UMC Volleyball Picked 13th in NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball program was selected 13^th in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll released Tues., Aug. 7 by the conference office. The Golden Eagles received 50 votes in the poll.

Concordia University-St. Paul was picked to finish first in the NSIC with 15 first-place votes and 225 overall points. The Golden Bears have won nine NCAA Division II National Championships in the last 11 seasons. Southwest Minnesota State University was selected second in the preseason poll with 210 points and one first-place vote. Taylor Reiss, the 2017 AVCA Division II Player of the Year, was picked as the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year.

Minnesota Crookston enters their second season under Head Coach Sarah Rauen as they open the 2018 campaign. The Golden Eagles are looking to improve on a 7-21 (4-15 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles must replace seven graduating seniors, including All-NSIC Second Team pick Kassi Green. Minnesota Crookston returns two starters in Callie Schapekahm (Sr., MH, Eagan, Minn.) and Kaitlin Sikkink (R-Jr., MH, St. Charles, Minn.). Ali Schueler (R-Jr., DS/Lib., Howards Grove, Wis.) is also experienced having started 11 games in the back row for the Golden Eagles in 2017. Minnesota Crookston will have to rely on several young players in 2018, but they are excited about the group they have after a strong spring season. The Golden Eagles also added five newcomers to the squad, who will look to compete for jobs for the 2018 season.

 Schapekahm was picked as the Player to Watch for Minnesota Crookston. Schapekahm returns as a starter at middle hitter. She started all 28 matches for the Golden Eagles. Schapekahm averaged 1.28 kills per set in 2017, along with 0.54 blocks per set for Minnesota Crookston. Schapekahm is also a two-time NSIC All-Academic pick, and a Butch Raymond Scholarship Recipient. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA for her entire time in the Maroon and Gold.

The Golden Eagles are set to open up the season Aug. 24 at the Parkside Hampton Inn Tournament, hosted by University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha, Wis.  

                                                         Points

1.   Concordia-St. Paul (15)............... 225   

2.   Southwest Minnesota State (1).... 210   

3.   Minnesota Duluth........................ 194   

4.   Northern State ............................. 176   

5.   Wayne State................................. 164   

6.   Augustana ................................... 145   

7.   Winona State .............................. 138   

8.   Upper Iowa ................................. 130   

9.   Sioux Falls................................... 123   

10. Minnesota State........................... 102   

11. St. Cloud State ............................. 89    

12. MSU Moorhead............................ 75    

13. Minnesota Crookston................... 50    

14. University of Mary....................... 40

15. Bemidji State ............................... 31    

16. Minot State .................................. 28

      first place votes in ( )       

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

UMC Football Selected 16th in NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll

BURNSVILLE, Minn.– The University of Minnesota Crookston football team was selected 16^thin the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Golden Eagles received 15 points in the poll.

Minnesota Crookston is going into their second season under Head Coach Mark Dufner. The Golden Eagles will have new coordinators this season with Jared Hottle as offensive coordinator and Tom Miller as defensive coordinator. The Golden Eagles return Kevin Evans (Sr., RB, Groveland, Fla.) in the backfield and Rod Stewart (Sr., WR, Fort Worth, Texas) at wide receiver. Jeremy Neuman (R-So., QB, Andover, Minn.) appeared in six games as a redshirt freshman at quarterback and will compete for the starting job. On the offensive line, experienced starters Noah Lee (R-Sr., OL, Vadnais Heights, Minn.), Logan Moreau (R-Jr., OL, Lake Nebagoman, Wis.) and Josh Lanasa (So., OL, Soo Hill, Mich.) return to the fray. The Golden Eagles return three All-NSIC picks with Stewart, defensive back Will Cole (Sr., DB, Compton, Calif.), and punter Stephen Day (R-Sr., K/P, Eveleth, Minn.). In addition to Cole, Minnesota Crookston returns Will Cross (R-Jr., LB, Turtle Lake, Wis.) and Ali Alkhatib (R-Sr., LB, Rosemount, Minn.) at linebacker. At defensive back Anfernee Cooper (R-So., Fort Worth, Texas) and Trevor Long, Jr. (R-Jr., DB, Brooklyn Park, Minn.), join Cole, while the Golden Eagles return several experienced players up front led by Brent Reed, Jr. (R-So., DL, Arlington, Texas), who notched 48 tackles last season.

Rod Stewart (Sr., WR, Fort Worth, Texas) and Will Cross (R-Jr., LB, Turtle Lake, Wis.) were selected as Minnesota Crookston’s Players to Watch. Stewart returns after earning All-NSIC First Team honors as a kick returner and All-NSIC Second Team accolades as a wide receiver. Stewart was second in the league in kickoff returns at the conclusion of the season averaged 28.3 yards per game. Stewart finished the season ranked 18^th in the nation in kickoff returns. He also earned Don Hansen NCAA Division II Honorable Mention honors as a junior. Stewart had a strong season as a receiver for the Golden Eagles in 2017 with 47 receptions for 633 yards and five touchdowns. Cross has been a lynchpin for Minnesota Crookston at middle linebacker position. He finished third on the team with 79 tackles in 2017. He notched three tackles and a half sack for the Golden Eagles last season. Cross was an All-NSIC Honorable Mention pick in 2016.

Minnesota State University was selected first in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Mavericks received 225 points and 15 first-place votes after going 13-1 in 2017 and advancing to the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals. Winona State University was slotted second with 197 points and one first-place vote.

Minnesota State wide receiver Shane Zylstra was selected as the NSIC South Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Minnesota State defensive tackle Zach Dodge was named NSIC South Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. University of Minnesota Duluth wide receiver Jason Balts was selected as NSIC North Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Bemidji State University defensive back Gunner Olszewski garnered NSIC North Preseason Defensive Player of the Year accolades.

Minnesota Crookston opens up the season Thurs., Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. against Minnesota State University Moorhead at Alex Nemzek Stadium in Moorhead, Minn.

Overall                                             Points

1. Minnesota State (15)..................... 225   

2. Winona State (1)............................ 197   

3. Sioux Falls..................................... 195   

4. Minnesota Duluth.......................... 194   

5. Bemidji State ................................ 165   

6. Augustana...................................... 148   

7. St. Cloud State............................... 133   

8. Northern State................................ 114   

9. Wayne State................................... 111   

10. MSU Moorhead............................ 99    

11. Upper Iowa................................... 96    

12. Southwest Minnesota State.......... 69    

13. Minot State................................... 63    

14. Concordia-St. Paul....................... 62    

15. University of Mary....................... 34    

16. Minnesota Crookston................... 15

                                              first place votes in ( ) 

North Division                                Points

1. Minnesota Duluth (7)..................... 49    

2. Bemidji State ................................. 42    

3. St. Cloud State (1).......................... 33    

4. Northern State................................. 32    

5. MSU Moorhead.............................. 26    

6. Minot State..................................... 20    

7. University of Mary......................... 15    

8. Minnesota Crookston...................... 7

first place votes in ( )

South Division          ��                      Points

1. Minnesota State (7)........................ 49     

2. Winona State (1)............................ 43     

3. Sioux Falls...................................... 37     

4. Augustana....................................... 28     

5. Wayne State................................... 25     

6. Upper Iowa..................................... 18     

7. Concordia- St. Paul........................ 14     

8. Southwest Minnesota State............ 10

first place votes in ( )

NDSU Fourth and Sixth in Football Polls

FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State moved up one spot to No. 4 in the STATS FCS Top 25 poll released Monday, Nov. 13, and the Bison remain sixth in the FCS Coaches Poll for the second straight week.

North Dakota State beat 10th-ranked South Dakota 49-14 last week and improved to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.  NDSU earned at least a share of its seventh straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship.

James Madison (10-0) received all of the first-place votes in both polls followed by No. 2 Jacksonville State (9-1) and No. 3 Central Arkansas (9-1).  North Dakota State moved past Sam Houston State for fourth in the media poll, but the Bearkats remained fourth in the coaches poll.  South Dakota State (8-2) stayed at No. 5 in the coaches poll ahead of the Bison.

NDSU closes out the regular season at Illinois State (6-4, 4-3 MVFC) on Saturday, Nov. 18.  The Redbirds are ranked 21st in the STATS FCS poll and 25th in the coaches poll coming off a 27-24 overtime loss at South Dakota State.

STATS FCS Top 25

	Team (First Place)	W-L	Pts.	Prv
1	James Madison (163)	10-0	4075	1
2	Jacksonville State	9-1	3840	2
3	Central Arkansas	9-1	3700	3
4	North Dakota State	9-1	3510	5
5	Sam Houston State	9-1	3451	4
6	South Dakota State	8-2	3331	6
7	Wofford	9-1	3043	8
8	North Carolina A&T	10-0	2829	9
9	Western Illinois	7-3	2417	11
10	Stony Brook	8-2	2263	12
11	Elon	8-2	2197	7
12	Weber State	8-2	2096	14
13	Grambling State	9-1	1942	13
14	Southern Utah	8-2	1823	15
15	South Dakota	7-3	1769	10
16	New Hampshire	7-3	1667	18
17	Samford	7-3	1598	16
18	Eastern Washington	6-4	1049	19
19	McNeese State	8-2	967	20
20	Furman	7-3	954	21
21	Illinois State	6-4	798	17
22	Kennesaw State	9-1	787	23
23	Northern Arizona	7-3	717	24
24	Northern Iowa	6-4	515	25
25	Nicholls State	8-2	485	NR

Others receiving votes: Monmouth 366, Delaware 225, Montana 215, Yale 89, Richmond 83, Western Carolina 70, Austin Peay 46, Columbia 18, North Carolina Central 16, Sacramento State 7, Youngstown State 6, Howard 5, Central Connecticut State 3, Dartmouth 2, San Diego 1

FCS Coaches Poll

	Team (First Place)	W-L	Pts.	Prv
1	James Madison (26)	10-0	650	1
2	Jacksonville State	9-1	618	2
3	Central Arkansas	9-1	572	3
4	Sam Houston State	9-1	558	4
5	South Dakota State	8-2	544	5
6	North Dakota State	9-1	535	6
T7	North Carolina A&T	10-0	473	7
T7	Wofford	9-1	473	8
9	Weber State	8-2	397	12
10	Western Illinois	7-3	387	13
11	Grambling State	9-1	385	11
12	Stony Brook	8-2	318	15
13	Samford	7-3	312	14
14	New Hampshire	8-2	307	16
15	Elon	8-2	269	9
16	South Dakota	7-3	257	10
17	Nicholls State	8-2	217	17
18	Southern Utah	8-2	213	19
19	McNeese State	8-2	199	18
20	Eastern Washington	6-4	138	21
21	Kennesaw State	9-1	136	23
22	Monmouth	9-1	135	22
23	Northern Arizona	7-3	77	24
24	Furman	7-3	73	RV
25	Illinois State	6-4	67	20

Others receiving votes: Northern Iowa 60, Montana 25, Richmond 15, Delaware 15, Yale 11, Western Carolina 7, Austin Peay 5, Central Connecticut 1, San Diego 1