BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has unveiled its 2025 preseason coaches' poll for football. Minnesota State Moorhead was selected to finish seventh in the league. Additionally, seniors Jack Strand and Tate Gustafson were noted as the Dragon 'players to watch' with Strand earning NSIC North Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year distinction. 
 
MSUM earned 96 points in the overall poll which was topped by Minnesota State with 167 points and three first-place votes. Augustana, who came in second in the rankings, earned the other three first-place nods. In the NSIC North Division poll, MSUM was slotted third (26 points) behind Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth, who each earned 33 points. 
 
The Dragons went 6-5 in 2024 with all six of their victories coming over NSIC opponents. MSUM had four wins in come-from-behind fashion, which was highlighted by ranked wins over #19 Minnesota Duluth and #18 Augustana. The win over the Bulldogs on September 14 was Steve Laqua's first ranked victory as leader of the Dragons. 
 
"We have some important roles to fill after last year's graduating class, but we're confident in our seasoned group of seniors to lead the way. Offensively, we return a lot of key pieces, and we're looking for that unit to help us find our rhythm early," said Laqua, who enters his 15^th season as MSUM's leader in 2025. "Defensively, we'll need to develop depth and replace a strong group of senior defensive linemen. We're excited about the young talent in our program. They'll need to mature quickly during fall camp, and if they do, we believe we can have a solid season."
 
Strand earns the preseason recognition after another strong season in 2024 which saw him earn All-NSIC First Team honors. The senior passed for an NSIC-best 3,421 passing yards by year's end, a mark that was fourth-most in NCAA Division II in 2024. The Bloomer, Wis., native completed 344 passes on 564 attempts for a 61 percent completion clip while tossing 32 touchdowns. Strand ended the season holding every major passing record (single-season and career) in program history and had two games with 400 or more passing yards and five games with 300 or more pass yards. Strand enters his senior season as a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy nominee and sits just 385 pass yards shy of 10,000 for his career. 
 
"We're excited for Jack's senior season. He's had a tremendous career so far, and we're eager to see how he's continued to grow over the last year," said Laqua of Strand. "Jack brings a calm, steady presence to our program, and while he's an outstanding football player, he's an even better person. His leadership will be critical to our success as a team."
 
Gustafson was one MSUM's best on the defensive side of the ball in his junior season. The West Fargo, N.D., native made 43 total tackles in 2024, which included 19 solo takedowns. Gustafson had 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception on his ledger last season as well. The senior proved to be a playmaker on both defense and special teams, holding a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble and a blocked kick during the year.
 
"Tate is a true leader on our defense, using his athleticism and instincts to make plays from sideline to sideline. He had an exceptional season last year, and he's positioned himself to have his best season yet," said Laqua of Gustafson. "Our defense will lean on his playmaking ability, and we're excited to see the impact he will have this fall."
 
MSUM is scheduled to open the 2025 season on Thursday, August 28 in a week zero matchup with Northern Michigan. The non-conference tilt will kickoff from Marquette, Mich., at 5 p.m.