UMC Football Picked to Finish 16th in NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll

BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston football team was picked to finish 16^th in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll. In addition, UMC was picked to finish eighth in the NSIC North.

Minnesota State University, Mankato was picked to win the league with 11 first-place votes. Augustana University was picked second, while University of Minnesota Duluth was picked third and University of Sioux Falls was slotted fourth.

Bemidji State University’s Jordan Hein was selected as the NSIC North Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Chad Stoterau of Northern State University was picked as the NSIC North Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Augustana’s Trey Heid was selected as the NSIC South Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Minnesota State’s Marcus Gooden was picked as the NSIC North Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Dre Person (Sr., RB, Detroit, Mich.) and Dion Wallish (So., DB, Oakdale, Minn.) were picked as UMC’s Players to Watch for the season.

Minnesota Crookston will look to improve on a 1-10 season in 2015 as they head into the 2016 campaign, their fourth under Head Coach Mike Fritze. The Golden Eagles return one of their most experienced teams in recent years as they look to move up the standings in 2016. Minnesota Crookston returns seven starters on offense. The Golden Eagles are led by 2015 All-NSIC North Second Team pick Dre Person, who rushed for over 750 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. In addition, UMC returns Adam Connette at wide receiver and four starters on the offensive line.

Defensively, the Golden Eagles return six starters from last season. Minnesota Crookston is spearheaded by its secondary, led by Dion Wallisch, Jake Newman and Ali Alkhatib. In addition, the Golden Eagles return Bubba Cook, Jake Christopherson and Isaiah Armstrong on the line and Chuck Lofquist at the linebacker spot.

Overall	Points		North Division	Points
1. Minnesota State (11)	216		1 Minnesota Duluth (6)	47
2. Augustana	198		2. Bemidji State (1)	42
3. Minnesota Duluth (1)	194		3. Northern State (1)	35
4. Sioux Falls (2)	192		4. St. Cloud State	31
5. Bemidji State	153		5. MSU Moorhead	28
6. Northern State (1)	143		6. Minot State	19
7. SMSU (1)	140		7. University of Mary	12
8. Winona State	139		8. Minnesota Crookston	10
9. St. Cloud State	132		South Division	Points
10. MSU Moorhead	97		1. Minnesota State (6)	47
11. Upper Iowa	88		2. Augustana	40
12. Wayne State	71		Sioux Falls (1)	40
13. Concordia-St. Paul	52		4. SMSU (1)	30
14. Minot State	44		5. Winona State	27
15. University of Mary	40		6. Upper Iowa	18
16. Minnesota Crookston	21		7. Wayne State	14
first place votes in ( )			8. Concordia-St. Paul	8