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Spring Football Game 2023 700.4835 Western Illinois Football hosted the annual Bruce Craddock Spring Game on April 21, 2023 on Hanson Field in Macomb, IL. The defense topped the offense with a 27-21 victory.
Sarah Ritter

MVFC Reveals Preseason Polls

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

DelaCruz, Ross get preseason honors; WIU slotted 12th

The Missouri Valley Football Conference revealed its preseason poll and projections for the 2023 season with a pair of Leathernecks getting honors.

Western Illinois University is playing its final season in the conference before joining the Ohio Valley Conference in the fall of 2024.

Western Illinois' returning leading tackler, Juan DelaCruz was named to the Second Team All-MVFC. Last season, DelaCruz led Western Illinois with 88 tackles. His seven quarterback hurries also led the team. DelaCruz was named Third Team Preseason All MVFC by Phil Steele last Friday.

Also receiving preseason accolades was defensive back JJ Ross. Ross finished last year with 35 tackles and a team-high two interceptions. Ross was named Second Team Preseason All-MVFC by Phil Steele.

On the team front, the Leathernecks were projected 12th in the conference, getting 65 points in a preseason poll conducted by coaches, media and sports information directors around the league.

Defending National Champion South Dakota State was named league favorite while National Runner-up North Dakota State was preseason picked second. Western Illinois begins the season on September 2, visiting New Mexico State.
 
PRESEASON POLL
1. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (44) .. 539
2. NORTH DAKOTA STATE (1) .. 492
3. NORTHERN IOWA .. 409
4. NORTH DAKOTA .. 399
5. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS .. 337
6. YOUNGSTOWN STATE .. 323
7. ILLINOIS STATE .. 269
8. MISSOURI STATE .. 229
9. SOUTH DAKOTA .. 226
10. INDIANA STATE .. 148
11. MURRAY STATE .. 74
12. WESTERN ILLINOIS .. 65
 
FIRST TEAM
QB Mark Gronowski, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
RB Isaiah Davis, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
RB Justin Dinka, INDIANA STATE
FB Hunter Brozio, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
WR Jaxon Janke, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
WR Bo Belquist, NORTH DAKOTA
WR Bryce Oliver, YOUNGSTOWN STATE
TE Zach Heins, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
OL Mason McCormick, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
OL Garret Greenfield, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
OL Donny Ventrelli, NORTH DAKOTA
OL Jalen Sundell, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
OL Jaison Williams, YOUNGSTOWN STATE
 
DL Khristian Boyd, NORTHERN IOWA
DL Ben McNaboe, NORTH DAKOTA
DL Dylan Wudke, YOUNGSTOWN STATE
DL Eli Mostaert, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
LB Adam Bock, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
LB Brock Mogensen, SOUTH DAKOTA
LB Stephen Hillis, SOUTH DAKOTA
LB Branson Combs, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
DB Woo Governor, NORTHERN IOWA
DB DyShawn Gales, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
DB PJ Jules, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
DB Rylan Cole, INDIANA STATE
DB Myles Harden, SOUTH DAKOTA
 
PK Matthew Cook, NORTHERN IOWA
P Grant Burkett, MISSOURI STATE
LS Caden Bolz, MISSOURI STATE
RS Jayden Price, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
AP Carter Bell, SOUTH DAKOTA
 
SECOND TEAM
QB Theo Day, NORTHERN IOWA
RB TaMerik Williams, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
RB Travis Theis, SOUTH DAKOTA
RB Jacardia Wright, MISSOURI STATE
FB Mike Morgan, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
WR D'Ante' Cox, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
WR Jadon Janke, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
WR Sam Schnee, NORTHERN IOWA
TE Alex Allen, NORTHERN IOWA
TE Joe Stoffel, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
OL Jared Penning, NORTHERN IOWA
OL Isaac Erbes, SOUTH DAKOTA
OL Jake Kubas, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
OL Jose Vazquez IV, INDIANA STATE
OL Brandon Westberg, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
OL Hunter Zambrano, ILLINOIS STATE
 
DL Will Mostaert, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
DL Lucas Hunter, INDIANA STATE
DL Cade Terveer, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
DL Chris Fitzgerald, YOUNGSTOWN STATE
LB Jason Freeman, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
LB Juan DelaCruz, WESTERN ILLINOIS
LB Geoffrey Brown, INDIANA STATE
LB Isaiah Stalbird, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
LB Cole Wisniewski, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
DB C.J. Siegel, NORTH DAKOTA
DB Dalys Beanum , SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
DB Jayden Price, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
DB PJ Hall, MISSOURI STATE
DB Dillon Gearhart, ILLINOIS STATE
 
PK Griffin Crosa, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
P Hunter Dustman, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
LS Sam Merryman, YOUNGSTOWN STATE
RS C.J. Siegel, NORTH DAKOTA
RS Jadon Janke, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
AP Jalen Carr, ILLINOIS STATE
 
HONORABLE MENTION
QB Nic Baker, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
QB Tommy Schuster, NORTH DAKOTA
HM Cole Mueller, ILLINOIS STATE
HM Amar Johnson, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
FB Jake Benio, YOUNGSTOWN STATE
WR Carter Bell, SOUTH DAKOTA
WR Sergio Morancy, NORTHERN IOWA
WR Zach Mathis, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
WR Taylor Shields, MURRAY STATE
TE Stetson Moore, MISSOURI STATE
OL Gus Miller, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
OL Easton Kilty, NORTH DAKOTA
OL Chase Evans, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
OL Jacob Frye, MURRAY STATE
OL Brayden Bryant, NORTH DAKOTA
OL Keagan Trost, INDIANA STATE
 
DL Ryan Van Marel, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
DL Josh Dinga, ILLINOIS STATE
DL Cordarrius Bailey, NORTHERN IOWA
DL Gianini Belizaire, INDIANA STATE
DL Brendan Webb, SOUTH DAKOTA
LB Wyatt Pedigo, NORTH DAKOTA
LB Von Young, MISSOURI STATE
LB Greg Benton, YOUNGSTOWN STATE
LB Nick Kubitz, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
DB JJ Ross, WESTERN ILLINOIS
DB Keondre Jackson, ILLINOIS STATE
DB Dennis Shorter, SOUTH DAKOTA
DB Quincy Lenton, YOUNGSTOWN STATE
DB Johnathan Edwards, INDIANA STATE
DB Jeff Bowens, ILLINOIS STATE
PK Hunter Dustman, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
 
P Noah Pettinger, NORTHERN IOWA
LS Isaiah Garman, NORTHERN IOWA
RS Carter Bell, SOUTH DAKOTA
RS Jalen Carr, ILLINOIS STATE
AP Red WIlson, NORTH DAKOTA
 
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