St. Paul native Marselio Mendez, aka ‘Pops,’ emerges as a go-to receiver for St. John’s

Marselio Mendez claims to be 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds, which could be generous in both cases. He will turn 22 in January, and yet carries the nickname “Pops” with family members and long-time friends.

That comes from “Papas,” which can be defined loosely as “man of the house,” which is where Marselio stood in a home with single mom, Tina, older sisters Sabrina and Dejanae, and younger sister Alana.

“His sisters always said I spoiled Marselio; that he was my favorite,” Tina Mendez said. “They were probably right.”

Tina then laughed, so it should not be taken as a full confession of Mom favoritism by Marselio’s sisters.

This is the third generation of the Mendez family residing in St. Paul and/or West St. Paul. “My grandparents came here from Mexico,” Tina said. “My dad is the youngest of 14 kids. My grandmother Patricia … she was a little spitfire.”

Indeed. And that generational trait has made its way to the football field for St. John’s University, where Mendez has joined Dylan Wheeler, a 6-foot-2 junior from Mounds View, as the major targets for quarterback Aaron Syverson’s astounding season as a passer.

Syverson spent two years at Colorado State without playing; one redshirt, one COVID-19. He came to St. John’s in 2021 with four seasons of Division III eligibility. He had been very good and now, in this final season, astounding: 3,916 yards passing, 46 touchdowns, 75.8% completions, four interceptions in 388 passes.

Mendez and Wheeler have combined for 2,163 yards and 33 touchdowns — with the 11-0 Johnnies heading into DIII’s round of 16 vs. Susquehanna on Saturday in Collegeville.

You see Wheeler stretch, leap or power his way to a catch and say, “What an athlete.” You see Mendez and say, “How did he sneak open again in the middle of the secondary?”

You can ask Mom that question, but first you get this on Tina from Marselio:

“My mom gets up early, works hard at HealthPartners; she’s involved in so many things, but she’s never missed a game. My sisters have been athletes, too. I don’t know how she’s done it.”

Tina knows how her son has done it in football: “He started at age 5 with the West Side Boosters program. He was a little tiny person, 35-40 pounds, just darting around out there, but he loved football from the first minute he played.”

Marselio went to high school at Cretin-Derham Hall. “We liked him; talked to him about coming here,” St. John’s coach Gary Fasching said. “I think he had a dream of playing at a higher level.”

Mendez said it was late in the recruiting process when St. John’s checked in. By then, Mendez and teammate Cage Linton (also a current Johnnie) were headed to North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, N.D., a junior college that gets a look from recruiters.

“I saw it as an opportunity to better myself, as a player and to get more college offers,” Mendez said.

Eric Issendorf is the NDSCS football coach. When he starts talking about Marselio, it comes off not as coach-speak but tremendous admiration. Two years after Mendez ended his career at Wahpeton, Issendorf was at the St. John’s MIAC championship game with Bethel, getting a photo with Marselio postgame on the field.

“He was incredible for us, and he’s incredible for St. John’s,” Issendorf said this week. “He makes catches in traffic, this small guy, but it seems like he never gets lit up. He’s quick, he’s talented, but he’s also so knowledgeable about the game.

“I know he could be playing for top-level DII programs, and I really think FCS, but St. John’s — those coaches, the quarterback, the other receivers and teammates — has been great for him, too.”

Mendez is finishing his college career on a phenomenal run: 11 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown last Saturday vs. Wisconsin La Crosse, 52 catches for 883 yards and 10 touchdowns over the past seven games.

Through most of the season, the Tina-led delegation of Mendez family and friends has reached the 30s in number for home games.

Last week, the game started at 9 degrees, and it was Thanksgiving weekend, and the group was much smaller.

Mom and his sisters were there, of course, spoiling “Pops” with more family affection.