UND picked 7th in MVFC poll

(UND Athletics:)

After falling one game short of the playoffs last season, North Dakota was picked seventh in the annual preseason poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Fighting Hawks also had five players selected to the Preseason All-MVFC Team.

North Dakota State received 39 first-place votes and 446 total points to lead the league, followed by South Dakota State with 407 points and two first-place votes. Missouri State and Southern Illinois were third and fourth with 355 and 306 total points, respectively. Northern Iowa rounded out the top-five with 304 points. South Dakota (235) and North Dakota (190) sit just outside the top-five in the preseason poll, while Illinois State (178), Youngstown State (132), Indiana State (109) and Western Illinois (44) completed the rest of the poll.

The offensive side of the ball was highlighted with two preseason selections for the Fighting Hawks, with junior wide receiver Bo Belquist and senior offensive lineman Donny Ventrelli earning second team recognition. Belquist had an outstanding year in 2021, leading the team in receptions (52), receiving yards (535) and touchdown receptions (5). Ventrelli started all 11 games on the offensive line last season, helping the Fighting Hawks rank at the top of the conference in fewest negative plays and helping UND only allow eight sacks the entire season.

Two defensive standouts are featured on the defensive list, with fifth-year linebacker Devon Krzanowski and senior defensive back C.J. Siegel gaining second team honors. Krzanowski spearheaded the UND defensive unit in 2021, piling up 68 total tackles to lead the Fighting Hawks, while recording five or more tackles in eight contests. Krzanowski finished the year as the No. 18 tackler in the MVFC with his 68 total tackles, picked up All-MVFC Honorable Mention accolades and scored the second touchdown of his career with a fumble recovery in the end zone at Southern Illinois. Siegel saw action in all 11 games and started 10 of them at defensive back, racking up 28 total tackles and ranking third on the team in sacks with two for -17 yards. Siegel had one takeaway on the season with an interception at Utah State.

Fifth year punter Cade Peterson represented the UND specialists, picking up second team accolades in the preseason poll. In 2021, Peterson put up 1,736 yards on 43 punts for an average of 40.37 yards per punt and pinned teams inside their own 20-yard line on 19 occasions.

Missouri Valley 2022 Football Preseason Poll

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