For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet
NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#33 Gabriel Watson (RB, 6-1, 221, Jr., Piedmont, Calif. / Piedmont HS / Diablo Valley College) - Sioux Falls
- In debut at USF, registered 27 carries for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-24 win over CSP
- Scored on runs of 13, 35 yards and nine yards
- Recorded the most yards in a debut at USF in the school’s NCAA DII era
- Had the third highest single-game rushing yards in all of NCAA Division II in week one
NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#9 Gabe Ames (LB, 6-0, 215, So., Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount HS) - Bemidji State
- Tallied 13 total tackles with two forced fumbles in BSU’s 38-17 season-opening win over NSU
- Led NCAA DII with two forced fumbles
- Led NSIC with 3.0 tackles for a loss of 17 yards
- Third in NSIC in total tackles
NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#23 Luis Guarita (K/P, 6-4, 175, R-Fr., Sao Paulo, Brazil / Saint Thomas Aquinas HS) - Augustana
- In his first career collegiate game, connected on all six of his extra point attempts
- Made field goals from 19 and 39 yards out
- Tailed 12 total points to lead all players
| Augustana University Vikings |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 48-45 at UIU |
1-0, 1-0 South |
W1 |
6 Overall / 4th South |
| Team Notes |
- Overcame a 24-point deficit to win 48-45
- Recorded 489 yards of total offense, and 248 yards in kick returns
- Racked up 32 first downs
- Held UIU to just 69 net rushing yards |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Rudy Sinflorant rushed for a career-high 119 yards and 2 touchdowns on a career best 34 carries
- Sinflorant totaled 142 yards of offense and 3 touchdowns in the win
- Cody Kujawa recorded a career-high 8 tackles (3 solo), added one pass break-up and a sack for a one-yard loss
|
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Minnesota State – 1 p.m. |
| Bemidji State University Beavers |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 38-17 vs NSU |
1-0, 1-0 North |
W1 |
5th Overall, 2nd North |
| Team Notes |
- BSU opened the 2018 season with a 38-17 win against Northern State, the fourth consecutive victory over the Wolves
- Beavers scored four touchdowns of at least 40 yards, including two of at least 60 yards
- Totaled 274 rushing yards, including two 100-yard rushers for the first time since Oct. 21, 2017 versus Northern State
- Finished second in the NSIC and eighth nationally in total rushing yards during the opening week
- BSU’s first individual 100-yard receiving performance since Nov. 12, 2016 |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Senior running back Andrew Lackowski ran for 100+ yards for the fifth time in his career Thursday night with 141 against Northern State, averaging 11.8 yards per carry after a 58-yard touchdown run
- Senior defensive back Gunner Olszewski tied a career-high 17 tackles during the season opener, the first time a Beaver has totaled as many tackles since he tallied 17 in the 2016 season opener
- Redshirt-freshman quarterback Brandon Alt threw for 199 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers in his collegiate debut
- Sophomore linebacker Gabe Ames was the only other Beaver with 10+ tackles, finishing with 13, including 3.0 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and one pass break up
- Redshirt-freshman running back Jalen Frye ran for 109 yards on 16 carries in his BSU debut, averaging 6.8 yards per carry with a 64-yard touchdown run
- Senior wide receiver Landon Jones became BSU’s first 100-yard receiver since 2016 with 102 yards on four catches, including a 71-yard touchdown reception |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 at U-Mary – 2 p.m. |
| Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 24-27 @ USF |
0-1, 0-1 South |
L1 |
14th overall / 7th south |
| Team Notes |
- Held leads of 14-7 into 3rd and 21-20 midway through 4th before taking 24-20 lead with 32 seconds left; allowed GW TD with 3 seconds left
- Compiled 353 yards of total offense against one of the top defenses of 2017
- Won the turnover battle 3-2 leading to a 14-0 margin off turnovers and held a 33:06 to 26:54 advantage in time of possession |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Senior quarterback Dom McKinzy completed 19-32 for 236 yards and 3 TDs with 1 INT and 1 time sacked in his CSP debut
- Junior wide receiver Marcus Gustaveson had 5-94 receiving with a 33-yard go-ahead TD with 7:41/4th
- Sophomore running back Shaq Johnson had 89 combined yards (17-66 rush, 4-23 rec) with a pair of 7-yard TD catches in 2nd quarter |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 vs Upper Iowa – 12 p.m. |
| University of Mary Marauders |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 14-13 @ SCSU |
0-1 / 0-1 North |
L1 |
15th Overall, 7th North |
| Team Notes |
|
- UMary never trailed in the game until 67 seconds remained on the clock in a 14-13 loss at St. Cloud State.
- The Marauders led 7-0 at intermission and 13-7 at the end of the 3Q
- Craig Bagnell made his collegiate head coaching debut for his alma mater and is the youngest head coach in the NCAA at age 28.
- UMary hosts Bemidji State on Saturday. Bagnell coached the Beavers the last four seasons.
- BEK Sports will televise the Marauders/Beavers game throughout North Dakota and into Minnesota
|
| Top Performer(s) |
- Jordan Velarde accounted for both touchdowns, running 20 yards for a score and connecting with Tyson Carney for a 51 yard TD pass
- He passed for 191 yards in the game
- So. LB Jamison Lytle posted 2.5 tackles for loss and six tackles
- Fr. DB Marquell Evans and Jr, LB Paul Guptill both had interceptions; Guptill converted to LB after playing RB last year
Jr. P Bailey Meyer averaged 48.1 yards/punt on seven attempts; he hit a long of 75 yards, posted two over 50 yards and set down two inside the 20 yard line |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Bemidji State University – 2 p.m. |
| University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 34-10 at MSUM |
0-1, 0-1 North |
W1 |
16th Overall, 8th North |
| Team Notes |
-The Golden Eagle defense had nine stops on the day, including two on downs and three punts
- Minnesota Crookston also forced four field goal attempts with their backs against the wall
- The Minnesota Crookston offense won the possession battle, holding the ball for 30:58 |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Jalin Scott threw for 57 yards and ran for 57 yards in his NSIC debut
- Elijah Todd ran eight times for 61 yards for 7.6 yards per carry average
- Julian Jackson notched 12 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss
- Joe Warner tallied 11 tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 – vs. St. Cloud State – 1 p.m. |
| University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 49-3 at MISU |
1-0, 1-0 North |
W1 |
4th Overall / 1st North |
| Team Notes |
- No. 24 UMD is off to its first 1-0 start since 2014 following a 49-3 triumph at Minot State last Thursday night
- UMD rolled up 583 yards of total offense (its largest output since Nov. 5, 2016), including 342 in the first half alone, while holding Minot State to just 137 yards on the night and 13 in the first two quarters
-Despite turning the ball over four times (two fumbles and two interceptions) the Bulldogs still took a 35-3 lead into halftime en route to posting their 11th consecutive regular season road win
- Since the NSIC instituted divisional play in 2008, the Bulldogs are a sizzling 64-3 in North Division assignments; that includes a perfect 34-0 mark at home |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Sophomore John Larson was one of three UMD quarterbacks who took snaps last Thursday night and the 2017 All-NSIC second team pick completed nine of 15 passes for 133 yards
- Redshirt running back Wade Sullivan, in his collegiate debut, rushed for 96 yards on just five carries, with a 71-yard touchdown
- Defensively, junior linebacker Isaac Erdmann, who missed all of 2017 after undergoing off-season surgery, topped the Bulldogs with six total tackles
- Senior wide out Jason Balts, the 2018 NSIC North Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has now caught at least one pass in 19 consecutive games and each of the last 24 games he’s played (he missed the trip to Minot State in 2016 while nursing an injury) |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. MSU Moorhead – 6 p.m. |
| Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W, 49-13 vs SMSU |
1-0, 1-0 South |
W1 |
1st Overall / 1st South |
| Team Notes |
- Recorded 518 yards of offense
- Nine Mavericks caught at least one pass
- Junior Nate Gunn rushed for 119 yards, which marks the 11th time in his career he has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game
- The Maverick defense limited Southwest Minnesota State to 45 rushing yards
- With its win against SMSU, Minnesota State has now won its seventh straight season opener |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Nate Gunn, 119 rushing yards, 2 touchdown carries, 5.9 rushing yards per carry
- Cole Schroedermeier, 10 tackles, 1.0 TFL |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 at Augustana – 1 p.m. |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 34-10 vs. UMC |
1-0, 1-0 NSIC |
W1 |
10th Overall / 5th North |
| Team Notes |
- MSUM won its fourth straight season opener
- Dragons outgained UMC 434-204, including 215-72 on the ground
- MSUM has beaten UMC five straight times
- Dragon defense recorded five sacks and two turnovers |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Sophomore WR Jake Richter caught five passes for 123 yards and two scores
- Junior QB Bryce Meehl, making his first collegiate start, threw for 215 yards and two scores
- Junior RB Herman Gray rushed for 117 yards and a score
- Senior LB Casey Paskey led the defense with 12 tackles
- Junior CB Deiondre Taylor had nine tackles, a forced fumble and an interception
- Senior K Joe Tjosvold made two field goals |
| Up Next |
| Sept. 8 at Minnesota Duluth - 6 p.m. |
| Minot State University Beavers |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 49-3 vs. UMD |
0-1, 0-1 North |
L1 |
13th Overall / 6th North |
| Team Notes |
- Forced four turnovers against Minnesota Duluth (2 INT, 2 FUM)
- Minot State was 1-for-3 in the red zone
- Recorded a sack on the opening play of the season |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Kiante Goudeau intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble
- Ben Bolinske rushed for 70 yards and threw for 29 yards
- JoseLuis Moreno averaged 46.2 yards on nine punts |
| Up Next |
| Thursday, Sept. 6 at Northern State – 7 p.m. |
| Northern State University Wolves |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 38-17 vs. BSU |
0-1, 0-1 North |
L1 |
8th Overall, 4th North |
| Team Notes |
- Northern tallied 27 first downs with 173 yards rushing and 202 yards passing in the loss to Bemidji State
- The Wolves tallied one sack on defense for a loss of 11 yards
- They suffered just three penalties (22 yards), while BSU suffered ten for 110 yards
- NSU averaged 39.7 yards per punt and 47.0 yards per kickoff
- Nine Wolves tallied four or more tackles on defense, while six tallied a tackle for a loss |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Mitch Tschakert connected for his first field goal of the season, a 32-yard strike
- Gerald Maxwell tallied his first rushing touchdown of the season, while Hunter Trautman connected with Jacob Streit for the Wolves first receiving score of the year
- Streit led the team with 86 yards receiving, while Chaka Kelly tallied 72 yards rushing
- Noah MacPherson led the defense with 14 tackles |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 11 at Minnesota State – 1 p.m. |
| University of Sioux Falls Cougars |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 27-24 vs CSP |
1-0, 1-0 South |
W1 |
3rd Overall / 2nd South |
| Team Notes |
- Trailed by four with 26 seconds to play but quarterback Caden Walters orchestrated a final half minute rally, hitting junior tight end Clint Sigg on a game-winning 26-yard TD pass in the final seconds to lift No. 20 USF to a 27-24 win and 12th straight victory over CSP
- Registered 404 yards in total offense, including 208 rushing yards
- USF recorded its seventh straight win in an NSIC home season opener
- Cougars were are No. 14 in the AFCA a poll and has been ranked in 49 straight polls |
| Top Performer(s) |
- In his debut at USF, junior running back Gabriel Watson had 27 carries for 200 yards and three TDs. Watson, who scored on runs of 13, 35 yards and nine yards, recorded the most yards in a debut at USF in the school's NCAA DII era
- Junior quarterback Caden Walters completed 7-of-12 passes for 127 yards with an interception and a TD – threw a 26-yard game winning pass to Clint Sigg with three seconds to play
- Junior tight end Clint Sigg had four catches for 57 yards including the game-winning 26 yard TD reception against CSP
- On defense, USF had three tackles, a sack, tackle for loss, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble from senior Steve McKee and 6.5 tackles from linebacker Brody Grantham while defensive back Nate Durfee had four tackles and an interception |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 at Winona State – 1 p.m. |
| Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 49-13 at MSU |
0-1, 0-1 South |
L1 |
12th Overall / 8th South |
| Team Notes |
- SMSU finished with 335 yards of offense in it season opening loss at Minnesota State
- SMSU was just 4 of 15 on third-down conversions
- SMSU is looking to snap a nine-game losing streak dating back to week four of last season |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Senior quarterback Blake Gimbel, who missed most of last season with an injury, completed 34 of 49 pass attempts for 279 yards and one touchdown
- Gimbel has now recorded 59 career touchdowns passes ranking tied for third in team history
- Gimble needs six more pass completions to become just the third player in team history to reach 700
- Senior wide receiver Connor Wilkie, a converted quarterback, caught six passes for 71 yards and one touchdown
- Senior tight end Carter Kirk, who played four seasons for the SMSU men’s basketball team, caught six passes for 46 yards in his first collegiate football game
- Senior linebacker Alex Ney recorded a team-high nine tackles with 0.5 for loss |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Wayne State – 6 p.m. |
| St. Cloud State University Huskies |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 14-13 vs. MARY |
1-0, 1-0 North |
W1 |
7th overall, 3rd NSIC North |
| Team Notes |
|
- The Huskies improved to 13-0 all-time against Mary with the 14-13 victory
- Defense held Mary to just 45 rushing yards and under 200 passing yards
- With 2:45 remaining in the game, SCSU moved 80 yards downfield for the game-tying touchdown in 1:38
- The entire series took 11 plays, including three 10+ yard gains by junior wide receiver John Solberg
|
| Top Performer(s) |
- John Solberg had 12 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns, including game winner
- Dwayne Lawhorn was 25-45 for 255 yards and 2 TDs |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 11 at Minnesota Crookston – 1 p.m. |
| Upper Iowa University Peacocks |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L, 48-45 vs. Augustana |
0-1, 0-1 South |
L1 |
11th Overall, 6th South |
| Team Notes |
|
- UIU took a 24-0 lead on Augie with just under five minutes to play in the first quarter
- The Peacocks tied the game at 38-38 with a little over nine minutes to play in the third quarter
- Upper Iowa threw for 325 yards and gained 111 yards on the ground for 436 yards of total offense
- Augustana claimed a 248-133 advantage in kick return yards; the Vikings average starting field position was their 41-yard line
|
| Top Performer(s) |
- Quarterback Brent Lammers threw for 325 yards and 4 touchdowns and added 61 yards on the ground
- Wide receivers D.J. Emsweller (9-144, 2 TD) and Alexander Stevens (5-107, 1 TD) both posted big games for the UIU offense
- Nicolas Corley and Jordan Rommes led the defense with 13 and 11 tackles, respectively
- Defensive end Christian Ruff scooped up a fumble for a 20-yard touchdown return
- Daniel Ruffin Jr. intercepted a pass and returned it 34 yards
- Freshman Jonathon Argueta-Herrera made his first career field goal (29 yds) and added 6 punts (30.7 yard average) and went 6-6 on extra points |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 at Concordia- St. Paul – 12 p.m. |
| Wayne State College Wildcats |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 41-28 #21 WSU |
0-1, 0-1 South |
L1 |
9th Overall / 5th South |
| Team Notes |
| - WSU held a 36:26 to 23:34 advantage in time of possession and the Warriors scored 17 points off four Wildcat turnovers |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Senior wide receiver Nate Rogers had 11 catches for career-high 195 yards and 3 TD’s
- Rogers becomes all-time WSC leader in TD catches with 30
- Junior quarterback Aaron Bleil completed 24 of 37 passes for 355 yards and four TD’s |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 at Southwest Minnesota State – 6 p.m. |
| Winona State University Warriors |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 41-28 @ Wayne State |
1-0, 1-0 South |
W1 |
2nd Overall / 2nd South |
| Team Notes |
- Moved from No. 21 to No. 15 in this week’s AFCA Coaches Poll
- Defense forced four turnovers
- Rushed for 202 yards
- Totaled 198 kick/punt return yards |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Sophomore QB Owen Burke went 20-37 for 248 yards and three touchdowns
- Junior WR Jake Balliu totaled 186 all-purpose yards and a career-best two receiving touchdowns
- Junior RB Javian Roebuck rushed for 109 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown run
- Junior WR Tanner Gran led the receivers with six catches for 84 yards and a TD
- Senior LB Nick Pridgeon led the team with eight tackles, including 1.5 TFL |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. No. 14 Sioux Falls – 1 p.m. |
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