BURNSVILLE, Minn. – For the first time at the NCAA DII level, the University of Sioux Falls Athletics Department ranks third overall in the 2018-19 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference All-Sports standings through the fall season, according to an announcement by the league today. 

USF, which finished a program-best fourth in the final standings in 2017-18, was led by the Men's Cross Country Team which won the program's first-ever NSIC Championship and has advanced to the NCAA DII National Championships. The Volleyball Team had a history-making season in finishing fifth overall and advancing to the NSIC Tournament semifinals for the first time. The USF Women's Cross Country Team recorded a program-best fourth place at the league championships. The USF Soccer Team was 11^th and tied a program-high for most wins in a season. And, the USF Football Team was fifth overall (7-4) in the league and tied for second in the NSIC South with a 25^th consecutive winning season.
 
"We had outstanding seasons from all our teams and student-athletes performed at a high level across the board," USF Interim Director of Athletics Pam Gohl said. "The NSIC Championship by the USF Men's Cross Country Team was exciting and now gives us three overall champions (Football, Overall Champion, 2016; Women's Basketball, NSIC Tournament Champion, 2015-16) in six-plus years in the NSIC. We are proud of all the teams, student-athletes and coaches for their hard work and dedication while continuing to excel in the classroom and doing service work," said Gohl.

After finishing fourth overall last spring, the Cougars have moved up through the fall sports seasons. USF earned 53.5 points and are tied with Augustana for third overall. In the men's standings, the Cougars are tied for third with 23.5 points and rank fifth in the women's standings with 30 overall points. In the overall standings, Minnesota State amassed 62 points and holds a four-point edge on Minnesota Duluth (58) after the completion of five fall sports.  Minnesota State also holds the edge in the men's standings with 25 points which is a point ahead of UMD.  Minnesota State tops the women's leader board with 37 points which is three points ahead of UMD.

Overall rankings – 1. Minnesota State, 62; 2. Minnesota Duluth, 58; 3. Sioux Falls, 53.5; 3. Augustana, 53.5; 5. Winona State, 45.50; 6. Northern State, 44.50; 7. Concordia St. Paul, 43.50; 8. MSU Moorhead, 41.00; 9. St. Cloud State, 38.50; 10. U-Mary, 35.00; 12. SMSU, 30.50; 13. Wayne State, 27.0; 14. Minot State, 25.00; 15. Upper Iowa, 16.00; 16. Minnesota Crookston, 5.00.

Men's rankings – 1. Minnesota  State, 25.0; 2. Minnesota Duluth, 24.0; 3. Sioux Falls, 23.5; 3. MSU Moorhead, 23.5; 5. Augustana, 21.5; 6. Winona State, 17.5; 7. Concordia St. Paul, 14.0; 8. Northern State, 11.5; 9. St. Cloud State, 10.5; 9. Bemidji State, 10.5; 11. SMSU, 9.5; 12. U-Mary, 9.0; 13. Wayne State College, 6.0; 14. Upper Iowa, 4.0; 14. Minot State, 4.0; 16. Minnesota Crookston, 2.0

Women's rankings – 1. Minnesota State, 37.0; 2. Minnesota Duluth, 34.0; 3. Northern State, 33.0; 4. Augustana, 32.0; 5. Sioux Falls, 30.0; 6. Concordia-St. Paul, 29.5; 7. Winona State, 28.0; 7. St. Cloud State, 28.0; 9. U-Mary, 26.0; 10. Bemidji State, 22.0; 11. Wayne State, 21.0; 11. SMSU, 21.0; 11. Minot State, 21.0; 14. MSU Moorhead, 17.5; 15. Upper Iowa, 12.0; 15. Minnesota Crookston, 2.0

In its seventh year in the NSIC, USF has placed seventh or better every year. The winner of each title in a conference-sponsored championship receives points totaling the number of teams in that sport plus one. The next place finisher receives points totaling the number of teams less the number of places from first place. Ties in the standings at any level shall result in the totaling of points and equal distribution. 

Quick Look at USF's success this fall
 
The Men's Cross Country squad, directed by Doug Petersen, advanced to the NCAA DII National for a second straight year and fourth time overall with a third place finish at the NCAA DII Central Region Meet. USF was led by Mason Phillips, who was fifth, and Zach Lundberg, who took eighth. With Steven Brown finishing 18^th and Jase Kraft, 20^th, the Cougars placed four in the top 20. Phillips, Lundberg, Brown and Kraft all earned all-region honors. USF also won the NSIC Championship for the first time and were led by Brown, who became the third USF student-athlete to win a conference title. At the meet, USF captured four of the top five spots to win with 32 points. The USF Men's Team will compete at the DII nationals in Pittsburg, Pa., in December.

The USF Football Team, directed by Jon Anderson, finished in a tie for fifth overall at 7-4 and claimed a tie for second in the NSIC South with Winona State with a 5-2 record. The Cougars recorded a 25^th consecutive winning season which is the sixth-best across all divisions of the NCAA. USF had 14 players named All-League and Gabriel Watson was selected the NSIC Offensive Player of the Year.  Watson, who led NCAA DII with 1,957 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, was named a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the DII Player of the Year. Senior offensive tackle Trey Pipkins was named a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award as the Lineman of the Year in NCAA DII.  Named to the All-NSIC first-team was Watson, Pipkins, tight end Clint Sigg and sophomore cornerback Hakeem Johnson. Second team All-NSIC honorees from USF was offensive guard Nolan Kern, wide receiver Michael Maxwell, running back Colton Myles, offensive tackle Adam Sheffield, defensive tackle Steven McKee, linebacker Brody Grantham, wide receiver and kick returner Nate Johnson. In addition, the Cougars had three players named honorable mention All-NSIC and they included center Nick Zimmerman, free safety Tucker Stout and linebacker Harvey (Michael) Enalls. USF finished the regular season ranked ninth in NCAA DII in rushing and 18^th in total offense.

USF Soccer, directed by head coach Brittany Domino, finished 5-11-2, which tied for most wins in the program's D2 era. They were 4-9-2 in NSIC competition with a third-team all-league honoree in Lily McKown.

USF Volleyball, directed by Joel McCartney, finished a program-best fifth in the league with a program-best 20-10 overall mark. In a history making season, the Cougars won 14-of-20 league matches and had three all-league selections. The all-league honorees included the program's first-ever first team honorees in Bria Barfnecht and Lexi Scott. Sophomore Averey Yaksich was named second team All-NSIC as USF had three-all-league honorees for the first time. In addition, the Cougars advanced to the NSIC d6a5Postseason Tournament semifinals for the first time and was ranked as high as sixth – a program-high – for the first time in the NCAA DII Central Region rankings. Makenna Rockeman (1,285) set a career kills mark while both Lexi Scott (1,001), and Bria Barfnecht (1,068) also recording over 1K in kills as the trio became the first in school history to go over the 1,000 mark on the same team. Barfnecht was named Nov. 21 as USF's first-ever AVCA All-Region (Central) selection and will be considered for All-American.

In Women's Cross Country, USF, led by head coach Doug Petersen, finished a program-best fourth at the league championships as freshman Taryn Ceglowski placed a program-best fifth. The Cougars were 17^th at the NCAA DII Central Regional.