COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. — National champion wrestler John Newman ’99 and former wrestler and head coach Dr. Bob Dumonceaux ’61 anchor the latest group of inductees selected for Saint John’s University’s J-Club Hall of Honor.
The enshrinement ceremony and dinner are set for Saturday, Oct. 17, in Guild Hall as part of the university’s Homecoming festivities.
Newman enters the Hall of Honor following a decorated four-year career on the mat in Collegeville. A two-time MIAC champion and three-time national qualifier, Newman capped his collegiate career by winning the 174-pound Division III national championship in 1999. In the finals, the Mayer, Minnesota, native defeated rival Jim Peterson of Augsburg in double overtime by a 2-1 decision.
J-Club Hall of Honor | Event Registration
The victory made Newman the first Saint John’s wrestler to secure an individual national title since 1972. Newman finished third in the country at 167 pounds as a sophomore during the 1996-97 campaign and remains the program’s all-time leader with 336 career takedowns.
Dumonceaux will receive the J-Club Distinguished Service Award. After becoming the first wrestler from Foley High School to reach the Minnesota state high school tournament, Dumonceaux placed in the top four at the MIAC championships in all four of his seasons at SJU, earning conference runner-up honors twice.
He served as student head coach during his senior season in 1960-61 and later led the program for five of the next seven seasons, directing the Johnnies to two MIAC team titles. Dumonceaux went on to serve as a mathematics professor at SJU for more than 50 years and ran the football chain gang for decades.
Former wrestler Fr. Otto Weber, OSB ’57 will also be honored posthumously. Weber won the 1954 MIAC title at 147 pounds and coached wrestling at Saint John’s Prep in the 1960s before assisting with the SJU program. He established the SJU wrestling camp, one of the first in the state.
The 2026 class features seven additional individual inductees: Dave Arnold ’73 (football, track and field), Clinton Dammann ’08 (golf), Bob Hanson ’79 (hockey), Jim Holmes ’69 (basketball, track and field), Don Kluk ’71 (track and field), Ryan Roder ’97 (baseball), and Jim Wagner ’94 (football). The 1968 Johnnie cross country team will also be enshrined.
The Oct. 17 schedule begins with an outdoor social from 4 to 5 p.m., following SJU’s football game against Concordia at Clemens Stadium. The dinner and program will begin at 5 p.m.
Registration is $75 per person before Oct. 11 and $100 thereafter. Tickets for children ages 6-12 are $35, while children six and under are free. All proceeds benefit the J-Club to support SJU athletic programs. – Register to Attend
Check out Johnnies Wrestling at gojohnnies.com and on X (Twitter).