Bison’s Dempsey, Kuhnert Named to AFCA FCS All-American First Team

This marks Dempsey's second straight AFCA All-America award

FARGO, N.D. — (NDSU Athletics) North Dakota State right guard Austin Kuhnert and free safety Tre Dempsey were named to the American Football Coaches Association FCS All-America first team Wednesday, Dec. 20.  It is Dempsey’s second straight AFCA All-America award.

Kuhnert, a senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., has started 50 games and played 54 of 59 possible contests in four years at three different positions on the offensive line for the Bison.  At right guard this year, he led the Bison during the regular season with an 86 percent technique grade and was second on the team with 31 knockdowns.  He was a first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference pick.

Dempsey, a senior from Lakeland, Fla., leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference with six interceptions and has four pass breakups.  He is tied for second in NDSU history and is first among FCS active players with 16 career interceptions.  Dempsey has 47 tackles including 28 solo stops this season, plus one interception return for a touchdown.

No. 2 seed North Dakota State (13-1) advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game for the sixth time in seven years and will face top-seeded defending national champion James Madison (14-0) at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6.