GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota head football coach Bubba Schweigert and the Fighting Hawks team have announced the leadership group for the 2020-21 season on Wednesday. Defensive back Jordan Canady, wide receiver Garett Maag, offensive lineman Nathan Nguon, former tight end Hunter Pinke and linebacker Jaxson Turner were selected by the team following the conclusion of the fall practice session.
 
"We are excited to announce the captains for the 2020-21 season," said Schweigert. "We are looking forward to the leadership these individuals will provide for our team both on and off the field as we compete in our inaugural year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. These five young men have invested much time and effort into the Fighting Hawk football program and team culture and are very deserving of the distinction as team captain."
 
Canady returns to the Fighting Hawks having started the last 28 games at safety over his career and will enter 2021 as the team's returning leading tackler with 87 stops and a team-best 53 solo tackles. The New Berlin, Wis., native currently ranks fifth in UND's Division I history (2008-present) with four career interceptions and sixth with 18 pass breakups. Last season, he set a new career high with 14 total tackles against No. 1 North Dakota State. Canady is a management major.
 
An 11-game starter at wide receiver a season ago, Maag returns as UND's leading pass catcher with 59 grabs, 610 yards and five touchdowns in a playoff season for the Hawks. The Inver Grove Heights, Minn., native had his best days against the top competition in 2019, grabbing six catches for 76 yards at No. 1 North Dakota State, hauling in a TD in the win over No. 24 Sam Houston State and finishing with a career-best 81 yards on 10 catches and a score in the victory over No. 12 UC Davis. Maag is a marketing major.
 
Nguon has been a Swiss Army knife along the offensive line for UND over his entire career, having started games at four of the five positions along the line. The Burnsville, Minn., native spent 2019 at left tackle, right tackle and center, helping the Hawks set offensive records in the passing game for the program. Nguon is an operations and supply chain management major.
 
Pinke will serve as a captain off the field for the Hawks, after suffering a career-ending injury following the 2019 season. The Wishek, N.D., native currently has an internship with the UND Alumni Association and is working to finish his mechanical engineering degree.
 
After an injury-riddled season in 2019, Turner will look to get back to his quarterback-sacking ways in the spring. The Esko, Minn., native finished sixth on the team with 44 tackles and second with 4.5 sacks. He was crucial in the win over No. 24 Sam Houston State, registering a season-best nine tackles and a pair of sacks. The linebacker enters the campaign with 11 career sacks, placing him fourth in UND's DI era. Turner is a communication major.
 
North Dakota opens the season at home against Missouri State on Saturday, Feb. 20 from the Alerus Center. Kickoff is slated for noon.
 
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