For Immediate Release
Monday, November 3, 2025
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet
NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#15 Jack Strand (QB, 6-5, 240, Sr., Bloomer, Wis. / Bloomer HS) - MSU Moorhead
- Helped account for all 49 of MSUM’s points in a 49-21 victory over Bemidji State
- Completed 32 of 42 pass attempts for 366 yards and seven passing scores
- The seven passing touchdowns marks a new MSUM single-game record and ties the NSIC single-game record
- Had a long completion of 76 yards, which also resulted in a touchdown
- Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season (9/8/25)
NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#8 McKale Pierson (DB, 5-11, 185, Sr., Glyndon, Minn. / Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton HS) - MSU Moorhead
- Had two interceptions in MSUM’s 49-21 victory over Bemidji State
- His second interception led to a Dragon touchdown on offense
- Added five tackles, with two being solo stops
- Tied for league lead with 2.0 passes defended
- Also led the NSIC with 82 kick return yards
NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#25 Jake Pecina (K/P, 5-10, 180, Jr., Forney, Texas / Sunnyvale HS) - Augustana
- Finished second in the NSIC with nine points in a 27-14 victory over Northern State
- Made field goals from 46 and 49 yards out and hit all three extra point attempted
- Also continued his strong season punting, averaging 40.25 yards/punt
- Had two of his four punts downed inside the 20 and one punt travel at least 50 yards
Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Breylon Blount (Augustana)
- Helped lead the Vikings to a 27-14 win over Northern State
- Led the NSIC with 153 rushing yards and 183 all-purpose yards
- Averaged 8.05 yards per carry
- Recorded his fifth consecutive game of 125+ total yards
Cole Hentges (Jamestown)
- Completed 27-of-39 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns, all new career-highs
- Finished with 416 yards of total offense (387 passing, 29 rushing)
Damani Wilks (UMary)
- Set career-highs for receptions and yards in a 36-21 win in the Battle for the Big Lake trophy
- Had eight catches for an NSIC-high 169 yards against Minot State
- Had a long catch of 40 yards
- 5th in the NSIC with 755 yards receiving on 42 catches
Luke Dehnicke (Minnesota Duluth)
- Received 150 yards in eight receptions against Jamestown (2nd straight week of 100+ yards)
- Includes a 50-yard reception
- Scored 20 points of the 45-point victory (Three TDs, one two-point conversion)
- Now ranks 1st in the nation for total receiving yards (918)
Tate Schafer (Sioux Falls)
- Helped lead USF to 49-24 win over Winona State, marking the programs 100th NSIC win
- Added 391 yards through the air with three passing scores along with one on the ground
- Went 20-for-25 with a long of a 44 yard TD pass to Christian Janis
- Tabbed is second 380+ yard game in four appearances and third 170+ yard game of the sea-son
- Surpassed 1,000 career passing yards as just a r-freshman with just two starts
Dawson Forgy (Wayne State)
- Ran for three TD's in Saturday's 34-0 win at Concordia-St. Paul
- Gained 75 yards on 19 carries and had 29-yard kickoff return
- Leads NSIC in rushing with 1,059 yards and 16 total TD's
- First WSC running back since Ryan Ludlow in 2014 to gain 1,000 yards in single season
DEFENSE
Zachary Richardson (Augustana)
- Helped a stifling Viking run defense to a 27-14 victory
- Led the team with seven tackles, including an NSIC-best 3.0 tackles for loss
- Also helped hold the NSIC's second-leading rusher to just 76 yards on 17 carries.
Jefferson Mobry (Minnesota State)
- Intercepted a pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown to put the Mavericks up 34-7
- Recorded four tackles and broke up one pass
Javonnee Szymanski (Northern State)
- Led Northern State with a season high 13 tackles against Augustana
- Tallied 12 solo stops in the process, including a tackle for a loss
- Added a forced fumble on the Vikings opening drive of the second half, which was recov-ered by teammates Cooper Logan
- One of just two players to record double figure tackles in the game
Josiah Hedensten (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Racked up a career-high 18 tackles, including 12 solo stops, in SMSU's loss at Minnesota State
- Has recorded double digit tackles in the last four games (58 total)
- Leads the team with 84 tackles and ranks third in the NSIC in tackles per game
- Has 198 career solo tackles ranking third in team history and is now 15 away from team ca-reer record
Kaden Johnson (Wayne State)
- Had team-high 10 tackles in leading WSC defense in 34-0 shutout win at CSP
- Led WSC defense that held Golden Bears to just 117 yards total offense
- Also had one sack, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries
SPECIAL TEAMS
Connor Fournier (Minnesota State )
- Went 2-for-2 in field goal attempts against SMSU as he connected from 27 and 23 yards out
- Went 6-for-6 in extra point attempts as he notched 12 points for the Mavericks
Derek Tibbetts (MSU Moorhead)
- Made a pair of tackles on special teams for MSUM in a 49-21 win over Bemidji State
- Blocked a Beaver punt, resulting in 17 return yards and placed MSUM in the red zone
- The blocked punt later led to a Dragon touchdown on offense
Last Week's Results
Football Pages
NSIC Football Players of the Week
9/2/25
O: #12
Gunnar Hensley - Augustana
D: #45
Mitchell Jezierski - MSU Moorhead
SP: #14
Connor Fournier - Minnesota State
9/8/25
O: #15
Jack Strand – MSU Moorhead
D: #95
Conner Haggerty – Winona State
SP: #7
Jonathan Shrum – Minnesota Duluth
9/15/25
O: #3
Brady Perryman – MSU Moorhead
D: #54
Jake Adams – Northern State
SP: #37
Jadon Apgar – Minnesota Duluth
9/22/25
O: #0
Dawson Forgy – Wayne State
D: #49
Christopher Federico - University of Mary
SP: #19
Boston Hensley - Wayne State
9/29/25
O: #11
Maximus Sims - Minnesota State
D: #31
Nalu Cordeiro - Minot State
SP: #39
Drew Henson - Minnesota Duluth
10/6/25
O: #3
Ryan Blair - University of Mary
D: #27
Logan Leonard - Augustana
SP: #45
Brandon McCary - Minot State
10/13/25
O: #10
Tate Schafer – Sioux Falls
D: #54
Jake Adams – Northern State (2)
SP: #14
Connor Fournier - Minnesota State (2)
10/20/25
Not Selected
10/27/25
O: #88
Luke Dehnicke – Minnesota Duluth
D: #47
Jes Krcil - Wayne State
SP: #36
Jeremy Caruso – Northern State
11/3/25
O: #15
Jack Strand – MSU Moorhead (2)
D: #8
McKale Pierson - MSU Moorhead
SP: #25
Jake Pecina - Augustana
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-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 122 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.
#NSICFB