Gratzek, Arndt Receive Magazine's Preseason Valley Football First Team Honors
8/9/2010 1:45:00 PM | Football
CLEVELAND, Ohio--North Dakota State University was selected to finish in a three-way tie for fourth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, while defensive tackle Matthew Gratzek and offensive tackle Michael Arndt were first team preseason all-conference picks by the editorial staff of Phil Steele's College Football magazine.
Northern Iowa was picked No. 1, while defending Valley Football champion Southern Illinois and Illinois State were tied at second. The three-way tie for No. 4 included the Bison, South Dakota State and Missouri State. Western Illinois, Youngstown State and Indiana State rounded out the magazine's preseason poll.
The magazine's write-up said, "The Bison were much better than their record in '09 and despite just 12 ret (offensive/defensive) starters could surpise in 2010."
Gratzek, 6-foot-2 1/2, 289-pound senior from Argyle, Minn. (Stephen-Argyle H.S.), recorded 50 tackles including 22 solos and 10.5 tackles for loss last season. He started in all 11 games last season and has 22 starts in his career. Gratzek was a second team all-conference selection in 2009. Defensive end Coulter Boyer and linebacker Brandon Jemison were selected to the magazine's all-MFVC second team. Boyer was the team leader in sacks, while Jemison was named to the conference's all-Newcomer team in 2009.
Arndt, a 6-foot-6 3/4, 318-pound senior from LaMoure, N.D. (LaMoure H.S.), has appeared in 26 games during his career including 13 starting assigments. He has blocked for three straight 1,000-yard rushers. Offensive center Austin Richard was selected to the magazine's all-conference second team. Richard was a two-time offensive lineman of the week last season and earned honorable mention on the all-MFVC team.
The Bison open the season at Kansas on Sept. 4. NDSU finished the 2009 season with a 3-8 record overall including a 2-6 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bison were picked sixth in the Valley Football preseason poll.
