NDSU Football, Softball Receive North Dakota's AP Sportscasters/Sportswriters Awards

BISMARCK, N.D.--A pair of North Dakota State University athletic programs received four awards, while several other individuals were finalists in this year's collegiate award winners as determined by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

Bison football was selected as the Collegiate Male Team after rolling through the Division I FCS playoffs, outscoring their opponents 102-27 en route to the school's first Division I national championship.

It started with the defense including a 24-0 shutout of Lehigh University in the quarterfinals and a 35-7 win over the triple-option attack of Georgia Southern in the semifinals. It was the program's ninth football national title and first since the 1990 Division II championshp.

NDSU cornerback Marcus Williams, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound junior from Minneapolis, Minn. (Hopkins H.S.), was named the Collegiate Male Athlete of the Year and helped to lead one of the top defenses in NCAA Division I FCS. Williams led the Bison with seven interceptions and 15 pass break-ups. He also added 53 tackles.

Williams scored two touchdowns off interceptions, one off a teammate's lateral and another on a kickoff return. He received many postseason honors including first-team Associated Press, Sports Network/Fathead.com and Walter Camp All-America honors.

North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl guided the Bison to a 14-1 record and their first NCAA FCS national title, just two years removed from a 3-8 season to earn the Collegiate Male Coach of the Year honor.

NDSU also grabbed a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship and received the No. 2 seed in the FCS playoffs, which was catalyst to three home playoff games that captivated the school and the community.

NDSU softball shared the Collegiate Female Team of the Year honor with North Dakota women's hockey. The Bison won their fourth straight Summit League tournament championship to make the NCAA Division I tournament for a fourth consecutive season. The team tied the school's Division I single-season record with 38 wins.

North Dakota State finalists included volleyball player Jennifer Lopez, men's track and field performer Weston Leutz, and softball coach Darren Mueller.