NDSU Football Preseason Information

NDSU Leads FCS With Seven on STATS Preseason All-America Team

FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State led all teams in the Football Championship Subdivision with a school-record seven players named to the STATS FCS Preseason All-America team announced Tuesday, July 31.

Running back Bruce Anderson and safety Robbie Grimsley were named to the first team. Quarterback Easton Stick, center Tanner Volson and defensive end Greg Menard earned second-team honors. Offensive tackle Zack Johnson and linebacker Jabril Cox were on the third team.

There were 16 total picks from the Missouri Valley Football Conference, which was also a national high among the 13 FCS conferences.

North Dakota State is scheduled to host Cal Poly in the season opener Sept. 1 and the Bison will host North Alabama and Delaware before opening conference play at home Sept. 29 against South Dakota State.

2018 STATS FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Devlin Hodges, senior, 6-1, 205, Samford
RB - Bruce Anderson, senior, 5-11, 216, North Dakota State
RB - Dom Bragalone, senior, 5-11, 230, Lehigh
FB - Cal Daniels, senior, 6-2, 255, Stony Brook
WR - Keelan Doss, senior, 6-3, 210, UC Davis
WR - Neil O'Connor, senior, 5-11, 190, New Hampshire
WR - Nathan Stewart, junior, 5-11, 175, Sam Houston State
TE - Charlie Taumoepeau, junior, 6-3, 240, Portland State
OL - Larry Allen III, senior, 6-4, 285, Harvard
OL - B.J. Autry, senior, 6-5, 340, Jacksonville State
OL - Ethan Greenidge, senior, 6-4, 335, Villanova
OL - Zach Larsen, junior, 6-1, 300, Southern Utah
OL - Iosua Opeta, senior, 6-4, 295, Weber State

DEFENSE
DL - Miles Brown, senior, 6-2, 320, Wofford
DL - Ahmad Gooden, senior, 6-1, 240, Samford
DL - Khalen Saunders, senior, 6-2, 310, Western Illinois
DL - Chris Terrell, junior, 6-3, 266, Central Arkansas
LB - Bryson Armstrong, sophomore, 5-11, 205, Kennesaw State
LB - Josh Buss, senior, 6-2, 220, Montana
LB - Warren Messer, senior, 5-11, 230, Elon
LB - Christian Rozeboom, junior, 6-2, 230, South Dakota State
DB - Nasir Adderley, senior, 6-0, 190, Delaware
DB - Marlon Bridges, junior, 6-0, 200, Jacksonville State
DB - Robbie Grimsley, senior, 6-0, 191, North Dakota State
DB - Rashad Robinson, senior, 5-11, 182, James Madison

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Lorran Fonseca, senior, 5-11, 185, Nicholls
P - Alex Pechin, senior, 6-0, 185, Bucknell
LS - Chris Wilkerson, grad, 6-2, 245, Stephen F. Austin
KR - Juwan Petit-Frere, junior, 5-7, 170, Southeastern Louisiana
PR - Justice Shelton-Mosley, senior, 5-10, 195, Harvard
AP - Davion Davis, senior, 5-11, 180, Sam Houston State

SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Easton Stick, senior, 6-2, 221, North Dakota State
RB - Zane Dudek, sophomore, 5-9, 190, Yale
RB - Tevin McCaster, senior, 5-10, 195, Youngstown State
FB - Joe Protheroe, senior, 6-0, 230, Cal Poly
WR - Jesper Horsted, senior, 6-4, 215, Princeton
WR - Kamron Lewis, senior, 6-4, 195, Saint Francis
WR - Kelvin McKnight, senior, 5-9, 188, Samford
TE - Lawayne Ross, junior, 6-0, 264, McNeese
OL - Daniel Cooney, senior, 6-8, 315, San Diego
OL - Tyler Davis, senior, 6-1, 279, The Citadel
OL - Noah Johnson, junior, 6-4, 300, Idaho
OL - Tanner Volson, senior, 6-4, 301, North Dakota State
OL - Mitchell Watanabe, senior, 6-4, 330, Sam Houston State

DEFENSE
DL - Andrew Clyde, senior, 6-3, 275, Richmond
DL - Darin Greenfield, junior, 6-3, 235, South Dakota
DL - Greg Menard, senior, 6-2, 238, North Dakota State
DL - Jaison Williams, junior, 6-1, 225, Austin Peay
LB - De'Arius Christmas, senior, 5-10, 220, Grambling State
LB - Thomas Costigan, senior, 6-3, 230, Bryant
LB - Nick Miller, senior, 5-11, 215, Penn
LB - Troy Reeder, senior, 6-2, 245, Delaware
DB - Deion Harris, senior, 6-3, 200, North Dakota
DB - Davanta Reynolds, senior, 5-10, 200, North Carolina Central
DB - Rob Rolle, senior, 6-0, 185, Villanova
DB - Marvin Tillman, senior, 6-1, 190, Western Carolina

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Trey Tuttle, sophomore, 5-9, 190, Weber State
P - Ian Berryman, senior, 6-0, 205, Western Carolina
LS - Daniel Caracciolo, sophomore, 5-11, 215, James Madison
KR - Jean Constant, junior, 5-9, 168, Bryant
PR - D'Angelo Amos, junior, 6-1, 182, James Madison
AP - Chandler Burks, senior, 5-10, 187, Kennesaw State
AP - John Santiago, senior, 5-9, 180, North Dakota

THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Gage Gubrud, senior, 6-2, 205, Eastern Washington
RB - A.J. Hines, junior, 5-11, 225, Duquesne
RB - Marquis Terry, senior, 5-6, 179, Southeast Missouri State
FB - Andre Stoddard, senior, 5-10, 230, Wofford
WR - Dejon Brissett, senior, 6-2, 190, Richmond
WR - Emmanuel Butler, senior, 6-4, 220, Northern Arizona
WR - Nehari Crawford, senior, 5-11, 170, Duquesne
WR - Reggie White Jr., senior, 6-3, 210, Monmouth
TE - Wes Preece, junior, 6-5, 240, UC Davis
OL - Chandler Arceneaux, senior, 6-5, 295, Nicholls
OL - C.J. Collins, senior, 6-3, 256, Kennesaw State
OL - Jahee Jackson, junior, 6-3, 295, James Madison
OL - Zack Johnson, junior, 6-6, 312, North Dakota State
OL - Zach Weeks, senior, 6-3, 285, Western Carolina
OL - Gavin Wiggins, senior, 6-4, 300, Youngstown State

DEFENSE
DL - Darryl Johnson Jr., junior, 6-5, 226, North Carolina A&T
DL - Ricky Neal, senior, 6-1, 241, Northern Iowa
DL - Aaron Patrick, junior, 6-4, 236, Eastern Kentucky
DL - Chris Stewart, senior, 6-2, 270, Sam Houston State
DL - Nick Wheeler, junior, 6-2, 245, Colgate
LB - Jabril Cox, sophomore, 6-3, 227, North Dakota State
LB - Armand Dellovade, senior, 6-0, 215, Youngstown State
LB - Kaden Elliss, senior, 6-3, 222, Idaho
LB - Gunnar Scholato, senior, 6-3, 234, Austin Peay
LB - LeGrand Toia, senior, 6-2, 215, Weber State
DB - Jordan Brown, senior, 6-1, 195, South Dakota State
DB - Mister Harriel, senior, 6-1, 200, Sacramento State
DB - Franklin McCain, sophomore, 5-11, 175, North Carolina A&T
DB - Jimmy Moreland, senior, 5-11, 172, James Madison

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Marc Orozco, senior, 5-9, 170, Grambling State
P - Jamie Gillan, senior, 6-2, 195, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
LS - Steven Wethli, senior, 6-0, 230, Youngstown State
KR - Rashid Shaheed, sophomore, 6-0, 170, Weber State
PR - Jaquan Brooks, junior, 5-10, 175, Campbell
AP - John Lovett, senior, 6-3, 225, Princeton

* * * * * * * * * * * 

NDSU Lands Six on Preseason All-MVFC Offense

ST. LOUIS - North Dakota State had six players named to the preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference offensive team Tuesday, July 31, by a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media.

NDSU had four first-team picks: senior running back Bruce Anderson, junior fullback Brock Robbins and junior offensive tackle Zack Johnson, and senior center Tanner Volson.

Anderson, NDSU's leading rusher with 1,216 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, was a second team HERO Sports All-American. He was all-conference second team last year along with Volson, who started all 15 games at center for the Bison.

Bison senior quarterback Easton Stick, MVP of last year's national championship game, was named to the preseason second team along with senior wide receiver Darrius Shepherd, who led the Bison with 41 receptions last year.

North Dakota State is scheduled to host Cal Poly in the season opener Sept. 1 and the Bison will host North Alabama and Delaware before opening conference play at home Sept. 29 against South Dakota State.

2018 Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Offense
First Team
QB - Taryn Christion, South Dakota State
RB - Bruce Anderson, North Dakota State
RB - Tevin McCaster, Youngstown State
RB - James Robinson, Illinois State
FB - Brock Robbins, North Dakota State
WR - Shamar Jackson, South Dakota
WR - Darrell James, Southern Illinois
WR - Spencer Schnell, Illinois State
TE - Briley Moore, Northern Iowa
OL - Drew Himmelman, Illinois State
OL - Vitas Hrynkiewicz, Youngstown State
OL - Zack Johnson, North Dakota State
OL - Tanner Volson, North Dakota State
OL - Gavin Wiggins, Youngstown State
LS - Steven Wethli, Youngstown State
K - Chase Vinatieri, South Dakota State

Second Team
QB - Easton Stick, North Dakota State
QB - Sean McGuire, Western Illinois
RB - Steve McShane, Western Illinois
RB - Marcus Weymiller, Northern Iowa
FB - Luke Sellers, South Dakota State
WR - Cade Johnson, South Dakota State
WR - Darrius Shepherd, North Dakota State
WR - Isaiah Weston, Northern Iowa
TE - Tylor Petkovich, Illinois State
OL - Tyler Ciurej, South Dakota
OL - Nick Jensen, South Dakota
OL - Marquis Prophete, Missouri State
OL - Mason Scheidegger, South Dakota
OL - Cal Twait, Northern Iowa
LS - Bradey Sorenson, South Dakota State
K - Jerry Nunez, Indiana State

 

NDSU Unanimous Pick to Win Valley Football Title

ST. LOUIS - Defending national champion North Dakota State is the preseason pick to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference after capturing all 39 first-place votes in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media released Monday, July 30.

North Dakota State, which has won seven straight conference titles, won its third outright crown last year with a 7-1 league record. The Bison finished 14-1 overall and won their sixth NCAA national championship in seven years.

This is just the second time in league history that a team has received all of the first-place votes in the preseason poll. NDSU was the unanimous pick in 2013 and went on to a 15-0 record winning its third of five consecutive national championships.

South Dakota State earned the second spot in the poll, finishing with 340 total points, followed by Northern Iowa (270), Youngstown State (258), Illinois State (248) and South Dakota (206). Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, Missouri State and Indiana State rounded out the final four spots in order.

A preseason favorite has claimed the league crown 20 times (in 32 previous polls).

North Dakota State is scheduled to host Cal Poly in the season opener Sept. 1 and the Bison will host North Alabama and Delaware before opening conference play at home Sept. 29 against South Dakota State.

2018 Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Poll
Team (First-Place Votes)	Pts
1. North Dakota State (39)	390
2. South Dakota State	340
3. Northern Iowa	270
4. Youngstown State	258
5. Illinois State	248
6. South Dakota	206
7. Western Illinois	163
8. Southern Illinois	139
9. Missouri State	90
10. Indiana State	41

NDSU Players Named to AFCA FCS All-America First Team

WACO, Texas - North Dakota State right guard Austin Kuhnert and free safety Tre Dempsey were named to the American Football Coaches Association FCS All-America first team Wednesday, Dec. 20.  It is Dempsey's second straight AFCA All-America award.

Kuhnert, a senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., has started 50 games and played 54 of 59 possible contests in four years at three different positions on the offensive line for the Bison.  At right guard this year, he led the Bison during the regular season with an 86 percent technique grade and was second on the team with 31 knockdowns.  He was a first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference pick.

Dempsey, a senior from Lakeland, Fla., leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference with six interceptions and has four pass breakups.  He is tied for second in NDSU history and is first among FCS active players with 16 career interceptions.  Dempsey has 47 tackles including 28 solo stops this season, plus one interception return for a touchdown.

No. 2 seed North Dakota State (13-1) advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game for the sixth time in seven years and will face top-seeded defending national champion James Madison (14-0) at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6.

2017 AFCA FCS All-America Team
First Team Offense
WR - Davion Davis, Sam Houston State
WR - Keelan Doss, UC Davis
TE - Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State
OL - John Cook, Central Arkansas
OL - Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T
OL - Matthew Schmidt, Furman
OL - Austin Kuhnert, North Dakota State
OL - Timon Parris, Stony Brook
QB - Jeremiah Briscoe, Sam Houston State
RB - Dominick Bragalone, Lehigh
RB - Josh Mack, Maine

First Team Defense
DL - P.J. Hall, Sam Houston State
DL - Darius Jackson, Jacksonville State
DL - Ahmad Gooden, Samford
DL - Andrew Ankrah, James Madison
LB - Brett Taylor, Western Illinois
LB - Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State
LB - Darius Leonard, South Carolina State
DB - Siran Neal, Jacksonville State
DB - Tre Dempsey, North Dakota State
DB - Davontae Harris, Illinois State
DB - Rashad Robinson, James Madison

First Team Specialists
P - Keith Wrzuszczak, Eastern Kentucky
PK - Justin Thompson, Kennesaw State
AP - Detrez Newsome, Western Carolina

Second Team Offense
WR - Kelvin McKnight, Samford
WR - Jake Wieneke, South Dakota State
TE - Andrew Vollert, Weber State
OL - Justin Lea, Jacksonville State
OL - Gerald Wright, Howard
OL - Trenton Scott, Grambling State
OL - Daniel Cooney, San Diego
OL - Aaron Stinnie, James Madison
QB - Devlin Hodges, Samford
RB - Roc Thomas, Jacksonville State
RB - De'Lance Turner, Alcorn State

Second Team Defense
DL - Jonathan Petersen, San Diego
DL - Darryl Johnson, North Carolina A&T
DL - Dalton Keene, Illinois State
DL - Anthony Ellis, Charleston Southern
LB - LeGrand Toia, Weber State
LB - Matthew Oplinger, Yale
LB - Christian Rozeboom, South Dakota State
DB - Mike Basile, Monmouth
DB - Taron Johnson, Weber State
DB - Marvin Tillman, Western Carolina
DB - Danny Johnson, Southern

Second Team Specialists
P - Joe Zema, Incarnate Word
PK - Gunnar Raborn, McNeese State
AP - Pete Guerriero, Monmouth

NDSU Players Named STATS FCS All-Americans

FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State linebacker Nick DeLuca, offensive lineman Austin Kuhnert and long snapper James Fisher were named to the STATS FCS All-America first team on Tuesday, Dec. 19.  Bison safety Robbie Grimsley was a second-team selection.

DeLuca and Kuhnert previously were named first team All-Americans by the Associated Press, and Fisher was on the 2016 STATS FCS All-America second team.  It is the first All-America honor for Grimsley.

DeLuca, a senior from Omaha, Neb., is NDSU's second leading tackler despite missing two games.  He has 70 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and a team-high 5.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.  A two-time All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team pick, he ranks ninth in NDSU history with 325 career tackles and is fifth with 153 solo tackles.

Kuhnert, a senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., has started 50 games and played 54 of 59 possible contests in four years at three different positions on the offensive line for the Bison.  At right guard this year, he led the Bison during the regular season with an 86 percent technique grade and was second on the team with 31 knockdowns.  He was a first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference pick.

Fisher, a senior from Bloomington, Minn., has been NDSU's long snapper in 59 consecutive games the past four years.  He is a three-time All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honoree including first-team honors this year.  Frequently first downfield for a team averaging 39.2 yards per punt, Fisher has two career tackles including one this season.  NDSU is 73 of 77 on PAT kicks and 9 of 14 on field goals this year.

Grimsley, a junior from Hutchinson, Minn., leads NDSU with 11 passes defended including four interceptions, and he is NDSU’s third-leading tackler with 63 stops.  He is a two-time All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team honoree.

No. 2 seed North Dakota State (13-1) advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game for the sixth time in seven years and will face top-seeded defending national champion James Madison (14-0) at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6.

2017 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
*-To be determined by the winner of the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award on Jan. 5.
OFFENSE
*QB - Jeremiah Briscoe, senior, 6-3, 225, Sam Houston State, or Chris Streveler, senior, 6-3, 220, South Dakota
RB - Dom Bragalone, junior, 5-11, 230, Lehigh
RB - Josh Mack, sophomore, 6-1, 198, Maine
FB - Cal Daniels, junior, 6-2, 255, Stony Brook
WR - Keelan Doss, junior, 6-3, 206, UC Davis
WR - Nathan Stewart, sophomore, 5-11, 175, Sam Houston State
WR - Justin Watson, senior, 6-3, 225, Penn
TE - Dallas Goedert, senior, 6-5, 260, South Dakota State
OL - Austin Kuhnert, senior, 6-4, 304, North Dakota State
OL - Justin Lea, senior, 6-4, 290, Jacksonville State
OL - Brandon Parker, senior, 6-7, 309, North Carolina A&T
OL - Skyler Phillips, senior, 6-2, 315, Idaho State
OL - Aaron Stinnie, senior, 6-5, 309, James Madison
DEFENSE
DL - Andrew Ankrah, senior, 6-4, 248, James Madison
DL - P.J. Hall, senior, 6-1, 305, Sam Houston State
DL - Darius Jackson, senior, 6-3, 242, Jacksonville State
DL - Jonathan Petersen, senior, 6-1, 240, San Diego
LB - Nick DeLuca, senior, 6-3, 245, North Dakota State
LB - Darius Leonard, senior, 6-3, 235, South Carolina State
LB - Brett Taylor, senior, 6-2, 230, Western Illinois
LB - Sione Teuhema, senior, 6-4, 260, Southeastern Louisiana
DB - Mike Basile, senior, 6-1, 200, Monmouth
DB - Davontae Harris, senior, 6-0, 205, Illinois State
DB - Taron Johnson, senior, 6-0, 185, Weber State
DB - Tremon Smith, senior, 6-0, 190, Central Arkansas
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Lorran Fonseca, junior, 5-11, 185, Nicholls
P - Joe Zema, grad, 6-2, 210, Incarnate Word
LS - James Fisher, senior, 6-2, 225, North Dakota State
KR - Juwan Petit-Frere, sophomore, 5-7, 170, Southeastern Louisiana
PR - Justice Shelton-Mosley, junior, 5-10, 195, Harvard
AP - Detrez Newsome, senior, 5-10, 210, Western Carolina
---
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
*QB - Jeremiah Briscoe, senior, 6-3, 225, Sam Houston State, or Chris Streveler, senior, 6-3, 220, South Dakota
RB - Roc Thomas, senior, 5-11, 193, Jacksonville State
RB - De'Lance Turner, senior, 6-1, 214, Alcorn State
FB - Andre Stoddard, junior, 5-10, 230, Wofford
WR - Jaelon Acklin, senior, 6-2, 190, Western Illinois
WR - Neil O'Connor, junior, 5-11, 190, New Hampshire
WR - Troy Pelletier, senior, 6-3, 210, Lehigh
TE - Andrew Vollert, senior, 6-5, 245, Weber State
OL - John Cook, junior, 6-4, 325, Central Arkansas
OL - Jamil Demby, senior, 6-5, 335, Maine
OL - Jacob Ohnesorge, senior, 6-3, 295, South Dakota State
OL - Timon Parris, senior, 6-5, 320, Stony Brook
OL - Matthew Schmidt, senior, 6-3, 290, Furman
DEFENSE
DL - Anthony Ellis, senior, 6-1, 245, Charleston Southern
DL - Ahmad Gooden, junior, 6-1, 240, Samford
DL - Dalton Keene, senior, 6-4, 275, Illinois State
DL - Chris Terrell, sophomore, 6-3, 266, Central Arkansas
LB - Garrett Dolan, senior, 6-2, 240, Houston Baptist
LB - Jared Farley, senior, 5-11, 224, Northern Iowa
LB - Warren Messer, junior, 5-11, 229, Elon
LB - Christian Rozeboom, sophomore, 6-2, 225, South Dakota State
DB - Elijah Campbell, senior, 5-11, 193, Northern Iowa
DB - Raven Greene, senior, 6-0, 190, James Madison
DB - Robbie Grimsley, junior, 6-0, 191, North Dakota State
DB - George Odum, senior, 6-2, 187, Central Arkansas
DB - D'Montre Wade, senior, 6-0, 200, Murray State
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Trey Tuttle, freshman, 5-9, 190, Weber State
P - Keith Wrzuszczak, senior, 5-11, 212, Eastern Kentucky
LS - Hunter Winstead, senior, 6-0, 240, Liberty
KR - Desmond Hite, sophomore, 5-9, 178, Incarnate Word
PR - Xequille Harry, senior, 5-11, 160, Weber State
AP - Davion Davis, junior, 5-11, 180, Sam Houston State
---
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Kyle Lauletta, senior, 6-3, 215, Richmond
RB - Corey Avery, senior, 5-10, 195, Sam Houston State
RB - Zane Dudek, freshman, 5-9, 190, Yale
FB - Jared Mohamed, senior, 6-0, 227, Cal Poly
WR - Elijah Marks, senior, 6-1, 175, Northern Arizona
WR - Kelvin McKnight, junior, 5-9, 188, Samford
WR - Jesper Horsted, junior, 6-4, 215, Princeton
TE - Ross Dwelley, senior, 6-5, 240, San Diego
OL - Ben Huss, senior, 6-2, 310, Duquesne
OL - Jacob Judd, senior, 6-3, 300, Western Illinois
OL - Brody Kern, senior, 6-2, 285, Delaware
OL - Zach Larsen, sophomore, 6-1, 300, Southern Utah
OL - Mitchell Sweigart, senior, 6-5, 290, Princeton
OL - Alex Thompson, senior, 6-4, 300, Monmouth
DEFENSE
DL - Abdullah Anderson, senior, 6-4, 295, Bucknell
DL - Miles Brown, junior, 6-2, 320, Wofford
DL - Andrew Clyde, junior, 6-3, 275, Richmond
DL - Darin Greenfield, sophomore, 6-3, 235, South Dakota
DL - Jaison Williams, sophomore, 6-1, 225, Austin Peay
LB - Bryson Armstrong, freshman, 5-11, 201, Kennesaw State
LB - Brandon Bryant, senior, 5-11, 225, Lafayette
LB - De'Arius Christmas, senior, 5-10, 220, Grambling State
LB - Mario Jenkins, senior, 6-1, 245, Idaho State
LB - Shaheed Salmon, senior, 6-2, 232, Samford
DB - Marlon Bridges, sophomore, 6-0, 200, Jacksonville State
DB - Malik Duncan, senior, 5-10, 205, Saint Francis
DB - Danny Johnson, senior, 5-10, 194, Southern
DB - Rashad Robinson, junior, 5-11, 182, James Madison
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Marc Orozco, junior, 5-9, 170, Grambling State
P - Alex Pechin, junior, 6-0, 185, Bucknell
LS - Brandon Godsey, senior, 6-0, 220, South Dakota
KR - Jean Constant, sophomore, 5-9, 168, Bryant
PR - Khris Gardin, senior, 5-7, 180, North Carolina A&T
AP - John Santiago, junior, 5-9, 180, North Dakota

NDSU’s Kuhnert Named Top Offensive Lineman

CLEVELAND – North Dakota State right guard Austin Kuhnert was selected as the top offensive lineman in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision on Thursday, Dec. 14, as one of 11 student-athletes named to the FCS Athletic Directors Association All-America Team.

The fifth annual award recognizes the top student-athletes from FCS institutions at 11 different positions. The 2017 class includes student-athletes from 11 different institutions, representing six different conferences. Voting was conducted by a national panel of media and sports information directors.

"On behalf of the FCS ADA I want to congratulate all those recognized for their incredible accomplishments on the football field and even more importantly in the classroom," stated current FCS ADA President Thorr Bjorn, director of athletics at the University of Rhode Island. "These young men are already proving to be great leaders for our future."

Kuhnert, a senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., has started 49 games and played 53 of 58 possible games in four years at three different positions on the offensive line for the Bison.  He led the Bison during this year's regular season with an 86 percent technique grade and was second on the team with 31 knockdowns.  He was a first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference pick.

No. 2 seed North Dakota State (12-1) hosts sixth-seeded Sam Houston State (12-1) in an NCAA semifinal game at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.

From the 11 players listed below, a national Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year will be announced at a later date and recognized at the national championship game in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 6 during an on-field presentation.

The following student-athletes will earn 2017 All-America honors from the FCS ADA, as the top players from each of their positions:

QB - Jeremiah Briscoe, Sam Houston State (Southland)
RB - Dominick Bragalone, Lehigh (Patriot)
WR - Keelan Doss, UC Davis (Big Sky)
TE - Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State (MVFC)
OL - Austin Kuhnert, North Dakota State (MVFC)
PK - Lorran Fonseca, Nicholls (Southland)
DL - Andrew Ankrah, James Madison (CAA Football)
LB - Brett Taylor, Western Illinois (MVFC)
DB - Mike Basile, Monmouth (Big South)
RS - Rashid Shaheed, Weber State (Big Sky)
P - Joe Zema, Incarnate Word (Southland)

Of the 11 student-athletes, nine participated in the 2017 NCAA Division I Football Championship.