teammates.

“It’s been awesome. I’m focusing on enjoying it and having fun. I have great teammates that I am close with, and it’s been a blast so far,” Bjork said.

Bjork, a global business leadership major, is taking four internship credits this fall in order to have an extra season. His internship is at Granite Logistics in Sartell.

As for his plans after the football season, Bjork is currently applying for jobs and is looking forward to whatever his future has in store for him.

SJU senior football player Joe Jaeger also chose to return for a fifth season.

Jaeger knew he would take a fifth year after suffering a season ending injury in the middle of his junior year in which he underwent ankle surgery, but his decision to come back was also driven by a desire to help the younger players’ transition.

“Obviously we have unfinished business, and I want to go farther in the playoffs. But the second reason is to be able to help the younger offensive linemen. There are a lot of younger guys who are really good like Charlie Collins, Grant Perutka, Tom Soler and Tommy Hesburg, so being able to help is important to me,” Jaeger said.

Jaeger, an applied physics major with an emphasis on pre-engineering, is currently taking a one credit advanced physics lab in order to finish his degree.

With a light workload, Jaeger also has a fulltime internship as a manufacturing engineer at Graco in Rogers.

“It’s a grind, but it feels good to get great experience in the work field while playing football,” Jaeger said.

SJU senior Danny Kloeppner, who runs for both the Johnnies’ cross country and track teams, also decided to come back for another season.

Last year, Kloeppner finished his political science major but realized this wasn’t the path he wanted to take. He then added on a combined secondary education and social science minor, which required him to return for one more year.

“I am thankful for another season of cross country running. I met some of my best friends on the cross country team, which has been a pleasure to be a part of for the past five years,” Kloeppner said.

Kloeppner is taking 16 credits of education classes this fall to fulfill this new minor. He was running for the cross country team but recently suffered an injury, putting him out the remainder of the season.

However, Kloeppner will be back in the winter and spring for the track season. This spring, he will be student teaching and working towards his teaching license to teach fifth through 12th grade social studies.

SJU senior soccer player Matt Anderson is another student athlete seizing this chance to play with his team one last time.

Anderson never thought he would come back for a fifth season, but he knew he wanted to return around Thanksgiving of last year.

“This was something I did not consider until I finished my senior soccer season last fall and knew I didn’t want to hang up the cleats quite yet,” Anderson said.

Anderson is enjoying his extra season and the time he gets to spend at CSB and SJU, along with the opportunity of playing with his teammates one more time.

“The time here at SJU and CSB has been wonderful. To be able to have another six months at this place is something I am trying to take advantage of as much as possible. The soccer season has been going pretty good thus far, and I’ve enjoyed being around the boys again,” Anderson said.

To remain eligible for this fifth year, Anderson needed a class that fit within his psychology major, so he is taking “Psychological and Benedictine Wisdom” with Rodger Narloch this fall.

In December, Anderson will be going to Nairobi, Kenya, where he will spend six months working with the Benedictine Volunteer Corps.