August 3, 2016 PRESEASON RELEASE For Immediate Release www.northernsun.org #NSICFB Nick Kornder • Asst. Commissioner for Media Relations • 2999 County Road 42 West • Burnsville, MN 55306 • P: 651.288.4017 • [email protected] Minnesota State University, Mankato Tabbed PRESEASON NSIC FOOTBALL COACHES POLL NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Favorite Overall Points BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Minnesota State Univer- 1. Minnesota State (11) ...................... 216 sity, Mankato was selected by the league coaches 2. Augustana ..................................... 198 as the overall and south division preseason favor- 3. Minnesota Duluth (1) .................... 194 ite in the NSIC for 2016. The Mavericks received 4. Sioux Falls (2) ............................... 192 11 first place votes and amassed 216 points, 18 5. Bemidji State ............................... 153 points ahead of Augustana (198) and 22 points 6. Northern State (1) .......................... 143 ahead of Minnesota Duluth (194), which garnered a first place vote 7. Southwest Minnesota State (1) ..... 140 and was the coaches’ top choice in the north division. Sioux Falls was 8. Winona State ................................. 139 picked fourth overall (192) and received two first place votes. Northern 9. St. Cloud State .............................. 132 State and SMSU also received first place nods in the preseason poll. 10. MSU Moorhead ............................ 97 The NSIC football schedule will be broken into two divisions (north/ 11. Upper Iowa .................................. 88 south). Each team will play 11 conference games that will count to- 12. Wayne State ................................. 71 wards the NSIC Overall Championship as well as seven divisional 13. Concordia-St. Paul ........................ 52 games that will count towards the NSIC North/South Division Cham- 14. Minot State .................................. 44 pionships. In all, three league champions will be awarded (Overall 15. University of Mary ....................... 40 Champion, North Division Champion, South Division Champion). Ties 16. Minnesota Crookston ................... 21 will not be broken for overall or division champions. first place votes in ( ) PRESEASON NSIC FOOTBALL COACHES POLL PRESEASON NSIC FOOTBALL COACHES POLL North Division Points South Division Points 1 Minnesota Duluth (6) ...................... 47 1. Minnesota State (6) ........................47 2. Bemidji State (1) ............................ 42 2. Augustana ......................................40 3. Northern State (1) .......................... 35 Sioux Falls (1) ................................40 4. St. Cloud State ................................ 31 4. Southwest Minnesota State (1) .......30 5. MSU Moorhead .............................. 28 5. Winona State ...................................27 6. Minot State ..................................... 19 6. Upper Iowa .....................................18 7. University of Mary ......................... 12 7. Wayne State ....................................14 8. Minnesota Crookston ..................... 10 8. Concordia-St. Paul ...........................8 first place votes in ( ) first place votes in ( ) The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II Conference with teams located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. • Augustana • Bemidji State • Concordia -St. Paul • University of Mary • Minnesota Crookston • Minnesota Duluth • Minnesota State University, Mankato • • MSU Moorhead • Minot State • Northern State • Sioux Falls • Southwest Minnesota State • St. Cloud State • Upper Iowa • Wayne State • Winona State • 2016 NSIC Preseason Players of the Year #7 Jordan Hein (QB, 6-2, 220, Jr., Perham, Minn. / Perham HS) #97 Chad Stoterau (DL, 6-4, 285, Sr., Garretson, S.D. / Garretson HS) - 2015 All-NSIC First Team - 2015 All-NSIC First Team - Led all NSIC starting quarterbacks with four interceptions - Ranked in the top 10 in seven BSU all-time single-season categories - Started all 11 games for the Wolves - Set BSU single-season records for attempts, completed passes and total offense - Recorded 51 tackles, 25 unassisted and 26 assisted - Finished fifth in the NSIC in touchdown passes with 22 - Second on the team with 6.0 tackles for a total loss of 28 yards - Ranked sixth in the NSIC in total offense (270.6) and passing yards (218.8) - Rushed for 570 yards and eight TDs to rank second and first on BSU - Added 3.5 sacks for a total loss of 22 yards - Converted a career-high five passing touchdowns Oct. 17 at MSU Moorhead - Anchored the NSU defense which led the NSIC in red zone defense - Threw for 250+ yards in five games and 200+ yards in eight - Twenty-six touchdown passes shy of setting the BSU career record - Notched a season high nine tackles and two sacks versus BSU on Nov. 14 #2 Trey Heid (QB, 6-2, 195, Sr., Lakeville, Minn. / North HS) #48 Marcus Gooden (LB, 6-0, 225, Sr., Belvidere, Ill. / Belvidere HS) - 2015 NSIC Offensive Player of the Year - Finished the 2015 season second on the team in tackles with 58 - Led the NSIC in total offense, averaging 338.6 yards per NSIC game - Ranked second in the NSIC in passing yards with 301.5 ypg - Tallied a season-high eight tackles in wins over UMD and UMC - Set the Augustana single season record with 3,493 passing yards - Recorded three interceptions, tied for second best in south division - Finished second in the NSIC tossing a career-high 29 touchdowns - Started in seven games last season, including final six games of the season - Led the NSIC and was second in nation with a 171.2 passer efficiency - Recorded at least five tackles in seven games last season. - Rushed for 408 yards and five touchdowns in NSIC play - Threw a season-high five touchdowns against Concordia-St. Paul - Returned an interception against Winona State 32 yards, which led to an - Led the nation averaging 10.18 yards per completion MSU touchdown on the next play - His 63 career touchdowns are 10 shy of the career record at Augie For Updated Info Visit: www.northernsun.org • Augustana • Bemidji State • Concordia -St. Paul • University of Mary • Minnesota Crookston • Minnesota Duluth • Minnesota State University, Mankato • • MSU Moorhead • Minot State • Northern State • Sioux Falls • Southwest Minnesota State • St. Cloud State • Upper Iowa • Wayne State • Winona State • 2016 NSIC Preseason Team Previews AUGUstana UNIVERSITY VIKINGS BEMIDJI StatE UNIVERSITY BEAVERS Last Year Returning Starters Letterwinners Standings Last Year Returning Starters Letter winners Standings 9-3, 9-2, 6-1 South 10 Off / 6 Def 28 Off / 28 Def t-2nd Overall 7-4, 6-1 North 11 Off / 8 Def 26 Off / 22 Def 6th Overall t-1st South t-1st North Team Preview Team Preview Augustana is coming off a 9-3 season in 2015, marking just the second Bemidji State completed the 2015 season in a tie for the NSIC North Divi- season in program history with nine or more wins. The Vikings made their sion Championship and sixth in the overall standings. The Beavers tied a fourth NCAA Playoff appearance in program history and earned a share of program record with six consecutive wins between Sept. 26-Oct. 31. BSU the NSIC South Division Championship with a 6-1 record in divisional play. snapped Northern State’s own six-game winning streak on Nov. 14 with a Augustana ended the season ranked in the top 25 of two national polls. 41-24 win to secure a share of the north division title. The entire Beavers’ The Vikings were ranked No. 24 in the AFCA Top 25 Poll and No. 20 in the starting offense, including six All-NSIC members, returns from a season final D2football.com poll. Augustana returns 10 starters from an offense that was the program’s most productive since 2006. Quarterback Jordan which set single season records for total offense (5,527 yards), passing Hein enters his junior season as NSIC Preseason Offensive Player of the yards (3,603), points scored (494), and touchdowns (64) in 2016. Lead- Year, climbing his way up the all-time program charts in his first season as ing the offensive charge will be NSIC South Division Preseason Offensive the full-time starter. He finished with 30 total touchdowns, which ranks sec- Player of the Year Trey Heid. Heid was named the offensive player of the ond all-time in BSU’s single-season record book, and just four intercep- year in 2015 in the NSIC after throwing for a career-high 29 touchdowns tions for the fewest in the NSIC. Also returning is the NSIC Defensive New- and a single season record 3,493 yards. Heid’s top two targets, Charlie comer of the Year Gunner Olszewski at defensive back. The sophomore Hayes and Matt Heller, return in 2015. Hayes hauled in 73 passes for nabbed seven interceptions to rank second in the conference, including 1,127 yards and 12 touchdowns and Heller caught 53 passes for 1,089 tying a BSU single-game record with three against Minot State Oct. 31, yards and 10 scores. On the defensive side of the ball, Augustana returns and led the Beavers with 85 total tackles. Bemidji State will replace just six starters, including 2015 All-NSIC First Team selection Bryson Hamilton. three starters on defense that returns three All-NSIC members. The “Gang Augustana’s defense forced 23 turnovers last season, ranking fifth in the Green” defense finished third in the NSIC allowing 348.5 yards and 19.1 NSIC with 13 interceptions. The Vikings allowed just 146.8 rushing yards points per game. Head Coach Jeff Tesch enters his 21st season with the per game and finished the year with 24 sacks. Beavers after leading the team