For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#9 Shen Butler-Lawson (RB, 6-0, 215, Jr., Augusta, Ga. / Waynesville HS) – Minnesota State
- Rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-26 win at Sioux Falls, all in the second half
- His 221 rushing yards are the sixth most in a game in Maverick history and the most in one half of a football game
- His touchdown carries were from 37, 14, 34 and 67 yards out
- Had just nine carries and averaged 24.6 yards per carry

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#2 Hunter Bohannon (DB, 5-11, 189, Jr., Del Mar, Calif. / Westview HS) – SMSU
- Forced two fumbles, recovering one and had one pass break-up in a 28-23 come-from-behind win
- Added three solo tackles to help SMSU earn the 28-23 victory at Minot State
- Trailing 17-7 in the third quarter, forced a fumble to stop a Minot State drive
- SMSU scored on ensuing drive to cut the deficit to 17-14

NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#2 Devon Jones (WR, 5-8, 195, Sr., San Diego, Calif. / Kearney High Digital Media & Design HS) – Augustana
- Set a school record for longest punt return when he went 85 yards to score a touchdown in the Vikings win over UMary
- Broke the 1967 record of 80 yards
- His touchdown return was the only special teams touchdown of the week for the NSIC
- He returned three punts for 112 yards, an average of 37.3 yards per return
- Ranks third nationally in punt return yards after one week of play

Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Casey Bauman (AUGIE)
- Rushed for two touchdowns and 53 yards while he threw for another touchdown and 226 yards
- Was 22-of-28 passing with a long of 38 yards
- Owns the league's top completion percentage at  78.6, ranking eighth in NCAA Division II
Ali Mohamed (BSU)
- Rushed seven times for 113 yards and two touchdowns in leading Bemidji State to a 49-13 victory
- Both of his scoring runs were big plays going 57 yards and 47 yards for his touchdowns
- Averaged 16.1 yards per carry
Kyle Walljasper (UMD)
- Was 8-of-15 for 55 yards and 3 touchdown passes
- Rushed 10 times for 149 yards and two more scores in UMDs 47-10 win over Northern Michigan
Jack Strand (MSUM)
- Passed for 351 yards, including 42 completions in MSUM's 31-23 loss to Wayne State on Thursday
- The completion mark was just three shy of the MSUM and NSIC record, which Strand set in 2022
- Had a long pass of 41 yards, a touchdown to wide receiver Brady Perryman, who Strand connected with for two scores against the Wildcats
- Completed passes to seven different receivers in the game
Nick Bohn (WSC)
– Accounted for 276 yards of total offense and three TD’s in Wayne State’s 31-23 win over MSU Moorhead
- Completed 21 of 29 passes for 264 yards and one TD
- Rushed for two more touchdowns

DEFENSE
Braydon Hoops (AUGIE)
- Led Augustana with seven tackles including a tackle for loss
- Was part of a defense that held UMary to just 75 yards rushing
Marcus Hansen (BSU)
- Posted 1.5 sacks, including a half-sack on a safety to help the Beavers roll to the 36-point win over Northern State
- Added three tackles (two solo), for a defense that allowed just 68 net yards rushing and forced four interceptions
Ty’Rese Gibson (UMD)
- Returned an interception 62 for a touchdown 
- Added 1.0 TFL of 12 yards
- Finished with two solo tackles

SPECIAL TEAMS
Marko Jovisic (BSU) 
- Had a strong debut for the Beavers connecting on both field goals and all five extra points
- Connected on field goals from 28 yards and 25 yards in the fourth quarter
- Was 5-of-5 on extra points for 11 points scored

Week 1 Results

08/31/2023	* MSU Moorhead 23, Wayne State College 31
08/31/2023	* Minnesota State 54, Sioux Falls 26
08/31/2023	* Northern State 13, Bemidji State 49
08/31/2023	Concordia-St. Paul 43, Upper Iowa 20
08/31/2023	* Minot State 23, Southwest Minnesota State 28
08/31/2023	Minnesota Duluth 47, Northern Mich. 10
08/31/2023	Winona State 24, Saginaw Valley 34
09/02/2023	* Augustana 38, UMary 7

 

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

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.