Wayne State had eight players voted to the 2021 NSIC All-Conference Football Team.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Nick Bohnwas named NSIC Offensive Newcomer of the Year and South Division Second Team while junior place kicker Alex Powders collected All-NSIC South Division First Team honors on Special Teams.
Two Wildcats – senior offensive lineman Lou Gray and senior wide receiver Taurean Grady – were named All-NSIC South Division Second Team Offense with junior defensive back J’Von France, freshman linebacker Alex Kowalczyk, junior defensive lineman Ryan Parker and senior defensive back Kevin Ransom earning All-NSIC South Division Second Team Defense accolades.
Bohn, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound redshirt freshman quarterback played in 10 games with eight starts this season and threw for 1,921 yards while completing 142-of-237 passes (59.9 percent) with 14 TD’s and just five interceptions. He also ran for another 583 yards on 172 carries (3.4 avg) with 10 TD’s. Bohn ranked sixth in the NSIC in total offense per game (250.4 yards) and was seventh in passing yards per game (192.1).
Powders, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior kicker/punter, made 44-of-45 PAT kicks and 10-of-13 field goals to rank third in the NSIC in kicking points with 73. He was tied for fourth in the NSIC with 10 field goals made and also averaged 36.5 yards per punt with eight punts of 50 yards or more and 12 inside the 20 yard line with just three touchbacks. Powders was the NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week Sept. 27 after making the game-winning field goal in a 31-28 win at No. 11 Minnesota Duluth.
Gray, a 6-foot-3, 300-pounder, started all 11 games on the Wildcat offensive line at left guard this season after transferring from Morningside. He anchored an offensive line that blocked for the league’s third-best rushing offense averaging 182 yards per contest.
Grady, a 5-foot-10, 180 pound wide receiver, led the Wildcats in receiving this season with 55 catches for 976 yards and eight TD’s. He ranked ninth in the NSIC in receiving yards per game (88.7) and was 10th in total catches while recording five 100-yard receiving games this season.
France, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound junior defensive back, recorded 39 tackles this season (32 solo) with five pass breakups and one forced fumble. He had a season-high eight tackles vs. Bemidji State on Sept. 11.
Kowalczyk, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound freshman linebacker, led the Wildcat defense this season with 85 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss for 50 yards. He also had three sacks, three pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry. Kowalczyk ranked fifth in the NSIC in total tackles, seventh in tackles per game (7.7) and 10th in tackles for a loss. He was the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 11 after recording 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack in Wayne State’s 35-24 win at No. 11 Minnesota State.
Parker, a 6-foot-4, 285-pound junior defensive tackle, was fifth on the Wildcat defense in total tackles this season with 41 while also recording 10 tackles for loss (40 yds) and four sacks (26 yds) with one blocked kick. He had a season-high eight tackles at Bemidji State Sept. 11.
Ransom, a 6-foot, 195-pound senior defensive back, had 39 tackles with a team-leading four interceptions and eight pass breakups this season. He was tied for third in the NSIC with 12 passes defended this season and tied for fourth in the league interceptions with four. Ransom had five tackles and two interceptions that included a 34-yard return for a touchdown in a 48-0 win over Minot State Sept. 18.
Wayne State finished the 2021 season with a 7-4 record (3-3 NSIC South Division), the first seven-win season for the Wildcats since 2011.
