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7/20/2010 - FOOTBALL Beavers ranked No. 22 in USA Today DII Preseason Top 25

BEMIDJI, Minn. -- Returning 11 starters to the offense and eight on the defensive side of the ball, the Bemidji State University football team is ranked No. 22 in the USA Today Division II Preseason Top 25. The poll was released in the USA Today Special Edition College Football Preview Magazine.

The Beavers return to the preseason national rankings after appearing in three national publications prior to the 2007 season, Lindy’s 2007 National College Football NCAA Division II Preseason Top-25 Poll (No. 13), American Football Coaches’ Association Preseason Poll (No. 19) and D2football.com Preseason Top-25 Media Poll (No. 20).

Bemidji State finished the 2009 campaign with an 8-3 overall record and a 7-3 mark in league play to finish third in the NSIC North Division. The team’s eight wins marked the fifth time in 14 seasons under the tutelage of head coach Jeff Tesch that a BSU team has accumulated at least eight victories in a season. In the 70 seasons prior to Tesch’s arrival, Bemidji State recorded just one eight-win campaign.

BSU returns two First-Team All-NSIC members in quarterback Derek Edholm (Sr., Anoka, Minn.) and Jordan Lardinois (Jr., DE, New Franken, Wis.). Cory Immerman (So., C. Becker, Minn.), Davis Mickelson (So., OT, Elbow Lake, Minn.) and Andrew Schultz (Jr., WR, Grand Forks, Minn.) were Second-Team All-NSIC North offensive selections, while Andrew Eagan (Jr., LB, Sauk Village, Ill.) was BSU’s only second-team defensive honoree. On special teams, Jesse Sundby (So., K/P, Argyle, Minn.) garnered recognition as the NSIC North second-team punter. The Beavers also had three players designated as NSIC North Division All-Conference Honorable Mention picks in freshmen Dustin Kroeplin (RB, Withee, Wis.) and Brian Leonhardt (TE, Blaine, Minn.), strong safety Brody Scheff (So., Waconia, Minn.).

Also in the top 25 from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference was the 2008 National Champions and 2009 Conference Champions, University of Minnesota Duluth at the No. 4 slot. Wayne State College’s Frederick Bruno (WR) was named a player to watch.

The Beavers open the 2010 campaign Thursday, Aug. 26 when they travel to Minot, N.D. to battle Minot State University in a nonconference tilt. The 13th annual Beaver Bash is slated for a 7 p.m. start at MSU’s Herb Parker Stadium.

USA Today Division II Preseason Top 25
1. Northwest Missouri State
2. Grand Valley State
3. North Alabama
4. Minnesota Duluth
5. West Liberty
6. Abeline Christian
7. Central Washington
8. Cal (PA)
9. Washburn
10. Texas A&M-Kingsville
11. Nebraska-Kearney
12. West Alabama
13. West Texas A&M
14. Saginaw Valley State
15. Carson-Newman
16. Missouri Western
17. Midwestern State
18. East Stroudsburg
19. Tuskegee
20. North Carolina at Pembroke
21. Nebraska-Omaha
22. Bemidji State
23. West Chester
24. Delta State
25. Hillsdale

Players to watch:
Zach Amedro--QB--West Liberty
Xavier Brown--DL--C.W. Post
Frederick Bruno--WR-- Wayne State
Matt Freed--LB--East Stroudsburg
Levi Terrell--RB--Nebraska-Omaha

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--bsu--