For Immediate Release
Monday, November 2, 2026
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet
NPI Ranking
NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#2 Connor Carver (QB, 6-3, 225, R-Jr., Fort Dodge, Iowa / Fort Dodge HS) - Bemidji State
- Accounted for 496 total offensive yards with 323 passing yards and 173 rushing yards in a 37-24 win over MSUM
- Recorded five total touchdowns, including four passing and one rushing
- Connected on a career-long 70-yard pass and added a long run of 19 yards
- Set career highs in passing yards and longest completion
- Completed 17 of 27 passes with no interceptions
- Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season (9/28/26)
NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#2 Jamal Spiyee (DB, 6-1, 190, Sr., Fargo, N.D. / Fargo South HS) - Minnesota State
- Led the Mavericks with six solo tackles in a 44-9 win over Southwest Minnesota State
- Helped MSU claim at least a share of its 12th NSIC South Division title
- Recorded his fourth interception of the season and returned the interception 21 yards
- Tied for the NSIC lead in interceptions
- Set a Minnesota State single-season record with 176 interception return yards
- Leads the conference in interception return average and has two defensive touchdowns this season
NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#19 Boston Hensley (K/P, 5-11, 185, Sr., Council Bluffs, Iowa / Lewis Central HS) - Wayne State
- Converted all seven extra-point attempts and scored 10 points in a 54-14 win over Concordia-St. Paul
- Made a 25-yard field goal in the second quarter
- Averaged 60.2 yards per kickoff on nine kickoffs
- Recorded three touchbacks on kickoffs
- Contributed to Wayne State’s highest-scoring performance of the season with 54 points
Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Gunnar Hensley (Augustana)
- Completed 22 passes for 322 yards in a 31-24 win over Northern State
- Threw one touchdown pass
- Added 31 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown
- Scored the game-winning touchdown on the ground
- Ranks second in the NSIC in total offense and third in passing yards per game
Timmy Guler (MSU Moorhead)
- Completed 12 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns against Bemidji State
- Added 29 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown
- Recorded a long completion of 44 yards
- Helped lead a strong comeback effort in a 37-34 loss
Riley Grossman (Minnesota Duluth)
- Completed 18 of 24 passes in a 50-3 victory over Jamestown
- Threw for 242 yards and one touchdown
Lebarion Gilmore (Minnesota State)
- Caught four passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns in a 44-9 win over Southwest Minnesota State
- Scored on touchdown receptions of 41 and 23 yards in the second quarter
- Recorded his first multi-touchdown receiving game of the season
- Doubled his season touchdown total from two to four
- Tied his season high with four receptions
Jett Lundeen (Minot State)
- Turned in his best game at quarterback, completing all seven pass attempts for 123 yards and a touchdown
- Went 4-for-4 for 74 yards on the game-winning fourth-quarter drive
- Threw a 28-yard touchdown pass that gave Minot State a 34-31 lead
- Added 61 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown
- Caught a 25-yard touchdown pass on a double-reverse receiver option play
Hank Kraft (Northern State)
- Led the NSIC with 329 rushing yards against Augustana
- Averaged 13.7 yards per carry and scored two rushing touchdowns
- Broke scoring runs of 96 and 80 yards
- Set school records for longest touchdown run and most rushing yards in a single game
- Moved into first nationally in yards per carry while ranking among the nation’s leaders in rushing production
- Leads the NSIC in all-purpose yards, yards per carry, rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, rushing yards per game, total touchdowns, and total points scored
Dawson Forgy (Wayne State)
- Totaled 231 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in a 54-14 win over Concordia-St. Paul
- Rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries
- Scored rushing touchdowns of 1, 3, and 77 yards
- Recorded his third 100-yard rushing game of the season
- Added three receptions for 50 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown catch
- Became Wayne State’s all-time leader in touchdowns scored with 39
James Durst (Winona State)
- Led the team with five receptions for 95 yards against Sioux Falls
- Caught two touchdown passes
- Set season highs in both receiving yards and touchdowns
DEFENSE
Tyler Birn (Augustana)
- Recorded five tackles in a 31-24 road win over Northern State
- Tallied two tackles for loss totaling 15 yards
- Added a sack for a 14-yard loss in the second quarter
- Made a key tackle during Northern State’s final drive
L’Shawn Taylor (Bemidji State)
- Led the Beavers with eight total tackles against MSU Moorhead
- Matched his career high with six solo tackles
- Broke up three passes, setting a personal best
- Helped limit Moorhead’s passing attack in a 37-34 victory
Jayce Walrath (Minnesota Duluth)
- Returned a fumble 42 yards for a touchdown in Minnesota Duluth’s 50-3 win over Jamestown
- Recorded a tackle for loss
- Helped the Bulldogs hold Jamestown to just three points
Austin Young (Minot State)
- Led the Beavers with 12 tackles in a 34-31 win over rival UMary
- Assisted on a quarterback sack
- Helped anchor the Minot State defense in the “Battle of the Big Lake”
Ethan Doucette (Winona State)
- Led the team with 14 total tackles, including six solo stops
- Finished with the highest tackle total in the conference for the week
- Recorded a tackle for loss of six yards
- Added a half sack for a five-yard loss
- Forced a fumble
- Registered a quarterback hurry
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jake Pecina (Augustana)
- Converted his lone field goal attempt from 30 yards
- Made all four extra-point attempts
- Averaged 39.2 yards per punt on four punts
- Recorded a long punt of 42 yards
- Handled six kickoffs for 359 yards in Augustana’s 31-24 win over Northern State
Matt Maldonado (Minnesota State)
- Went 1-for-2 on field goal attempts, with both attempts coming from 50-plus yards
- Connected on a season-long 50-yard field goal in a 44-9 win over Southwest Minnesota State
- Narrowly missed a 54-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter
- Handled six kickoffs for 331 yards
- Averaged 55.2 yards per kickoff
- Recorded the second-longest field goal in the NSIC this season
Last Week's Results
Football Pages
NSIC Football Players of the Week
8/31/26
O: #21 Hank Kraft - Northern State
D: #98 Travis Biery - University of Mary
SP: #6 Neal May - Augustana
9/8/26
O: #21 Hank Kraft - Northern State (2)
D: #54 Jake Adams - Northern State
SP: #25 Jake Pecina - Augustana
9/14/26
O: #12 Gunnar Hensley - Augustana
D: #96 Vegas George - University of Mary
SP: #14 Connor Fournier - Minnesota State
9/21/26
O: #12 Gunnar Hensley - Augustana (2)
D: #30 Jude Onuoha - Concordia-St. Paul
SP: #39 Drew Henson - Minnesota Duluth
9/28/26
O: #2 Connor Carver - Bemidji State
D: #7 Beau Giblin - Sioux Falls
SP: #47 Mathias Yaggie - Winona State
10/5/26
O: #17 Drew Huebner - MSU Moorhead
D: #44 Jack Hawkinson - Minnesota State
SP: #25 Jake Pecina - Augustana (2)
10/12/26
O: #17 Drew Huebner - MSU Moorhead (2)
D: #51 Jayce Walrath - Minnesota Duluth
SP: #7 Brayden Chaney - Wayne State
10/26/26
O: #3 Bubba Tann III - Sioux Falls
D: #51 Jayce Walrath - Minnesota Duluth (2)
SP: #40 JT Frieders - Sioux Falls
11/2/26
O: #2 Connor Carver - Bemidji State (2)
D:#2 Jamal Spiyee - Minnesota State
SP: #19 Boston Hensley - Wayne State
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 128 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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