MSU roundup: MSU football sixth Super Region Four rankings
Oct. 30—The Free Press
MANKATO — The Minnesota State football team has been ranked sixth in the NCAA Super Region Four rankings, which were released Monday.
The 33-team NCAA Super Region Four consists of teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, Lone Star Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Colorado School of Mines (9-0) is ranked first, followed by Western Colorado (8-1), Texas-Permian Basin (7-1), Central Washington (7-0), Augustana (8-1), Minnesota State (8-1) and Bemidji State (7-1).
The top seven from each region make the playoffs, with the No. 1 team receiving a bye.
The Mavericks were ranked 10th in both the AFCA and D2Football.com national polls that were released Monday.
Heller gets NSIC honor
MSU soccer player Kelsey Heller earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors for her efforts last weekend against Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State.
Heller helped the Mavericks to shutout victories in both games and scored her first career goal in Sunday's win over the Beavers. Along with the goal, Heller turned in her second career full-time performance.
MSU begins the NSIC tournament Nov. 6.
Maier gets NSIC award
The NSIC coaches picked MSU's Tanner Maier as the winner of the league's men's cross country Outstanding Senior of the Year award, it was announced Monday.
Maier, who holds a 4.00 grade point average, is a three-time All-NSIC performer. He finished third at the championships this year with a time of 24:34.7.
In the community, he has volunteered during the Kiwanis Holiday Lights set up, as well as at the Bend of the River concert clean up and Trick or Treat with the Mavs.
Zigler honored by NSIC
MSU's Alison Zigler got the 2023 NSIC Elite 18 Award for women's cross country, it was announced Monday.
Zigler had the highest grade point average with the most credits earned among all 15 schools competing at the NSIC Championships. She is a graduate student double majoring in sport & exercise psychology; counseling and student personnel and has a 4.00 grade point average.
Her best career finish came at the 2022 Bob Waxlax Invite with a 6K personal best of 23:37.7.
