Tuesday, December 1, 2015

NDSU Football Leads League With Five on MVFC All-Newcomer Team

ST. LOUIS - North Dakota State had a league-high five players selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team on Tuesday, Dec. 1, by a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media.

Running back Bruce Anderson, kicker Cam Pedersen, wide receiver Darrius Shepherd, quarterback Easton Stick, and safety Robbie Grimsley were five of the 20 freshmen named to the 24-man team.  It's the most newcomers NDSU has had selected to the team in eight years in the league.

Anderson, from Ruskin, Fla., played in all 11 games rushing 66 times for 409 yards and one touchdown while averaging 6.2 yards per carry.  He is averaging 28.9 yards on 10 kickoff returns including three returns totaling 95 yards to help the Bison to a come-from-behind win at Youngstown State.  He had 171 all-purpose yards in that game.

Pedersen, a walk-on from Eau Claire, Wis., leads the Bison in scoring with 68 points.  He made 8 of 11 field goals including a long of 49 yards and has converted 44 of 45 PAT kicks.  Pedersen was the MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week once and his field goal percentage (.727) ranks fourth among FCS freshman kickers this year.

Shepherd, from Blue Springs, Mo., is NDSU's second leading receiver with 31 catches for 461 yards and five touchdowns.  He played in all 11 games with an average of 41.9 yards per game.  Shepherd made a season-high six catches against North Dakota and starred in the comeback win over Northern Iowa with three catches for 61 yards and two TDs.

Stick, from Omaha, Neb., has accounted for 15 touchdowns in his first five starts while going 5-0 and leading the Bison to wins over two Top 25 teams on the road.  He is 57 of 95 passing for 826 yards and 11 touchdowns and is the team's second leading rusher with 423 yards on 62 carries for an average of 6.8 yards.

Grimsley, from Hutchinson, Minn., has played in all 11 games including six starts at safety.  He is NDSU's third leading tackler with 45 stops including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack.  Grimsley has one interception, four pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and one forced fumble.

North Dakota State (9-2) won a share of its fifth straight conference championship with a 7-1 league record and earned the No. 3 seed for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.  The Bison host Montana (8-4) in a second round game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5.

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