For Immediate Release
Monday, October 14, 2019
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

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NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#2 Caden Walters (QB, 6-3, 203, Sr., Dodge City, Kan . / Dodge City HS) - Sioux Falls
- Had a career high 334 yards in total offense and accounted for five touchdowns in a 52-14 win over UMC
- Completed 16-of-18 passes for 277 yards and three scores while added six carries for 57 yards and another two scores
- Directed an offense that totaled 547 yards on 71 offensive plays which included 37 plays for 395 yards by halftime
- Leads the NSIC with 277.5 total yards per game with 1,665 yards

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#52 Chris Garrett (DL, 6-4, 230, Jr., Milwaukee, Wis. / Wisconsin Lutheran HS) - Concordia-St. Paul
- Set new DII single game highs for TFLs (6.5), forced fumbles (3) and sacks (5)
- Led CSP defense with 11 tackles as Golden Bears set school record for fewest rushing yards allowed (-97)
- Sack leader on a defense that tied the NCAA DII single game record (14)
- Set team record in single game TFLs, 2nd-most sacks, also helped defense set single game record for TFLs (22)
- Last year’s DII sacks leader once again leads the nation in sacks (1.5/game) and is fifth nationally in TFLs (2.2/game)
- Sack leader on defense that ranks second in the country in team sacks (4.5/game)
- Has 31.5 career sacks in 23 games, just 1.5 shy of CSP career record holder Zach Moore (33 in 39 games)

NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#23 Luis Guarita (K/P, 6-4, 175, So., Sao Paulo, Brazil / Saint Thomas Aquinas HS) - Augustana
- Connected on the game-winning field goal in overtime to give the Vikings a 16-13 win over St. Cloud State
- Went 3-for-3 on the day, and when mixed with an extra point, accounted for 10 of the Vikings 16 points
- Hit two field goals from 27 yards and the game-winner from 35 yards
- His game-winner was the first in overtime for Augustana since 2008
- Is now 12-of-13 for the season on field goals and leads the NSIC in FG percentage for those who make at least one a game

Other Top Performances
Offense
#6 Malik Williams (BSU) led the NSIC with 11 receptions this week, including the game-winning touchdown for BSU at SMSU (25-24); Caught second straight game-winning touchdown in the final minute of play; First Beaver with at least 10 catches in a game since 2015; Totaled 113 yards with one touchdown; Averaged 10.3 yards per catch; Ranks second in the NSIC with 6.5 receptions per game.
#9 Logan Nelson (UMary) led the Marauders to first win of the season, a 27-21 win over UIU; completed 13-of-20 passed for 205 yards and two touchdowns; ran for 129 yards and a TD on 12 carries; first UMary player to run for over 100 yards and pass for 200 yards in an NCAA game;  had runs of 72 and 49 yards in the game; had five passes for over 20 yards.
#84 Shane Zylstra (MSU) caught seven passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-7 win at NSU; Averaged 23.3 yards per catch; This is the third time this season he has tallied more than 100 receiving yards in a game; This is also the third time this season he has caught two touchdowns or more in a game this season.
#5 Jake Balliu (WSU) caught four balls for 65 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-3 win over Minot State; added 109 combined return yards in three attempts; Led the NSIC with 174 all purpose yards last week.

Defense
#42 TJ Liggett (AUGIE) totaled a team-high nine tackles in the victory over St. Cloud State; Recovered a fumble, helping keep Augustana in the national lead for turnovers gained; had a tackle for loss and was part of a defense that held a team averaging 161.6 yards rushing to just 23 on the day.
#8 Paul Guptill (UMary) posted team-best 11 tackles; had game-high 3.5 tackles for loss, including a sack and forced two fumbles.
#51 Nate Pearson (UMD) totaled five tackles, four solo, including 2.5 sacks, costing Wayne State a total of 13 yards; Each of those marks were team highs - UMD held the Wildcats to 0.9 yards per rush and 76 total yards through the air in a dominating defensive effort.
#99 Brayden Thomas (MSU) led the Maverick defense with five tackles; tallied 2.0 tackles for a loss and forced and recovered a fumble. MSU would score a touchdown on its following drive.
#24 Max Sturdevant (USF) in a dominating defensive effort in a 52-14 win over Minnesota Crookston, had a career high seven tackles with an interception (first of his career) and a sack; He was part of a defensive effort that held UMC to 204 total yards including 64 yards rushing.
#34 Onte Burns (SMSU) had a career-high 16 tackles, a pass break-up, and a forced fumble.

Special Teams
#87 Danny Kittner (UMary) opened the scoring as he returned a punt 71 yards for the first touchdown of the game; returned five punts for 98 yards; returned one kick for 38 yards; posted 139 all-purpose yards; entered game fifth in NCAA and 1st in NSIC in all purpose yardage.
#34 Thuro Reisdorfer (USF) had 135 all purpose yards with two TDs; He had an 80-yard kickoff return for a TD against UMC in a 52-14 win; The KO return for the first of his career; He also had 10 carries for 35 yards and also caught a three-yard TD pass which was the second receiving TD of his career;  He had three catches for 20 yards and a TD.
#46 Adam Stage (SCSU) was two for two on field goals against Augustana University; Hit a 30-yard FG to tie the game in the fourth quarter; Hit another 37-yard FG with eight seconds left in the game to take the game to overtime; Also broke the school record for field goals made all time at St. Cloud State with his second FG.

NSIC Football Players of the Week
9/9/19
O: #23 Nate Gunn - Minnesota State
D: #32 Dalton Smerchek - Concordia-St. Paul
SP: #13 Cory Carignan - Minot State

9/16/19
O: #9 John Larson - Minnesota Duluth
D: #45 Jake Portz - Concordia-St. Paul
SP: #89 Daniel Esparza - Sioux Falls

9/23/19
O: #3 Grady Bresnahan - MSU Moorhead
D:#43 T.J. Liggett - Augustana
SP: #4 JoseLuis Moreno  - Minot State

9/30/19
O: #3 Maxon Hutton - Concordia-St. Paul
D: #59 Logan Swanson  - Augustana
SP: #89 Danny Laudet - Concordia-St. Paul

10/7/19
O: #84 Shane Zylstra - Minnesota State
D: #43 Nicholas Joynt - Wayne State
SP: #4 Isaiah Hall - Winona State

10/14/19
O: #2 Caden Walters - Sioux Falls
D: #52 Chris Garrett - Concordia-St. Paul
SP: #23 Luis Guarita - Augustana