ST. LOUIS - North Dakota State led all schools with seven first-team picks on the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference team announced Monday, Nov. 29. The team was selected by a vote of the league's head coaches, media and sports information directors.

NDSU's Christian Watson took two spots on the first team as a wide receiver and all-purpose player. Fullback Hunter Luepke, offensive tackles Cordell Volson and Cody Mauch, defensive end Brayden Thomas and safety Michael Tutsie also made the first team.

Thomas, the league leader in sacks and tackles for loss per game, finished second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year behind Northern Iowa lineman Jared Brinkman, who won the award for the second straight year.

Watson is now a five-time all-conference honoree and just the 10th player in league history to earn three all-conference first- or second-team honors at wide receiver. He finished the regular season ranked second in the MVFC with 18.97 yards per reception and has a team-high 18 plays of 20-plus yards including four TD receptions of 65 or more yards.

NDSU had four second-team selections in tight end Josh Babicz, linebackers Jackson Hankey and Jasir Cox, and return specialist Jayden Price. It is the third time NDSU has had a pair of linebackers named to the all-conference first or second team in the same season.

Honorable mentions included Bison tight end Noah Gindorff, and defensive tackles Eli Mostaert and Lane Tucker.

South Dakota State led all schools with 12 total selections on the first and second teams, and Missouri State had 10 honorees.

The league's all-newcomer team will be announced Tuesday, Nov. 30, and the all-academic team will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 1.

No. 2 seed North Dakota State is scheduled to host Southern Illinois in the second round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4.