North Dakota State University running back D.J. McNorton and cornerback Marcus Williams were honorable mention on the 2011 Consensus Draft Services Preseason Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America team.

McNorton, a 5-foot-10, 204-pound senior from Channelview, Texas (Channelview H.S.) rushed 280 times for 1,559 yards and 15 TDs. He ranked 14th in the final NCAA Division I FCS rushing statistics averaging 111.36 yards per game. McNorton

McNorton accounted for 2,019 all-purpose yards including 433 receiving yards and four TDs on 25 receptions. He added 27 yards on kickoff returns to rank 18th nationally averaging 144.2 yards per game. McNorton ranked 15th nationally in scoring (8.14 ppg).

Williams, a 5-foot-11, 191-pound sophomore from Minnetonka, Minn. (Hopkins H.S.) was second on the team with four interceptions including one returned for a TD at Eastern Washington in the NCAA FCS quarterfinals.

Williams led NDSU with 12 pass breakups. He finished with 47 tackles including 36 solos and one tackle for loss. He was part of the Bison defense that ranked 7th nationally in both scoring defense (18.21 ppg) and turnover margin (+1.07 avg.)

North Dakota State went 9-5 and reached the NCAA Division FCS quarterfinals before falling to No. 1-ranked and national champion Eastern Washington 38-31 in overtime in Cheney, Wash., on Dec. 11. It was a dramatic turnaround for the Bison, who went 3-8 in 2009.

NDSU, which was ranked 9th in the final FCS Coaches and Sports Network/Fathead.com top 25 polls, opens the 2011 season against Lafayette College at 6 p.m. Sept. 3 in the Fargodome.