For Immediate Release
Monday, November 7, 2016
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet (PDF)



NSIC Football Players of the Week

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#2 Trey Heid (QB, 6-2, 199, Sr., Lakeville, Minn./North HS) - Augustana
- Accounted for eight total touchdowns in Augustana’s 63-31 win over Concordia-St. Paul
- Heid completed 18-of-29 passes for 374 yards and five touchdowns
- Heid also ran the ball five times for 37 yards and three touchdowns
- Heid has now thrown 37 touchdown passes in 2016 which is a new single season record at Augie
- Heid leads the NSIC and ranks second in the country in touchdown passes in 2016
- Named NSIC Player of the Week for the second time this season (10/24/16)

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#7 Grant Reuer (DB, 6-1, 199, So., Baxter, Minn./Brainerd HS) - MSU Moorhead
- Had a big all-around game to help MSUM earn 42-41 win at Bemidji State
- Finished with 12 tackles and a sack
- Also had an interception, a forced fumble and a pass breakup
- Now shares NSIC lead with four forced fumbles
- Intercepted a pass late in first half to end a BSU scoring threat at the Dragon 19-yard line

NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#46 Anders Gelecinskyj (K, 6-2, 200, Fr., Bloomington, Minn. / Kennedy HS) - Minnesota State
- Connected on both of his field goals attempts from 21 and 32 yards out
- Went 5-for-5 in extra point attempts
- Scored 11 points in 41-30 win against Wayne State

 

Augustana University Vikings

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 63-31 at CSP	7-3, 4-2 South	W3	2nd Overall, 2nd South
Team Notes
- Augustana matched its season-high with 63 points and put up 602 yards of total offense in a 63-31 win over Concordia-St. Paul on the road on Saturday - Trey Heid accounted for eight touchdowns in the win, throwing for five and running for three more - Heid set Augustana’s single season passing touchdown record in the win - Heid has thrown a league-high 37 touchdown passes in 2016 - Augustana rushed for 209 yards as a team on Saturday, marking the second time this season with 200-plus rushing yards in a game - Augustana’s defense recorded a season-high five sacks in the win over CSP
Top Performer(s)
- Senior quarterback Trey Heid accounted for eight touchdowns in Saturday’s win over Concordia-St. Paul - Heid completed 19 of 30 passes for 393 yards and five touchdowns - Heid also ran the ball five times for 37 yards and three touchdowns - Heid set a new single season record at Augustana for touchdown passes - Heid currently leads the NSIC with 37 touchdown passes in 2016 - Matt Heller caught eight passes for a career-high 250 yards and three touchdowns - Heller tied Augustana’s single season record for touchdown receptions in the win over the Golden Bears - Heller leads the NSIC with 18 touchdown catches on the season - Heller now leads the country with 1,372 receiving yards in 2016 and ranks second with 18 touchdown receptions - Trevor Naasz led Augustana’s defense with nine tackles, including five solo stops
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 5 at Concordia-St. Paul – 12 p.m.

 

Bemidji State University Beavers

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 42-41 vs. MSUM	7-3, 4-2 North	L1	5th Overall, 2nd North
Team Notes
- Bemidji State lost in the Battle for the Axe to MSU Moorhead, 42-41 - The Beavers completed a hook-and-ladder on 4th-and-37 that led to the potential game-tying touchdown - BSU lost for the second time this season and fifth time since 1999 when totaling 500+ yards
Top Performer(s)
- Quarterback Jordan Hein continued to climb BSU’s all-time touchdowns responsible for list, moving into second place with three touchdowns vs. MSUM - Wide receiver Blake Holder recorded his third consecutive 100-yard receiving day, totaling 129 and one touchdown - Running back Tahi Nomane rushed for 100 yards for the first time this season and added two touchdowns
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs Minnesota Crookston – 1 p.m.

 

Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 31-63 vs Augie	2-8, 0-6 South	L8	13th Overall, 8th South
Team Notes
- Set a school record with 93 plays and season-highs in first downs (29), time of possession (41:09) and passing yards  (380) - Also produced 487 yards of total offense and topped 30 points for the third time this season - Played turnover-free football for the third time this season
Top Performer(s)
- Junior Ron Johnson completed set career-highs passing 30-48 for 334 yards, adding two touchdown passes and a touchdown run, he finished one completion shy of the single game CSP record - Freshman Marcus Gustaveson led CSP with career-highs of 10 catches for 129 yards, adding a touchdown while finishing two catches shy of CSP’s single game record - Senior Darius Chapes had 126 combined yards, rushing 16-77 with 4-49 receiving - Sophomore Alquawn Vickers had a season-best 7-79 receiving performance - Senior safety Dominic Nabak had 11 tackles and now leads CSP with 64 tackles on the year - Redshirt freshman Peter Farris converted all five kickoffs for touchbacks, delivering 18 of 42 of kickoffs for touchbacks on the year - Sophomore Jonas Schenderlein converted a 43-yard field goal, making 7-9 on the year including 4-4 in the 40-49 distance, and made all four of his PATs and is 28-28 on the year
Up Next
Saturday, Nov 12 at Winona State – 12 p.m.

University of Mary Marauders

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 75-14 at #18 UMD	1-9, 1-5 North	L3	15th Overall, 7th North
Team Notes
- University of Mary closes out the season Saturday at Minot State University in the Battle for the Big Lake trophy - The Marauders have faced the Beavers 24 times, the most of any opponent the Marauders-Beavers series is even at 12-12 - The Marauders are tied for first in NCAA Division II blocked kicks (8), are fifth in fewest penalties per game and third in fewest penalty yards per game
Top Performer(s)
- Brothers Zack Graves and Connor Graves both scored in the same game for the Marauders for the third time this season - Sr. SB Zack Graves ran for 62 yards and caught three passes for 20 yards and a touchdown - Sr. SB Connor Graves returned a kick 89 yards for a score and posted 200 yards on eight kick returns, ran the ball twice for 27 yards and caught two passes for 16 yards - Sr. S Danielle Whitaker led the Marauders with seven tackles and broke up a pass - So. LB Cyrano Rayfield also had seven tackles, including 1.5 for loss
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 at Minot State – 1 p.m.

 

University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 66-14 at NSU	0-10, 0-6 North	L10	16th Overall, 8th North
Team Notes
-  Nathan Cole is No. 4 all-time with pass completions in his career. He surpassed A.J. Barge this weekend - Cole needs just nine completions to move past Tim Ennis in third and 18 to move past Scott Strohmeier in second - Adam Connette threw his first passing touchdown of the season, a 62-yard strike to Lincoln Tappe - The Golden Eagles have had seven interceptions in the last four weeks after not having an interception in the first six weeks of the season. Will Cross, Aeric Berner and Jake Newman all had interceptions against Minot State, Kenneth McChristion had a pick against UMD and Omar Porte had a pick against Northern State - Will Cross leads the Golden Eagles in tackles this season as he has come on as a redshirt freshman. Cross has 72 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss and an interception - Andre Person is tied for fourth all-time with Keith McBride in career rushing touchdown with 15. He needs two rushing touchdowns to move past Derrick Sanders in third - Adam Connette is fourth all-time in receiving yards in a season with 708 this season. He needs just four to move past Jonathan David for third all-time and 40 to break Mark Olsonawski’s record of 747 yards
Top Performer(s)
- Lincoln Tappe had two catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns - Rod Stewart tallied four catches for 53 yards - Jake Newman led the Golden Eagles with eight tackles - Ali Alkhatib had seven tackles and one tackle for loss
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 at Bemidji State - 1 p.m.

 

University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 75-14 vs. Mary	9-1, 6-0 North	W8	3rd Overall, 1st North
Team Notes
-The Bulldogs, who clinched their ninth consecutive NSIC North Division title, will put the finishing touches on the 2016 regular season this Saturday with a road clash against long-time intrastate rival St. Cloud State University - UMD has reeled off nine straight wins, the latest a 75-14 throttling of Mary this past Saturday. The Bulldogs rolled up 610 total yards against the Marauders (their highest output in three years), including a season-high 349 yards on the ground. The 75 points were the fourth most ever generated by a Bulldog club and two shy of the team record. - The Bulldogs are 55-3 all-time in NSIC North Division play and two of those three losses were incurred in back to back visits to St. Cloud State (51-49 in 2012 and 35-7 in 2011) - UMD currently tops all NCAA II clubs in time of possession (36:01) and ranks second in total offense (538.9 yards per game), third in first downs (268), and sacks (4.30 per game) fifth in scoring offense (46.7 points per game) - UMD is on pace to set program single-season records for both points scored and allowed (28.5 ppg)
Top Performer(s)
- Senior Beau Bofferding eclipsed the 100-yard rush barrier for the second time in his career, running nine times for 109 yards in just over two quarters of work against Mary - Sophomore tight end Jack Sims, who was one of four Bulldogs to score two touchdowns last Saturday, caught his first two passes as a collegian in that win over Mary and parlayed both of them into scores - Drew Bauer is averaging more total yards per game this season (329.5) than all but nine NCAA II quarterbacks while fellow senior Beau Bates ranks 10th in quarterback sacks (1.10 per game)
Up Next
Saturday, November 12 at St. Cloud State - 1:05 p.m.

Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W, 41-30 at WSC	7-3, 4-2 South	W1	1st Overall, 1st South
Team Notes
- Minnesota State now owns a 9-0 all-time record against Wayne State - MSU outscored the Wildcats 14-0 in the second quarter. It has outscored its opponents 111-33 in the second quarter this season  - MSU converted on 8-of-12 third down opportunities against Wayne State - The Mavericks scored all seven times they reach the red zone against the Wildcats
Top Performer(s)
- Senior Nick Pieruccini – 228 passing yards, 3 TD passes, 60 rushing yards, 2 TD carries - Senior Brent Esser – 7 catches for 73 yards - Sophomore Zach Dodge – 5 tackles, 2 sacks
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Upper Iowa – 12 p.m.

 

Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W, 42-21 at BSU	6-4, 4-2 North	W3	10th Overall, 5th NSIC North
Team Notes
- MSUM extended its winning streak to three with a thrilling 42-41 win over Bemidji State - The Dragons re-gained the Axe for the first time since 2014 - The win assured MSUM of back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1995 and 1996 seasons - MSUM has won the Axe three of the last four years - With a win over Northern State in the season finale, MSUM would have its first seven-win season since 1999 - The Dragons broke the 40-point barrier for third straight game and for the fourth time in five games
Top Performer(s)
- QB Demetrius Carr threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns in win at Bemidji State - WR Damon Gibson had seven catches for 128 yards and three scores; it was his ninth 100-yard receiving game of the season - RB Austin Stone rushed for 110  yards and a score - WR Cory Ambrose caught eight passes for 145 yards and a touchdown - LB Abe Roehrich had a career-high 15 tackles and two sacks to lead defense - DB Grant Reuer had 12 tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble - LB Aaron Bohl had 12 tackles and a half-sack
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Northern State - 1 p.m.

 

Minot State University Beavers

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 31-0 vs. SCSU	2-8, 1-5 South	L2	14th Overall, 6th North
Team Notes
- Fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter, but allowed just 10 points after in a 31-0 loss at home against St. Cloud State - Rushed for 83 yards and finished with 208 total yards - Only allowed 10 completions on defense with an interception, giving up just 152 yards passing
Top Performer(s)
- Donnell Vercher picked off his team-leading third pass of the season to go along with 13 tackles - Aaron La Deaux, NCAA DII’s leader in punting average, finished with a 52.6 average on eight punts, hitting 5 of 8 past 50 yards - Ben Zahniser was kept out of the end zone for the first time in four games, but rushed for 63 yards on eight carries - Bryce Broome added 13 tackles including seven solo tackles on defense
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. University of Mary – 1 p.m.

 

Northern State University Wolves

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 66-14 vs. UMC	6-4, 4-2 North	W3	6th Overall, 3rd North
Team Notes
- The Wolves broke the single game scoring record in the 66-14 victory - Northern tallied its first undefeated season in 30 years from the Swish. The last time the Wolves were undefeated at home was in 1986 - The Wolves tallied 485 yards of total offense including 309 yards rushing and 176 yards passing. - - Northern also converted on 5-of-10 third downs as a team and their only fourth down play - In the kicking game, NSU punted for 104 yards, averaging 34.7 per punt, and kicked off for 642 yards, averaging 58.4 per kick - A total of seven different Wolves scored in the win, and the NSU defense tallied five sacks as a team
Top Performer(s)
-  Christian McAlvain completed 7-of-13 attempts and threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the win - Jake Comeaux entered at quarterback to complete all five passing attempts and throw his second touchdown of the season - Stephen Erlandson led the rushers with 104 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 17.3 yards per carry - Zachery Barber led the receivers with 81 yards and one touchdown, averaging 27 yards per catch - Noah Macpherson led the defense with nine tackles and 0.5 of a sack for a total loss of four yards - Channing Barber tallied one interception and a pass breakups to continue to hold the NSIC lead in passes defended - Nathan Shaw was 9-for-9 in PATs with a 34 yard field goal and 642 total yards on kickoffs
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 at MSU Moorhead – 1 p.m.

University of Sioux Falls Cougars

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 51-7 vs UIU	10-0, 6-0 South	W10	3rd Overall, 2nd South
Team Notes
- USF leads the NSIC with a 10-0 record and clinched NSIC South title at 6-0 after a 51-7 victory at home vs Upper Iowa on Nov. 5. USF has extended their consecutive year winning streak to 23, which is the fifth longest across any division. USF has won nine or more games in four of five seasons in the NSIC. This is USF’s second 10-win season while in the NSIC (11-1, 2014). The 10-0 start represents the program’s longest winning streak at the DII level - The victory over Upper Iowa enabled USF to earn at least a share of the NSIC title, which is the first in program history. USF maintains a one-game lead over Minnesota-Duluth with one to play in the race for the NSIC overall title.  Overall, USF has won 20 conference crowns, 19 at the NAIA level - As a result of the win, the Cougars, who were ranked #2 in the Super Region last Monday, not only have a 44-10 all-time NSIC record but picked up its 50th win at the NCAA DII level - Junior running back Max Mickey, who has seven 100-yard rushing games this season, continues to have the best rushing average per carry total in DII at 9.3.  He had 92 yards against Upper Iowa and a league leading 1,418 rushing yards, which ranks fourth nationally. Mickey ranks fourth in yards per game at 141.4 and is listed in the top 25 nationally in eight stats categories - The USF offense ranks third in total offense in DII at 538.6 per game and also sits third in rushing average with 327.4 per game. USF leads DII with a 7.3 per carry average and its 7.3 yards per play is third nationally
- Kyle Groeneweg had 237 all purpose yards, including three receptions for 105 yards receiving and two TDs (74, 27) in the 51-7 win vs Upper Iowa  - Clifford Redmond had five tackles, fumble recovery and his 5th interception, which he returned for a pick six for 30 yards - It was his first career interception return of his career  - Luke Papilion had 293 yards in total offense, including 269 passing and 24 rushing with two total TDs  - Tight end Clint Sigg threw a 74-yard TD pass and had four catches for 35 yards - Linebacker Michael Mehling had eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, quarterback sack, two pass breakups and to forced fumbles against UIU
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Wayne State - 12 p.m.

 

Southwest Minnesota State University

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 42-27 at WSU	5-5, 2-4 South	L1	8th Overall, 4th South
Team Notes
- SMSU lost to Winona State for the first time since 2012 - SMSU will secure a winning season with a home win versus Augustana on Saturday. It would be the first time SMSU has had back-to-back winning seasons since 1991-92 - Due to injuries, SMSU has had six different running backs record at least 16 rush attempts this season - SMSU has forced at least one turnover in each game this season and has forced two or more in six of 10 games
Top Performer(s)
- Freshman running back Max Simmons rushed for a career-high 162 yards and four touchdowns in the loss to WSU -The four rushing touchdowns tied a school single-game record (which he also tied earlier this season). It was the fifth time in school history a player scored four rushing touchdowns in one game - Simmons has scored 18 touchdowns in last eight games and is one shy of the SMSU single-season record for rushing touchdowns - Simmons’ 18 touchdowns ranks first in all divisions of NCAA football for freshman players - Junior Blake Gimbel did not throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 21 starts at quarterback in Saturday’s loss to WSU - Senior linebacker Tyler Flud ranks sixth in school history with 292 tackles and also ranks sixth with 157 career solo tackles
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Augustana – 1 p.m.

 

St. Cloud State University Huskies

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W, 31-0 at MISU	5-5, 4-2 North	W1	9th Overall, 4th North
Team Notes
- SCSU defeated Minot State by a 31-0 score and are 9-0-1 all-time against the Beavers - The shutout by the defense was the first in seven years since defeating MSU Moorhead 47-0 in Oct. 31, 2009 (a stretch of 82 games) - The program set a new team record for sacks with 10 - The record broke the previous mark of nine sacks set against Western Washington in 2005 - The program also got 13 tackles for loss (tied for ninth-most in school history) and the most for the team since getting 14 tackles for loss against Minnesota Crookston during the 2012 season - SCSU ran for a season-high 383 yards against the Beavers - The 383 yards rushing were more than the previous three games combined - The rushing yard total was the most since 394 rushing yards against Minnesota Crookston during the 2014 season - It was the 11th time the program has recorded 300 or more yards rushing the last five years and the first since 368 against Minot State last season - The team recorded their first individual 100-yard rusher of the season as Jaden Huff ran for 232 yards
Top Performer(s)
Jaden Huff – 232 yards rushing, 2 rushing touchdowns, 14.5 yards per carry - Nate Meyer – 66 yards rushing, 152 yards passing, two passing touchdowns. - Anthony Carver – 60 receiving yards and a touchdown. - Brady Westart – 7 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2.5 TFL - Mitch Knutson – 3 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2.5 TFL - Jake Schley – 4 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack - Nolan Dwyer – 4 tackles, 2 TFL and interception. - Gary Koehring – 2 tackles, 1.0 sacks and interception
Up Next
Saturday, Nov 12 vs. Minnesota Duluth - 1 p.m.

Upper Iowa University Peacocks

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 51-7 at USF	3-7, 2-4 South	L1	11th Overall, 6th South
Team Notes
- The No. 4 Cougars jumped out in front of Upper Iowa on the first play of the game and never looked back - UIU got within 14-7 before USF rattled off 37 straight points to close out the game
Top Performer(s)
- Dimitri Morales completed 22 of 36 passes for 174 yards and the lone touchdown pass to Jalen Amis on the day for UIU - Upper Iowa ran the ball 43 times for just 129 yards with Ryan Parmely leading the way with a 4.2 yards per carry average (10 carries, 42 yards) - Eight Peacocks caught passes on the day, led by David Esswein's 49 yards on five grabs. Trey MacTaggart hauled in 8 passes for 47 yards, while Jarred Edmonds finished with 4 catches for 24 yards - The Peacock defense was led by safety Jordan Rommes, who finished the afternoon with nine tackles - Linebacker Zach Garnder also tallied 9 tackles, including two for loss. Mitchel Siech totaled 7 tackles, and Marcus McCoy and Adam Lytle finished with 6 each
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 at Minnesota State  - 12 p.m.

 

Wayne State College Wildcats

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
L 41-30 vs. MSU	3-7, 2-4 South	L3	12th Overall, 7th South
Team Notes
- WSC gained season-high 386 yards passing vs. Minnesota State
Top Performer(s)
- Junior quarterback Zach Osborn threw for season-high 386 yards, completing 28 of 43 passes with three touchdowns - Osborn became second player in school history to have 8,000 career passing yards - Sophomore wide receiver Shymere Williams had seven catches for 125 yards, his third 100 yard receiving game of the season
Up Next
Saturday, November 12 at Sioux Falls - 12 p.m.

 

Winona State University Warriors

Last Week	Season Record	Streak	Preseason Poll
W 42-27 vs SMSU	7-3, 4-2 South	W1	8th Overall, 5th South
Team Notes
- The Warriors won the Battle of the Sledge game over SMSU to secure a seven-win season, most since 2012 - Winona State racked up 510 yards of total offense - WSU held the ball for over 36 minutes in the game
Top Performer(s)
- Jack Nelson became the NSIC’s all-time leader in passing yards - Paul Preston had his second straight 150+ yard rushing game - Cam Johnson had 86 yards and two touchdown catches - Connor Schulz and Tanner Gran each had five catches - Nelson threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns - Mike Imperiale had six tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss, three QB hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery - Ryan Cain had seven tackles, a pass breakup and a forced fumble
Up Next
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Concordia St. Paul – 12 p.m.