ST. LOUIS, Mo. – After tying for third in the Missouri Valley Football Conference last season, North Dakota was picked fifth in the annual preseason poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors from the conference on Monday. Five Fighting Hawks were also picked as members of the Preseason All-MVFC Team.
South Dakota State received 42 first-place votes and 482 points to lead the conference, followed by North Dakota State with 437 points and one first-place vote. South Dakota and Southern Illinois were third and fourth, respectively, with 371 and 293 points. North Dakota rounded out the top-five with 276 points, while Missouri State was the only other first-place vote getter and was selected ninth with 164 points.
Bo Belquist was the top Fighting Hawk and lone first-team member, picking up first team recognition as a wide receiver and honorable mention all-purpose accolades.
Last season, Belquist started 10 games at wide receiver and appeared in every contest. He led the team and ranked No. 25 nationally in receptions per game with 5.5. Belquist also tied for No. 5 in the MVFC in receiving touchdowns (6), was No. 6 in the league in total receiving yards (772) and No. 7 in receiving yards per game (64.3). His marks in receptions, receiving yardage, touchdown grabs and receiving yards per game also led the team. He finished the year with three 100-yard receiving performances, putting up 110 yards in the 55-7 win over Drake, recording 123 yards in the 37-22 Potato Bowl victory over Northern Arizona and racking up 101 yards receiving in the 36-33 overtime win over Indiana State. He also led the team in chunk plays with 12 plays of 20-yards or more. Belquist served as a team captain and received Second Team All-MVFC recognition at the end of the season.
A pair of Fighting Hawks received preseason second team honors in
Jaden Norby (fullback) and
Wyatt Pedigo (linebacker).
Norby appeared in all 12 games as a tight end and fullback in 2023 and had seven starts. He hauled in five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown, while averaging 11.20 yards per reception. Norby scored on a 19-yard touchdown grab in the 45-31 win at Murray State. During the season, his blocking helped UND rank No. 2 in the MVFC and No. 3 nationally in completion percentage (70.3 percent) and Fighting Hawk quarterbacks had the No. 14 passing efficiency rating (153.02) in the country with the help of his blocking. At the end of the season, Norby gained honorable mention MVFC All-Academic status.
Pedigo started all 12 games at linebacker last season and led the nation in fumble recoveries with four. He tied for No. 17 in the league in total sacks (4.0) and led UND in total tackles (72), solo tackles (47), tackles-for-loss (7.5) and sacks (4.0), while also tying for second on the team in quarterback hurries (8). Pedigo also forced two fumbles. He put down a season-best 10 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble at Boise State and had a season-high 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks in the 36-33 overtime win against Indiana State. Pedigo finished the year with Second Team All-MVFC accolades.
Along with Belquist being selected honorable mention all-purpose,
Gaven Ziebarth (running back) and
Seth Anderson (offensive line) also picked up honorable mention status on the Preseason All-MVFC Team.
In 2023, Ziebarth saw action at running back in 10 games and started three of them. He rushed 107 times for 700 yards and nine scores, while also hauling in five receptions for 22 yards. Ziebarth averaged 6.54 yards per carry to rank No. 2 in the MVFC and No. 16 nationally. His 70.0 yards rushing per game ranked No. 4 in the conference, and he also tied for No. 6 in the league in rushing touchdowns (9) and was No. 7 in total rushing yards (700). Ziebarth recorded a pair of 100-yard rushing games, putting down 112 yards in the 55-7 drubbing of Drake in the season opener and racking up 156 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the 49-24 victory over No. 6/7 North Dakota State. He was named the MVFC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 16, following her performance in the win over NDSU.
Anderson started all 12 games at right tackles last season and his blocking helped UND rank No. 2 in the MVFC and No. 3 in the nation in completion percentage (70.3 percent). North Dakota quarterbacks also had the No. 14 passing efficiency rating (153.02) nationally when he was on the line. UND put up over 500 yards of offense twice with him on the offensive line, highlighted by 652 yards of offense in the 55-7 win over Drake in the season opener. Anderson earned the title of MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week on Nov. 6 after helping UND accumulate 507 yards of offense in the 45-31 win at Murray State. He received academic recognition at the end of the year as a member of the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society.
Missouri Valley 2024 Football Preseason Poll
| Team (First Place Votes) |
Votes |
| South Dakota State (42) |
482 |
| North Dakota State (1) |
437 |
| South Dakota |
371 |
| Southern Illinois |
293 |
| North Dakota |
276 |
| Illinois State |
264 |
| Youngstown State |
255 |
| Northern Iowa |
227 |
| Missouri State (1) |
164 |
| Indiana State |
68 |
| Murray State |
67 |
North Dakota will open the season on Saturday, Aug. 31, visiting Iowa State. Kickoff between the Fighting Hawks and Cyclones is set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) and the game will air on Fox Sports 1.
