CLEVELAND, Ohio – North Dakota received its first preseason honors of the 2023 season on Friday, with 10 Fighting Hawks earning 11 spots on the Phil Steele Preseason All-MVFC Team.
 
All sides of the ball were represented, with Donny Ventrelli (OL), Bo Belquist (WR), Wesley Eliodor (WR), Easton Kilty (OL), Tommy Schuster (QB) and Brayden Bryant (OL) all earning offensive appearances, while C.J. Siegel (DB), Ben McNaboe (DL),  Wyatt Pedigo (LB) garnered defensive status. Siegel (KR) and Red Wilson (AP) also made the list on special teams.
 
The offensive side of the ball was headlined by Ventrelli being named a first team offensive lineman. Ventrelli started all 12 games at left tackle in 2022 and helped UND QB's to a completion percentage of 67.1 percent, a mark which ranked No. 2 in the MVFC and No. 11 nationally. His blocking also helped the Hawk sit No. 8 in the country in time of possession per game (33:23) and No. 6 in red zone scoring (91.5 percent). He was named the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week on Nov. 7 after the 42-7 win at Indiana State. Ventrelli was voted a team captain at the beginning of the 2022 season and finished the year as a Second Team All-MVFC honoree.
 
Belquist was voted a second team wide receiver and saw action at receiver in every game last season and had eight starts. He finished the year ranked No. 3 in the conference in receptions per game (5.2), No. 4 in receiving yards (811) and No. 5 in receiving yards per game (67.6). He also tied for fourth in the MVFC in receiving touchdowns with six. He was the top receiver for UND, with his 63 receptions, 811 yards receiving and six touchdown receptions all leading the team in their respective categories. He gained Second Team All-MVFC accolades at the end of the season.
 
Eliodor, a transfer from South Dakota, gained third team recognition at wide receiver. He spent five years with the Coyotes and was a two-time All-MVFC honorable mention receiver. He led USD with 30 catches for 482 yards and six touchdowns in 2022 and ranked No. 10 nationally and No. 2 in the MVFC in kickoff return yardage in 2021 with 28.7 yards per kickoff return.
 
Kilty was voted a third team offensive lineman. Last season, Kilty started every game at right guard and helped the Fighting Hawk quarterbacks record a completion percentage of 67.1 percent to rank No. 2 in the MVFC and No. 11 nationally. He also helped the Hawks sit No. 8 in the nation in time of possession per game (33:23) and helped UND rank No. 6 in the country in red zone scoring, helping the offense find the end zone 91.5 percent of the time while in the red zone.
 
Schuster was named to the preseason third team after starting every game at quarterback last season and finishing the year ranked No. 2 in the MVFC and No. 8 nationally in completion percentage, completing 68.8 percent of his passes. He averaged 20.92 completions per game to sit No. 2 in the MVFC. Schuster also finished the year ranked No. 3 in the conference in passing touchdowns (20) and No. 4 in passing yards (2,730) and passing yards per game (227.5). His 136 points during the season also ranked No. 4 in the MVFC. In 2022, Schuster went 251-for-365 passing for 2,730 yards and 20 touchdowns while only surrendering five interceptions. He garnered MVFC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 14 after going 24-for-28 passing for 223 yards and three scores in the 28-19 win over South Dakota.

Last season, Schuster cemented his place in UND history as the all-time record holder for passing yards in a career (6,819), all-time completions (635) and Division I touchdown passes thrown at UND (44). He enters 2023 just 15 touchdown passes away from becoming the all-time record holder at North Dakota. At the end of last season, he was voted honorable mention All-MVFC, earned the MVFC President's Council Academic Award, was named to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society and gained Second Team MVFC All-Academic status.

Bryant picked up fourth team status as an offensive lineman. He played a key role on the offensive line in 2022, starting the final 10 games of the season left guard. With the help of his blocking, the Hawks completed 67.1 percent of their passes to rank No. 11 nationally and No. 2 in the MVFC. He also helped NoDak rank No. 8 in the country in time of possession per game (33:23) and No. 6 in red zone scoring (91.5 percent). At the end of the season, Bryant was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team.
 
Siegel highlighted both the defensive unit and special teams for UND, earning first team honors as both a defensive back and as a kick returner. In 2022, Siegel started all 12 games at defensive back. He led the team and tied for No. 4 in the conference in pass breakups with eight, while also picking off two passes. He racked up 79 interception return yards during the season to sit No. 3 in the MVFC in that category, which was highlighted by his 50-yard interception return for touchdown in the 27-24 win at Northern Arizona early in the season.

As a returner last season, Siegel returned 15 kickoffs for 436 yards to average 29.07 yards per kickoff return to lead the MVFC and rank No. 7 nationally. He also turned specialists away from scoring points, blocking a field goal attempt against South Dakota and also blocking one at No. 4 North Dakota State the following week. Siegel served as a team captain in 2022 and earned Second Team All-MVFC status.
 
McNaboe also received a first team nod as a defensive lineman after starting every game on the defensive line last season. He ended the year ranked No. 4 in the MVFC in both tackles-for-loss per game (1.1) and sacks per game (0.59). McNaboe piled up 35 total tackles with 22 solo stops and led the team in both TFL's (13) and sacks (6.5). He garnered Second Team All-MVFC status and also earned Second Team MVFC All-Academic honors at the end of the season.
 
Pedigo was selected as a fourth team linebacker. In 2022, he saw action in 11 games with seven starts. He tied for No. 9 in the league in interceptions per game (0.2) and was third on the team in both tackles (54) and tackles-for-loss (4.5). His 34 solo stops was second on the team and he also put down 4.5 TFL's during the season. Pedigo had a nose for the football and tied for the team lead in interceptions with two, picking off passes at Nebraska and against Northern Arizona.
 
Wilson joined Siegel on the specialist team and was picked as a second team all-purpose player. He saw action in all 12 games in 2022 and had five starts at receiver and one at running back. He rushed 29 times for 159 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a season-long 45-yard scamper for a touchdown in the 42-7 win at Indiana State. He also hauled in 30 catches for 207 yards to average 6.9 yards per catch. Wilson sat third on the team in receptions with 30. His speed helped North Dakota lead the conference and rank No. 7 nationally as a team with 26.0 yards per kickoff return, returning seven kickoffs for 214 yards.

North Dakota will begin the 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2, hosting Drake inside the Alerus Center. Kickoff between the Fighting Hawks and Bulldogs is slated for 3 p.m. (CT).