University of Northern Iowa Athletics
UNI Picked Fifth, 11 Panthers Honored in Preseason Poll
7/27/2021 9:09:00 AM | Football
ST. LOUIS – UNI Football was picked fifth in the MVFC Preseason Poll and 11 Panthers earned preseason All-Conference honors, including Jared Brinkman, Spencer Cuvelier and Matthew Cook on the first team, the league announced Tuesday.
The Panthers finished with a 3-4 record in the shortened spring season, but all four losses came against teams that made the playoff and the losses came by a total of 15 combined points. The Panthers return several players that missed the spring with injuries. UNI was one of three teams to garner a first-place vote.
South Dakota State was picked to win the league, North Dakota State was picked second, North Dakota was third and Southern Illinois received the fourth-place nod.
Brinkman again led the way for the Panthers on the preseason All-Conference polls. The returning Valley Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-American earned first-team honors. Cook is a back-to-back MVFC First-Team honoree and Cuvelier led the MVFC in tackles last season.
Trevor Penning, Omar Brown, Austin Evans and Deion McShane were named second-team honorees and Will McElvain, Tyler Hoosman, Isaiah Weston and Benny Sapp III received an honorable mention nod.
UNI had the third-most honorees with 11. Southern Illinois led the way with 13 and South Dakota State had 12.
The Panthers open the season on Sept. 4 on the road at Iowa State.
The Panthers finished with a 3-4 record in the shortened spring season, but all four losses came against teams that made the playoff and the losses came by a total of 15 combined points. The Panthers return several players that missed the spring with injuries. UNI was one of three teams to garner a first-place vote.
South Dakota State was picked to win the league, North Dakota State was picked second, North Dakota was third and Southern Illinois received the fourth-place nod.
Brinkman again led the way for the Panthers on the preseason All-Conference polls. The returning Valley Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-American earned first-team honors. Cook is a back-to-back MVFC First-Team honoree and Cuvelier led the MVFC in tackles last season.
Trevor Penning, Omar Brown, Austin Evans and Deion McShane were named second-team honorees and Will McElvain, Tyler Hoosman, Isaiah Weston and Benny Sapp III received an honorable mention nod.
UNI had the third-most honorees with 11. Southern Illinois led the way with 13 and South Dakota State had 12.
The Panthers open the season on Sept. 4 on the road at Iowa State.
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