For Immediate Release
Monday, October 28, 2024
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet
NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#11 Gunnar Hensley (QB, 6-2, 205, So., Carlsbad, Calif. / Mission Hills HS) - Augustana
- Totaled an NSIC-best 288 total yards in Augustana’s 34-16 win over No. 13 Minnesota State
- Threw for a pair of touchdowns while passing for 263 yards and rushing for 25 yards
- Finished the day with a passing efficiency of 149.09
- Completed 24 passes to eight different receivers and finished with a 70.6 completion percentage
- Named NSIC Player of the Week for the second time this season (9/23/24)
NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#32 Kade Lynott (LB, 6-1, 225, Sr., Hawarden, Iowa / West Sioux HS) - Augustana
- Stood as the defensive leader in Augustana’s 34-16 win over No. 13 Minnesota State
- Tied a team-high with nine tackles, including seven solo tackles and 1.0 TFL
- Also added an interception on fourth down that resulted in a 50-yard return to set up a touchdown
- Added a pass breakup
- Helped in holding the No. 2 rushing offense in the NSIC to 21 rushing yards on 23 attempts
NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#80 Ty Johnson (WR, 6-2, 185, Jr., Waterford, Wis. / Waterford Union HS) - Winona State
- Had 160 yards on five punt returns including a touchdown in a 31-28 win over BSU
- Picked up 49 yards on a punt return with 53 seconds left in the first half to set up a WSU touchdown
- Had a 64-yard touchdown on the first punt of the second half to give WSU a 21-14 lead
- Averaged 32 yards per punt return
Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Jaylin Richardson (CSP)
- Rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns
- Produced his fifth 100-yard rushing performance of 2024
- Has two-plus touchdowns in four-straight games
- Added two catches for 21 yards
- Ranks fourth in Division II with an NSIC-high 11 rushing touchdowns
- Ranks sixth in Division II with an NSIC-high 966 rushing yards
- Ranks 10th in Division II with an NSIC-high 12 total touchdowns
- Ranks 19th in Division II with an NSIC-high 136.4 all-purpose yards per game
Alex Riley (UMD)
- Scored three rushing touchdowns and ran for a career-best 103 yards
- Had a career-long 38-yard run in UMD's 35-21 win over Minot State
- Now has four touchdowns in the last two games and five on the season overall
Brady Perryman (MSUM)
- Made six receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-6 win over Southwest Minnesota State
- Had a long of 22 yards and averaged 12 yards per reception
- Reeled in two or more touchdowns for the third time this season
Daniel Britt (NSU)
- Recorded 206 yards of total offense in the Wolves 35-34 victory over CSP
- Scored two rushing touchdowns and added one passing touchdown
- Averaged 8.7 yards per completion and 10.7 yards per rush
- Completed 15-of-28 passing attempts
- Paced the Wolves with a 75 yard drive and passing touchdown at the end of the first half
- Anchored the game winning drive of 72 yards to close out the fourth
- Both end of half drives lasted just 3:04
Carter Slykhuis (USF)
- Accounted for two touchdowns through the air in a 23-13 win at Wayne State
- Pulled in three receptions for 82 yards, with a long of 51
- This was his third multi-touchdown game of the season
- Now has the second most receiving touchdowns in the NSIC with nine
- Continues his strong season with the second most receiving yards per game, at 85.3
Cole Stenstrom (WSU)
- Scored three total touchdowns to lead Winona State to a 31-28 victory over Bemidji State
- Went 12-23 passing for 150 yards and one touchdown
- Rushed for two touchdowns, including a QB keeper that gave Winona State a 31-21 lead with 2:10 left
DEFENSE
Cody Sorenson (MSUM)
- Had an interceptions, which he returned 92 yards for a touchdown in a 38-6 win over SMSU
- Was able to block a Mustang punt in the victory, which was recovered by the Dragons
Jake Adams (NSU)
- Led Northern State with 16 tackles in their win over CSP
- Recorded six solo stops
- Broke the 20-year old single season school record for tackles; currently has 116
- Sits first in the country in total tackles and second in tackles per game (12.9)
Aldrich Connor (USF)
- Lead a stout Cougar defense with his season-high 8 tackles
- For the second game in a row brought down an interception, this one returned 14 yards
- Helped USF hold Wayne State to 1 of 5 on 4th down conversions
David Nies (WSU)
- Picked up five tackles, including two TFL and one sack in a win over Bemidji State
- Blocked a BSU field goal attempt to change the momentum of the game
- Forced a fumble and also had a QB hurry
- His sack and blocked field goal came on back-to-back plays
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jake Pecina (AUGIE)
- Tied an NSIC-best with 10 kicking points for the Vikings in their win over No. 13 Minnesota State
- Made a pair of field goals while adding four extra points
- Added seven kickoffs for 397 yards
Jaylon Washington (CSP)
- Returned opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown
- Had 100 all-purpose yards on two touches
- NSU did not kick deep after opening KR TD
- CSP's 5th-longest kickoff return of all-time
- Second-longest kickoff return in the NSIC in 2024, longest of week eight
- Three-straight 100-yard all-purpose performances with a TD in two of the last three
Nick Hernandez (USF)
- Made a career-long 47-yard field goal
- Went perfect on the day, going 2/2 on extra points and making his only field goal attempt
- Also added a 37-yard punt
Last Week's Results
Football Pages
NSIC Football Players of the Week
9/3/24
O: #15 Hayden Ekern - MSU
D: #24 Justus Breston - UMary
SP: #41 Joey Prondzinski - BSU
9/9/24
O: #6 TreShawn Watson – Minnesota State
D: #31 Nalu Cordeiro- Minot State
SP: #19 Boston Hensley - Wayne State
9/16/24
O: #3 Brady Perryman - MSU Moorhead
D: #47 Josiah Behm - MSU Moorhead
SP: #39 Diego Nunez-Smith - Minot State
9/23/24
O: #11 Gunnar Hensley - Augustana
D: #26 Richard Wauer - Concordia-St. Paul
SP: #17 Trevor Marshall - Wayne State
9/30/24
O: #15 Jack Strand - MSU Moorhead
D: #5 Cody Sorenson - MSU Moorhead
SP: #46 Max Watson - MSU Moorhead
10/7/24
O: #12 Camden Dean - Sioux Falls
D: #54 Jake Adams - Northern State
SP: #30 Jeff Isotalo-McGuire - Concordia-St. Paul
10/14/24
O: #4 Nick Bohn - Wayne State
D: #8 Peyton Buckley - Augustana
SP: #36 Jeremy Caruso - Northern State
10/21/24
O: #15 Jack Strand - MSU Moorhead (2)
D: #55 Gabe Gutierrez - Northern State
SP: #36 Jeremy Caruso - Northern State(2)
10/28/24
O: #11 Gunnar Hensley - Augustana (2)
D: #32 Kade Lynott - Augustana
SP: #80 Ty Johnson - Winona State
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 27 team national championships and crowned 116 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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