Four Beavers earned First Team All-NSIC honors, running back Evan Lovett- who was the offensive Player of the Week last week- and offensive lineman Aidan Shumate on the offensive side of the ball, while defensive backs Kevin Speed and Myzel Williams both were named to the First Team All-NSIC Defensive Team.

The All-NSIC honor is the first time Lovett, Shumate, Speed, and Williams each have earned All-NSIC recognition.

And honored for the second straight year was senior linebacker Carson Cayko who was named to the Second Team All-NSIC Defensive Team. Cayko also was a Second Team All-NSIC selection in 2023.

Lovett, a redshirt junior from Tucson, Arizona, carried the ball 181 times for 958 total yards, which ranks second in the Beavers’ NCAA Division II-era in single-season yards rushing, and ran for eight touchdowns.

Carson Cayko

He ran for 255 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Beavers’ 56-23 win over Winona State this past Saturday, tying a single-game NCAA-era record for rushing touchdowns in a game and rushing for the second-most yards in a single game in the Beavers’ NCAA era.

Shumate, a sophomore from Cypress, Texas, played on the offensive line in all 11 games for the Beavers, starting ten games. He is an anchor on the offensive line that was the NSIC’s top rushing offense this season.

Speed, a sophomore from Cairo, Georgia, was second on the team with 45 total tackles (30 solo, 15 assisted) with three tackles for loss, one interception, and four pass breakups in ten games.

Williams, a redshirt sophomore from Deltona, Florida, was fourth on the team in total tackles with 42 (26 solo, 16 assisted) as he played in all 11 games with three tackles for a loss, an interception, three pass breakups, and he forced a fumble.

Cayko, a senior from Fairview, Montana, was third on the team in total tackles with 44 (20 solo, 24 assisted) this season, which includes five tackles for loss, an assisted sack, and he broke up a pass in ten games.

Myzel Williams

The MSU football team went 5-6 on the season and recorded the most single-season wins in the program’s NCAA history.

While five Beavers were honored, 2024 NSIC champion Augustana racked up half of the special awards announced today.

Senior running back Jarod Epperson was named NSIC Offensive Player of the Year, senior defensive back Peyton Buckley was named NSIC Defensive Player of the Year, and Vikings head coach Jerry Olszewski was named NSIC Coach of the Year.

Minnesota State, Mankato redshirt-freshman running back Sam Backer was named NSIC Offensive Newcomer of the Year, Sioux Falls’ redshirt-freshman linebacker Andy Henson was named NSIC Defensive Newcomer of the Year, and Bemidji State defensive coordinator Joe Ford was named NSIC Assistant Coach of the Year.

Aidan Shumate