BURNSVILLE, MN (NorthernSun.org) – The 2025 NSIC Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Preseason Players of the Year, Student-Athletes to Watch and Coaches’ Quotes announced. Click link above for full release.
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 122 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.
About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.
Team Rankings: (First Place Votes)
1st) MSU-Mankato (11)
2nd) Augustana (3)
3rd) MN-Duluth
4th) Bemidji State
5th) USF
6th) Wayne State
7th) MSU-Moorhead
8th) Northern State
9th) Winona State
10th) Minot State
11th) CSP
12th) UMary
13th) SMSU
14th) Jamestown
Preseason Players of the Year:
Offensive Player of the year (North): Jack Strand (QB) MSU-Moorhead
Offensive Player of the year (South): Gunnar Hensley (QB) Augustana
Defensive Player of the year (North): Jake Adams (LB) Northern State
“I have run out of superlatives for Jake Adams and he has two seasons left to play for the Wolves. He is a great player but he is such a great teammate, leader, student, and overall person. He’s what you hope your own sons grow up to be like. He is a very humble and kind teammate but also plays with an edge when he steps within the white lines. Jake is likely the only returning First Team All-American in Division II football; all others either graduated or transferred. That says a lot about Jake Adams as a man and a teammate.” – HC Mike Schmidt
Defensive Player of the year (South): Carter Sitzman (DE) Wayne State