Three North Dakota football student-athletes were named to the 2023 Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) All-Academic Team on Tuesday afternoon, the league offices announced.
Nominees must be starters or important reserves; must have participated in at least 50 percent of his team’s games and carry a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale). Nominees in graduate school must have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or better both as an undergrad AND in graduate school.
Additionally, nominees must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution and must have completed at least one calendar year at their institution. True freshmen, red-shirt freshmen and ineligible athletic transfers are not eligible. Graduate students who are competing at a different institution than the one from which they earned their undergraduate degree are eligible even if they are in their first semester at the graduate institution. League sports information directors voted on the team by designating 11 players for first-team honors and 11 players for second-team honors.
Ben McNaboe, DL, Sr., Rogers, Minn., MVFC Academic First Team (3.917 Kinesiology)
Started the first eight games of the season at defensive end before missing time at the end of the season with injury … Ranks No. 13 in the MVFC in sacks per game (0.44) … Second on the team in sacks (3.5) and third in TFL’s (6.5) … Third on the team in QB hurries with six … Recorded 19.0 total tackles.
Luke Skokna, RB, Sr., Hinsdale, Ill., MVFC Academic Second Team (3.855 Kinesiology)
Appeared in 10 games on special teams with one start at running back … No. 5 in the MVFC in total combined kick return yardage (310) … Ties for No. 4 nationally with one kickoff return for a touchdown … Had a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD in the 49-24 win over NDSU … Ties for No. 18 in the league in total touchdowns (6) … Rushed 57 times for 261 yards … Had eight kickoff returns for 303 yards, averaging 37.9 yards per return to help UND lead the nation in yards per kickoff return (26.71).
Jaden Norby, FB/TE, Jr., Ashby, Minn., MVFC Academic Honorable Mention (3.800 Kinesiology)
Saw action in every game at tight end or fullback and received seven starts … Hauled in five receptions for 56 yards … Recorded a 19-yard touchdown grab in the 45-31 win at Murray State … His blocking helps UND sit No. 5 in the MVFC and No. 10 nationally in completion percentage (61.1) … UND QB’s have the No. 13 passing efficiency rating nationally (132.27) with the help of his blocking.
UND has claimed the MVFC All-Academic Award in each of the last three seasons.
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(UND Athletics)