Bemidji State University Athleticathletic Mediamedia Relationsrelations
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Bemidji State University AthleticAthletic MediaMedia RelationsRelations DATE: Feb. 2, 2011 // FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Dax Larson, Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations (218-755-2763 / [email protected]) Football Tesch announces the addition of 33 for the 2011 season Bemidji State gets commitments from 32 incoming freshmen and a transfer BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University head football coach Jeff Tesch today announced the addition of 33 student-athletes to the BSU roster for the 2011 season. Of the 33 commitments, 16 signed National Letters of Intent, one is a transfer and 16 have inked offers of admission to attend Bemidji State. The class is comprised of 32 high school seniors who will join the program as true freshmen next year. The 16 NLI signees include seven offensive players, eight defensive players and one athlete. The transfer is a defensive lineman. Sixteen other players will be joining the BSU program after accepting written offers of admission with nine on the offensive side of the ball, six defensive recruits and a special teamer. The 2011 class was drawn from seven states, with 15 hailing from Minnesota. In addition, committed players currently reside in Wisconsin (5), Illinois (4), California (3), North Dakota (3), Georgia (2) and South Carolina (1). The student-athletes listed on the roster have signed National Letters of Intent to play football at Bemidji State. Student-athletes are only listed above if the Bemidji State Athletics Compliance Office has verified the National Letter of Intent and financial aid agreement or the student-athlete has been accepted by the Bemidji State Office of Admissions. The 2010 Beaver football team finished the season 7-4 overall and 6-4 in NSIC play, tying for fifth in the league standings with Winona State. Three losses came to three NCAA post-season participants, University of Minnesota Duluth, Augustana College and St. Cloud State University. The other loss was to 2010 Mineral Water Bowl participant, Concordia University, St. Paul. Under head coach Jeff Tesch, BSU has recorded 12 above .500 seasons in his 15 years at the helm. Bemidji State will kick-off the 2011 campaign at Chet Anderson Stadium August 25 at 7 p.m. against nonconference-foe Minot (N.D.) State University in the annual ‘Beaver Bash.’ 2011 Football Signing Class National Letter of Intent Signees (16) Name Pos Ht Wt Exp Elig Hometown (Last School) Colton Blascyk DB 5-11 190 Fr.-HS 5-4 Kensington, Minn. (West Central Area HS) Greg Button LB 6-2 215 Fr.-HS 5-4 Eau Claire, Wis. (Eau Claire North HS) Brian Grant DB 6-0 210 Fr.-HS 5-4 Mundelein, Ill. (Mundelein HS) Taylor Harren DE 6-2 235 Fr.-HS 5-4 Marietta, Ga. (Sprayberry HS) Jermell Harris RB 5-9 165 Fr.-HS 5-4 Orland Park, Ill. (Carl Sandburg HS) Tyler Irvin QB 6-4 220 Fr.-HS 5-4 Cokato, Minn. (Dassel-Cokato HS) Jordan Noskowiak TE/HB 6-3 210 Fr.-HS 5-4 Sun Prairie, Wis. (Sun Prairie HS) Chris Ostby OL 6-4 275 Fr.-HS 5-4 Gatzke, Minn. (Grygla HS) Connor Quinn LB 6-1 210 Fr.-HS 5-4 Geneva, Ill. (Geneva HS) Nick Saponara WR 6-1 190 Fr.-HS 5-4 Cumming, Ga. (North Forsyth HS) Matt Seibert OL 6-2 300 Fr.-HS 5-4 Grand Rapids, Minn. (Greenway HS) Jon Smith WR 6-2 180 Fr.-HS 5-4 Joliet, Ill. (Joliet West HS) Mario Stephens DE 6-3 250 Fr.-HS 5-4 Chippewa Falls, Wis. (Chippewa Falls HS) Andrew Tibbs OL 6-4 260 Fr.-HS 5-4 Ontario, Calif. (Colony High School) Dylan Valentine CB 5-9 175 Fr.-HS 5-4 Temecula, Calif. (Chaparral HS) Desean Waters Athlete 5-9 180 Fr.-HS 5-4 Grossmont, Calif. (Grossmont HS) Transfer Commitments (1) Name Pos Ht Wt Exp Elig Hometown (Last School) Dereck Jordan DE 6-2 250 Jr.-Tr. 3-2 Jackson, S.C. (Chaffey CC) BSU Offer of Admission Signees (16) Name Pos Ht Wt Exp Elig Hometown (Last School) Matt Bergman FB 6-1 195 Fr.-HS 5-4 Angora, Minn (Cook HS) Billy Binstock RB 5-6 165 Fr.-HS 5-4 Mandan, N.D. (Mandan HS) Brad Folkestad, Director of Athletic Media Relations • [email protected] • 218-755-4603 Dax Larson, Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations • [email protected] • 218-755-2763 1500 Birchmont Drive NE #29 • Bemidji, MN 56601-2699 • www.bsubeavers.com Nick Chiono OL 6-5 315 Fr.-HS 5-4 DeForest, Wis. (DeForest HS) Ethan Favor-Jackson DL 6-3 210 Fr.-HS 5-4 Alexandria, Minn. (Jefferson HS) Kevin Longtin DE 6-2 235 Fr.-HS 5-4 Plummer, Minn. (Red Lake County Central HS) Jared Mack LB 5-11 215 Fr.-HS 5-4 Cavalier, N.D. (Cavalier HS) Robbie Miller FB 5-9 210 Fr.-HS 5-4 Goodridge, Minn. (Goodridge HS) Derek Ostman OL 6-4 240 Fr.-HS 5-4 Stacy, Minn. (Forest Lake HS) Taylor Otto WR 6-4 175 Fr.-HS 5-4 Big Lake, Minn. (Big Lake HS) Tony Peterson RB 5-10 190 Fr.-HS 5-4 Frederic, Wis. (Frederic HS) Aaron Pipenhagen LS 6-2 230 Fr.-HS 5-4 Elk River, Minn. (Elk River HS) Dalton Rolland TE 6-5 185 Fr.-HS 5-4 Warren, Minn. (Warren-Alvarado-Oslo HS) Brock Russell DL 6-0 245 Fr.-HS 5-4 Mandan, N.D (Mandan HS) Tyler Schulz DB 5-11 185 Fr.-HS 5-4 Grygla, Minn. (Grygla HS) Ben Schwanberg DL 6-3 250 Fr.-HS 5-4 Rice, Minn. (Holdingford HS) Brandon Seiffert WR 6-1 165 Fr.-HS 5-4 Chaska, Minn. (Chaska HS) The Class Breakdown: Total: 33 Freshmen: 32 Transfers: 1 By State: Minnesota (15): Bergman, Blascyk, Favor-Jackson, Irvin, Longtin, Miller, Ostby, Ostman, Otto, Pipenhagen, Rolland, Schulz, Schwanberg, Seibert, Seiffert Wisconsin (5): Button, Chiono, Noskowiak, Peterson, Stephens Illinois (4): Grant, Harris, Quinn, Smith California (3): Tibbs, Valentine, Walters North Dakota (3): Binstock, Mack, Russell Georgia (2): Harren, Saponara South Carolina (1): Jordan By Position: Offense (17): Bergman (FB), Binstock (RB), Chiono (OL), Harris (RB), Irvin (QB), Miller (FB), Noskowiak (TE/HB), Ostby (OL), Ostman (OL), Otto (WR), Peterson (RB), Rolland (TE), Saponara (WR), Seibert (OL), Seiffert (WR), Smith (WR), Tibbs (OL) Defense (14): Blascyk (DB), Button (LB), Favor-Jackson (DL), Grant (DB), Harren (DE), Jordan (DE), Longtin (DE), Mack (LB), Quinn (LB), Russell (DL), Schulz (DB), Schwanberg (DL), Stephens (DE), Valentine (CB) Special Teams (1): Pipenhagen (LS) Athlete (1): Waters NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT SIGNEES • Colton Blascyk (DB, 5-11, 190; Kensington, Minn. / West Central Area HS) Blascyk was West Central Area High School’s top quarterback and defensive back... Earned all-conference honors his junior and senior seasons and was awarded most valuable quarterback by the Heart O’Lakes Conference... On the offensive side of the ball he racked up 865 yards rushing, 2,928 yards passing and totalled 27 touchdowns in his career... As a defensive back he led the team in tackles with 74 his senior year... Was named by his teammates as the squad’s most valuable defensive back, offensive back and offensive player... The 10-time letter winner was captain of the Knights football and basketball teams his senior year... He earned all-conference honorable mention in basketball his junior season. • Greg Button (LB, 6-2, 215; Eau Claire, Wis. (Eau Claire North HS) Button was a versatile player at Eau Claire North High School that will play the linebacker position at BSU... A captain his senior year, he was named a Big Rivers Conference First Team Defense player and was a honorable mention all-state performer... Led the team in tackles his junior and senior sea- sons totaling 130 tackles, 16 for loss, eight forced fumbles, six sacks and one blocked punt in those two years... Button is a four-sport athlete, earning eight letters in, football (3), baseball (3), basketball (1) and powerlifting (1)... Named all-conference in baseball after his sophomore and junior seasons, including conference pitcher of the year laurels his junior year and finished second at nationals in the 220 pound weight class in powerlifting in 2008. • Brian Grant (DB, 6-0, 210; Mundelein, Ill. / Mundelein HS) Played wide receiver and defensive back for the Mundelein High School Mustangs... Started all four years on offense and defense... Led the team in receiving for three of his four years... He brought down 25 receptions his senior season for 376 yards and four touchdowns... Also served as the team’s punter in 2010, booting the ball 42 times and averaging 33.7 yards per punt... Caught 19 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns his junior season... Also earned letters competing for the track team. • Taylor Harren (DE, 6-2, 235; Marietta, Ga. / Sprayberry HS) A two-sport athlete at Sprayberry High School, Harren earned letters in football and lacrosse... Was named to the All-Cobb County Defensive Team his junior season... Played defensive line, linebacker and was on special teams in coverage and as a long snapper... Named by his teammates as the Defensive Lineman of the Year... Was a scholar-athlete and a constant on the honor roll though high school. • Jermell Harris (RB, 5-9, 165; Orland Park, Ill. / Carl Sandburg HS) Harris was an all-conference performer his junior and senior seasons and earned all-area honors his senior year... Recorded more than 80 carries for 550-plus yards and 10 touchdowns his senior year... Is the younger brother of Napoleon Harris, who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs..