Five Bison Named Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-Americans

FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State University football team had five players named to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team announced Tuesday, July 15.

NDSU center Trent Fraley and wide receiver Bryce Lance were named to the first team. Defensive end Toby Anene, linebacker Logan Kopp and kick returner Jackson Williams were named to the second team.

Fraley is entering his junior year after starting all 16 games at center last year in his first season with the Bison. He was named to the 2024 Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team.

Lance was on the All-MVFC first team and MVFC Scholar-Athlete first team last year. He made 75 catches for 1,071 yards — the second most catches and third most yards in NDSU single-season history — and led the FCS with a school-record 17 receiving touchdowns, which tied the Missouri Valley Football Conference record.

Anene played in all 16 games and started the last nine at defensive end last season. He finished the year with 29 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, and he led the Missouri Valley Football Conference with four forced fumbles.

Kopp is a two-time first team All-MVFC linebacker and two-time MVFC Scholar-Athlete Team honoree. He led the Bison with 73 total tackles and three interceptions last year, and he was second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.

Williams, a Freshman All-American last year, was second team All-MVFC as a return specialist and made the MVFC All-Newcomer Team. He had the fourth-most kickoff return yards in school history with 17 returns for 546 yards and led the MVFC with a 32.1 average per kickoff return, fourth-best in NDSU single-season history.

North Dakota State is scheduled to open the 2025 season on the road against The Citadel on Saturday, Aug. 30, in Charleston, S.C.

2025 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

QB – Derek Robertson, Monmouth, R-Sr., 6-2, 200

RB – Roland Dempster, Stony Brook, R-Sr., 6-0, 225

RB – Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota, R-Jr., 5-10, 205

WR – Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, R-So., 6-4, 175

WR – Bryce Lance, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-3, 204

WR – Jalen Walthall, UIW, R-Sr., 6-2, 180

TE – Chris Corbo, Dartmouth, Sr., 6-4, 245

OL – Michael Bennett, Yale, Sr., 6-5, 302

OL – Titan Fleischmann, Montana State, Jr., 6-4, 300

OL – Trent Fraley, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-1, 301

OL – Delby Lemieux, Dartmouth, Sr., 6-4, 280

OL – Jake Picard, Villanova, R-Sr., 6-4, 310

DEFENSE

DL – Ckelby Givens, Southern, Sr., 6-2, 230

DL – Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, R-Jr., 6-3, 310

DL – Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr., 6-2, 245

DL – Andrew Zock, Mercer, So., 6-2, 250

LB – James Conway, Fordham, Grad, 6-2, 235

LB – Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, Jr., 6-3, 240

LB – A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Sr., 6-2, 243

LB – Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian, Grad, 6-0, 224

DB – Rex Connors, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 210

DB – Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Sr., 6-0, 190

DB – Abu Kamara, Yale, Jr., 6-1, 208

DB – Malcolm Reed, North Carolina Central, Sr., 6-3, 180

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – Ian Williams, Furman, Grad, 6-3, 226

P – Jeff Yurk, Elon, R-Sr., 6-2, 224

LS – Dylan Calabrese, Illinois State, Sr., 6-1, 230

KR – Travis Terrell, Jackson State, So., 5-8, 165

PR – Taco Dowler, Montana State, Jr., 5-9, 175

AP – Michael Wortham, Montana, Grad, 5-9, 177

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SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

QB – Aidan Bouman, South Dakota, R-Sr., 6-5, 225

QB – Taron Dickens, Western Carolina, R-So., 5-11, 180

RB – Jamar Curtis, Sacramento State, Sr., 5-8, 169

RB – Adam Jones, Montana State, R-So., 6-1, 200

RB – Wenkers Wright, Illinois State, Sr., 6-1, 205

WR – Kylon Harris, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 5-11, 160

WR – Chedon James, UIW, R-Jr., 5-9, 173

WR – Daniel Sobkowicz, Illinois State, Sr., 6-3, 205

TE – Winston Williams, UC Davis, Sr., 6-4, 235

OL – Brock Bethea, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-5, 305

OL – Quinten Christensen, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-5, 300

OL – JT Cornelius, Monmouth, Grad, 6-6, 290

OL – Langston Jones, Lehigh, Sr., 6-3, 315

OL – Gavin Ortega, Weber State, Sr., 6-5, 300

OL – Hunter Smith, Tarleton State, Sr., 6-5, 300

DEFENSE

DL – Toby Anene, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-4, 260

DL – Paul Brott, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 290

DL – Lando Brown, Southern Utah, R-Sr., 5-11, 215

DL – Kobe Clayborne, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 275

LB – Carter Glassmyer, Richmond, R-Jr., 6-1, 201

LB – Shane Hartzell, Villanova, Sr., 6-0, 230

LB – Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 210

LB – Logan Kopp, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-1, 221

DB – Ty Bartrum, Harvard, Sr., 6-1, 195

DB – C.J. Coombes, Wofford, So., 6-0, 208

DB – Tim Coutras, Tennessee Tech, Grad, 6-0, 198

DB – JaMichael McGoy Jr., UT Martin, R-Sr., 5-10, 170

DB – Tyler Morton, UIW, R-Sr., 5-10, 170

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – Hunter Ridley, UC Davis, Jr., 6-1, 195

PK – Owen Zalc, Dartmouth, Jr., 5-10, 165

P – Gilbert Brown, Charleston Southern, R-Sr., 6-0, 175

LS – Brett Welsing, Drake, Sr., 6-2, 233

KR – Jackson Williams, North Dakota State, So., 5-11, 180

PR – Brayden Smith, Mercer, Jr., 5-10, 185

AP – Ethan Greenwood, LIU, R-Jr., 6-0, 193

AP – Julius Loughridge, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 215

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THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

QB – Tommy Rittenhouse, Illinois State, Sr., 5-11, 205

QB – Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Fifth Year, 6-0, 210

RB – Mari Adams, Davidson, Sr., 5-11, 210

RB – Eli Gillman, Montana, R-Jr., 6-0, 208

WR – Samuel Musungu, Cornell, Jr., 6-1, 192

WR – Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, Sr., 5-10, 190

WR – Max Tomczak, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-0, 195

TE – Trey McDonald, William & Mary, Sr., 6-6, 230

OL – Will Diggins, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-4, 325

OL – Ashton Grable, Florida A&M, R-Sr., 6-4, 315

OL – Ryan McKenna, William & Mary, Grad, 6-4, 305

OL – Traveon Newsome, UIW, R-Sr., 6-2, 350

OL – Netinho Olivieri, Penn, Sr., 6-5, 305

OL – Luke Petit, Furman, R-Sr., 6-3, 285

DEFENSE

DL – Jake Anderson, Illinois State, R-Jr., 6-5, 290

DL – Noah Miles, Howard, Sr., 6-4, 250

DL – Kaghen Roach, Abilene Christian, Grad, 6-5, 255

DL – Declan Williams, UIW, Sr., 6-2, 245

DL – Jeremiah Williams, Jackson State, R-Sr., 6-3, 285

LB – Colin Bohanek, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-0, 227

LB – Porter Connors, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 220

LB – Jake Dalmado, Nicholls, Sr. 5-11, 200

LB – Nate Ewell, South Dakota, Sr., 6-2, 225

LB – Peyton Wing, Montana, Jr., 6-0, 230

DB – Kimal Clark, Indiana State, Sr., 5-10, 200

DB – Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 6-1, 185

DB – Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, Sr., 6-0, 200

DB – Nahil Perkins, Samford, Grad, 6-0, 178

DB – Jaheim Ward, Eastern Kentucky, R-Sr., 6-2, 189

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – Will Leyland, South Dakota, R-Sr., 5-11, 180

P – Brendon Kilpatrick, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-2, 220

LS – Kaydon Olivia, South Dakota State, Sr., 5-11, 215

KR – Keondray Jones-Logan, South Dakota, Jr., 5-7, 175

KR – Donovan Wadley, Central Connecticut State, Sr., 5-9, 180

PR – Malique Leatherbury, Morgan State, So., 5-9, 160

AP – Jaylan Spears, UIW, R-Jr., 5-10, 200