For Immediate Release
Monday, October 24, 2022
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#6 Gage Florence (WR, 5-10, 185, R-Fr., Sawyer, N.D. / Velva HS) - MSU Moorhead
- Hauled in 21 receptions for 215 yards and three touchdowns in MSUM’s 40-38 win over UMary
- Set the NSIC and MSUM record for receptions in a game with 21
- Caught touchdowns from 10, 11 and 16 yards out
- Was just two receptions shy of the NCAA record for receptions in a game
- Set career highs in both receiving yards and touchdown

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#8 Mitch Snitker (DB, 5-11, 190, Jr., Waukon, Iowa / Waukon HS) - Winona State 
- Helped lead Winona State to a 20-17 win over #11 Sioux Falls on Homecoming
- Racked up a season-high 14 tackles in the win
- The 14 stops led all tacklers in the NSIC this past weekend
- Eleven tackles were solo stops
- Added one tackle for four yards lost
- Helped hold USF to a season-low 68 yards rushing in the game

NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#11 Danny Kittner (WR, 5-10, 187, Sr., Gilbert, Ariz. / Higley HS) - University of Mary
- Returned eight kickoffs for 236 yards and 2 punts for 14 yards
- Returned the second half kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown; the first kick return score since 2016 for UMary
- Totaled three scores in the game as he broke the school record for all-purpose yards with 381
- Caught 13 passes for 131 yards and two scores 
- Set the NSIC career records for receptions (272) and receiving yards (3,498)

Other Top Performances
OFFENSE
#25 Jarrett Gronski (BSU) helped the Beavers to a 41-16 win over Minnesota Duluth by rushing for 90 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 attempts. He averaged 8.2 yards per attempt and did not rush for a negative play. He scored on his longest touchdown rush of 22 yards.
#22 Shen Butler Lawson Jr (MSU) scored MSU’s first three touchdowns against Augustana. He notched 63 rushing yards and averaged 3.9 yards per carry.
#21 Ali Mohamed (MINOT) rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown to lead the Minot State offense.
#10 Dominick Fiscelli (NSU) led the Wolves receivers with 157 yards and two touchdowns versus Concordia-St. Paul. He averaged 39.3 yards per reception with a season best 80-yard long. He tallied 118 of his 157 yards after the catch. He notched season highs in total yards, average yards per catch, and touchdowns. He broke into the top-15 in the league in yards per game and top-10 in total yards and average yards per catch.
Eddie Burgess (UIU) caught a pair of touchdown passes in the Peacock’s first win of the season. The freshman tight end hauled in five catches for 60 yards and blocked well to help UIU run for 121 yards and a pair of scores on the ground as well.
#12 Trevor Paulsen (WSU) helped WSU to a 20-17 upset win over nationally-ranked Sioux Falls on Homecoming. He threw for a touchdown on a 9-of-15 passing day under center. He rushed for 14 yards on three carries, a 4.7 per/rush average. He had a longest throw of 34 yards. He led WSU to first win over nationally ranked opponent since Oct. 7, 2017.

DEFENSE
#11 Princeten Harris (BSU) helped the Beavers’ Gang-Green defense hold Minnesota Duluth to 16 points and just 163 yards through the air. He totaled one tackle and intercepted two passes for the first time in his career.
#5 Rhett Sheehan (CSP) produced three second half turnovers in CSP’s road comeback bid in a 49-20 loss at NSU. He had an interception at the goal line trailing by two scores in the third quarter. He added a second interception and a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter. He also contributed five tackles (four solo) and two pass breakups. He ranks second on the team with 51 tackles and two INTs. He tied for the team lead with 3.0 TFLs. In 41 career games, has 5 INTs, 16 passes defended, 194 tackles, 6.0 TFLs, three FF and two FR.
#10 Johnny Tillman (UMary) made two interceptions and posted 7 solo tackles in the Battle for the Paddle. He posted return yardage of 49 yards, including a long of 31 yards. His first interception in the 2nd quarter set up the Marauders second score of the day.
#0 Somon Anderson (MSU) recorded two interceptions vs. Augustana, returning one 21 yards for a touchdown. He added one tackle in the road win.
#92 Abe Hestdalen (MSUM) had three solo tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble in MSUM’s 40-38 win over Mary. The two sacks for 14 yards was a career high. It was also his first forced fumble of his career. 
#37 Carson Cayko (MINOT) led the defense with seven tackles, all solo, including a tackle for a loss in Saturday’s game.
#0 Ar’Shon Willis (NSU) led the Northern State defense against Concordia-St. Paul with six tackles. He record and interception, bringing his season total to three. He notched five solo stops, the most of any player in the game. He sits tied for fourth in the league in interceptions.
#29 Josiah Hedensten (SMSU) recorded a career-high 12 tackles, with nine solo stops, two for loss and one sack and also forced a fumble in SMSU’s 20-14 loss at Wayne State. He strip sack in the fourth quarter gave SMSU first and 10 at the WSC 29-yard line with 2:27 remaining in the game with SMSU trailing by six points. SMSU however would turn the ball over on downs.
#32 Cody Cotton (UIU) made the play of the game in Upper Iowa’s win over Minot State on Saturday. The freshman corner broke early on a sideline route and intercepted a Beaver pass at the 30-yard line and then sprinted to the end zone for a touchdown that put the Peacocks ahead by two scores. Cotton made three tackles in the game including one for loss.
#5 Alex Kowalczyk (WSC) had a team-high eight tackles and a game-clinching interception to seal Wayne State’s 20-14 home win over SMSU Saturday. He was credited with six solo and two assisted tackles along with one interception for two return yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS
#26 Dillon Fedor (MINOT) matched his career-high with two field goals in Saturday’s game and moved to 11 field goals in his career, tying him for second in Minot State’s NCAA Division-II era.
#26 Payton Eue (NSU) scored seven points for the Wolves and recovered a kickoff which resulted in a touchdown for Northern State. He successfully executed an on-side kick and recovered it himself - Went 7-for-7 in point after attempts - Punted for 160 yards, averaging 40.0 yards per punt - Added 447 yards on kickoffs, averaging 63.9 yards per kick, with three touchbacks
#41 Alex Powders (WSC) was 2-2 on field goals and 2-2 on PAT kicks in Wayne State’s 20-14 home win over SMSU Saturday. He made field goals of 27 and 35 yards. He has made eight straight field goals and eight field goals in last three games. He also averaged 47.5 yards on four punts with a long of 50 yards and two punts inside 20 yard line.
#27 Jacob Scott (WSU) helped lead Winona State to a 20-17 upset win over nationally-ranked University of Sioux Falls, including notching a field goal in the fourth quarter to seal the win. He was 2-of-3 on field goal attempts. He hit game-winning field goal with 9:23 left in the game. He converted both PAT attempts, remaining perfect on the season at 25-for-25. He also handled all five Warrior kickoffs, notching a 52.2 average.
NSIC Football Players of the Week
9/6/22
O:  #10 Jalen Sample - Minnesota State
D: #7 Alijah McGhee - Minnesota State
SP: #26 Payton Eue - Northern State
9/12/22
O: #24 Jesse Sherwood - SMSU
D: #5 Alex Kowalczyk - Wayne State
SP: #2 Trey Vaval - Minnesota State
9/19/22
O: #24 Jesse Sherwood - SMSU (2) 
D: #94 Grayson Diepenbrock - Augustana
SP: #26 Payton Eue - Northern State(2)
9/26/22
O: #34 Thuro Reisdorfer - USF
D: #0 Onte Burns - SMSU
SP: #27 Jacob Scott - WSU
10/3/22
O: #4 Jesse Forknell - UMary
D: #90 Zach Durfee - USF
SP: #95 Ian Kopf - UMary
10/10/22
O: #18 Will Madler - Northern State
D: #5 Alex Kowalczyk - Wayne State (2)
SP: #41 Alex Powders - Wayne State
10/17/22
O: #34 Thuro Reisdorfer - Sioux Falls (2)
D: #9 Ian Marshall - Northern State
SP: #14 Luke Gunderson - Northern State
10/24/22
O: #6 Gage Florence - MSU Moorhead
D: #8 Mitch Snitker - Winona State  
SP: #11 Danny Kittner - University of Mary

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 96 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.