WAYNE, Neb. -- Expectations have never been higher for the Wayne State football team, with the Wildcats picked to finish third in the 14-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

It is the highest that WSC has ever been picked in the preseason coaches' poll, and it is the best predicted finish for the Wildcats since being picked to finish fifth in 2009. It is just the eighth time that Wayne State has been picked to finish in the top half of the league.

The Wildcats received two first-place votes and 114 points in voting conducted by coaches from across the league. WSC is returning 16 starters, including nine on defense, from last year’s team that was 9-3 overall and 9-2 in NSIC games, earning the schools’ first-ever NSIC championship while advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the second time in school history.

Bemidji State and Minnesota State, both NCAA Division II playoff teams from one year ago along with WSC, were voted the top teams by league coaches.  The Beavers topped the poll with 131 points and four first-place votes with MSU second at 125 points and five first-place votes. WSC was third, just ahead of Augustana with 112 points and two first-place ballots, while Minnesota Duluth came in fifth at 109 points.

Wayne State’s Offensive Player to Watch is junior quarterback Nick Bohn.  The Bennington graduate was an All-NSIC South Division First Team selection last season leading the Wildcat offense completing 162 of 273 passes (59.3%) for 2,246 yards and 19 TD’s with just six interceptions.  Bohn ranked second in the NSIC in total offense per game (247.3), second in passing TD’s, third in pass efficiency rating (147.0) and sixth in passing yards per game (187.2).  He added another 722 yards rushing with seven TD’s, accounting for 26 total TD’s in 12 games last season.

The Wildcats’ Defensive Player to Watch is junior linebacker Alex Kowalczyk.  A graduate of Sioux Falls (S.D.) O’Gorman High School, Kowalczyk was voted D2CCA All Super Region 4 First Team along with All-NSIC South Division First Team after leading the WSC defense in tackles for a second straight season with 106 stops.  He ranked fourth in the NSIC in tackles per game (8.8), tied for sixth with two forced fumbles and tied for eighth in interceptions with three.  Kowalczyk had five games with 10 or more tackles and was named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week twice last season, highlighted by a career-best 18 tackles in a 41-33 win over Minnesota State.  

Wayne State opens the 2023 season on Thursday, August 31 at 6 p.m. hosting MSU Moorhead at Bob Cunningham Field in Wayne. The Wildcats beat the Dragons in the final regular season game last season, helping WSC clinch the conference crown and an NCAA playoff berth.

2023 Preseason NSIC Football Coaches Poll

1.         Bemidji State (4)                        131 pts.

2.         Minnesota State (5)                   125 pts.

3.         Wayne State (2)                        114 pts.

4.         Augustana (2)                            112 pts.

5.         Minnesota Duluth                      109 pts.

6.         Winona State                            103 pts.

7.         Northern State                          75 pts.

7.         Sioux Falls                                75 pts.

9.         Southwest Minnesota State        50 pts.

10.        MSU Moorhead                         45 pts.

11.        Concordia-St. Paul                    35 pts.

12.        University of Mary                     20 pts.

12.        Minot State                               20 pts.

                        first place votes in ( )