For Immediate Release
Monday, November 6, 2023
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet
NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#15 Hayden Ekern (QB, 6-2, 205, Jr., Chicago, Ill. / St. Rita HS) - Minnesota State
- Completed 22-of-33 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns
- Marks the second time in his career that he has thrown for more than 300 yards in a game
- Also recorded 11 rushing yards and two touchdown carries
NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#9 Spencer Wehr (LB, 6-2, 230, Sr., Cloquet, Minn. / Cloquet HS) - Bemidji State
- Led BSU with nine tackles, six solo, along with a tackle for a loss in a 27-14 win over MSUM
- Added an interception that was returned 29 yards
- Sealed the game with his interception out near midfield late in the fourth quarter
NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#81 Curt Cox (PK, 6-1, 185, R-Sr., Dodgeville, Wis. / Mineral Point HS) - Minnesota Duluth
- Led the NSIC in kicking points scored with two field goals and four PATs in a 44-32 win over CSP
- Was 2-of-2 on field goals and 4-of-4 on PAT attempts for 10 points
- Had the second longest field goal in the league, a 40 yard effort
- Has played nine straight games without missing a PAT going 38-of-38 over that span
- Named NSIC Specials Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season (9/25/23)
Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Jarod Epperson (AUGIE)
- Rushed for 172 yards on 19 carries to average 9.1 yards per rush
- Reached the end zone on a carry that lifted him over the 3,000-yard mark for his career
- Became the fourth Viking all-time to cross the 3K mark
- Had a long rush of 36 yards
- Had five rushes of 14-plus yards
Brice Peters (BSU)
- Had five catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-14 win over MSUM
- His first touchdown catch of 42 yards helped put the Beavers ahead for the first time
- His second score turned out to be the game-winner with a 14-yard catch over the middle
Traivon Dyson (UMary)
- Caught 6 passes for 160 yards and 2 TDs in UMary’s 32-28 comeback win over SMSU
- Caught a 38 yard TD pass early in the 4th quarter to pull the Marauders within 28-25
- Ranks third in NSIC with 8 TD catches
Watkins-Hogue Kendrick (WSC)
- Had season-high nine catches for 88 yards and three TD's in 28-20 win at Sioux Falls
- Hauled in TD catches of 35, 2 and 5 yards versus Cougars
- Had nine catches on 11 targets with long reception of 35 yards
Sylvere Campbell (WSU)
- Had five receptions for 192 total yards
- Included two touchdown catches, including a 79-yarder
- Averaged 38.4 yards per catch
DEFENSE
Seth Baker (AUGIE)
- Had a forced fumble and a tackle for loss
- Recorded five solo tackles and one assisted tackle
- Forced a fumble in the second quarter as the quarterback was making a move for a first down
Mason Phillips (UMary)
- Had two sacks, recovered a fumble and made five solo tackles in the Marauders 32-28 win over SMSU
- Recovered a fumble on the second play of the game to set up the opening score of the game
- Sacked the SMSU QB on a 4th and 4 play on the UMary 26
- On the 1st play after UMary took a 32-28 lead, Phillips sacked the SMSU QB for a 8 yard loss
Khai West (MSU)
- Recorded two interceptions
- His first interception was in the end zone for a touchback
- The Mavericks would then drive all the way down field to score a touchdown
- His second interception came in the third quarter and he returned it 33 yards to the WSU 30
- The Mavericks would score a touchdown four plays later to go up 35-14
- Also recorded two tackles
Isaiah Bigby (MINOT)
-Near-record for single-game tackles, recording 20 against the Northern Michigan
- The 20 tackles are third-most in Minot State history
- Set Minot State career record with 229 tackles
- Added an assisted tackle for a loss
- Forced a fumble and recovered it
Alex Schall (WSC)
- Recorded team-high 15 tackles in Wildcats' 28-20 win at Sioux Falls
- Credited with 11 solo and four assisted tackles
- Helped WSC defense create three turnovers, resulting in 14 Wildcat points
Clay Schueffner (WSU)
- Racked up 10 total tackles
- Registered a pass breakup
- Seven stops were solo tackles
SPECIAL TEAMS
Avery Book (AUGIE)
- Punted three times for an average of 51 yards
- All three punts traveled at least 50 yards, placing two inside the 20
- Continues to lead the NSIC in punt average and has sent an NSIC-best 15 punts 50-plus yards
Kevin Powell (UMary)
- Hit a 20 yard field goal and made all three extra point attempts in a 32-28 win over SMSU
- Ran for 17 yards and a first down out of punt formation on 4th-and-10
- Lone punt of the day covered 57 yards
- Is 10-of-12 on field goals this season
Trey Vaval (MSU)
- Returned two punts for 33 yards
- Returned three kickoffs for 71 yards
Tristan Root (WSU)
- Had three punts totaling 151 yards
- Averaged over 50 yards per kick
- Dropped one of the three punts inside the Maverick 20 yard line
Week 10 Results
Football Pages
NSIC Football Players of the Week
9/5/23
O: #9
Shen Butler-Lawson – Minnesota State
D: #2
Hunter Bohannon – SMSU
SP: #2
Devon Jones – Augustana
9/11/23
O: #12
Kyle Walljasper - Minnesota Duluth
D: #5
Griffin Wiegel - Winona State
SP: #8
Jacob Scott - Winona State
9/18/23
O: #4
Nick Bohn - Wayne State
D: #47
Josiah Behm - MSU Moorhead
SP: #45
Drew Smook - Northern State
9/25/23
O: #4
Nick Bohn - Wayne State (2)
D: #7
Max Buduris - Bemidji State
SP: #81
Curtis Cox - Minnesota Duluth
10/2/23
O: #9
Casey Bauman - Augustana
D: #41
Jacob Daulton - Minnesota State
SP: #11
DaShaun Ames - Minnesota Duluth
10/9/23
O: #4
Nick Bohn - Wayne State (3)
D: #35
Trey King - Northern State
SP: #40
Matthew Jaeger - Minnesota State
10/16/23
O: #1
Ryan Bieberdorf – MSU Moorhead
D: #47
Josiah Behm - MSU Moorhead (2)
SP: #25
Jake Pecina - Augustana
10/23/23
O: #0
Jarod Epperson - Augustana
D: #54
Jake Adams - Northern State
SP: #43
Avery Book - Augustana
10/30/23
O: #15
Jack Strand - MSU Moorhead
D: #8
Tanner Cooper - Wayne State
SP: #19
Payton Eue - Concordia-St. Paul
11/6/23
O: #15
Hayden Ekern - Minnesota State
D: #9
Spencer Wehr - Bemidji State
SP: #81
Curt Cox - Minnesota Duluth (2)
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 15-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in 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 union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 110 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.
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