VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSU) – Valley City State University football coach Dennis McCulloch announced today the addition of 29 student-athletes who have signed letters of intent to continue their football careers at VCSU.
The group of VCSU recruits includes 14 North Dakota natives, 10 players from Minnesota, two from Arizona, and one each from South Dakota, Alaska and Nebraska.
“We are excited to welcome a new group of student-athletes to VCSU,” said coach McCulloch. “We’ve recruited a good group of young men who we believe fit the culture of our program. We look forward to having them come in and compete this fall.”
VCSU recruiting is ongoing, and several more recruits are expected to officially sign in the coming days and weeks.
“After winning four straight conference championships, we know there’s a target on our back week in and week out,” McCulloch said. “We’re excited to see how this group responds to the challenge of keeping Viking football atop the North Star Athletic Association and among the top programs in the country.”
Two of Wednesday’s signees will be joining their brothers on the team. Jake Peterson of Larimore, N.D., joins brother PJ, and Drew Aronson of Crary, N.D., joins brother Tate. Kellen Kessler of Appleton, Minn., will follow in the footsteps of his father Thomas, who played at VCSU.
Several players’ high school head coaches are VCSU alums. Carter Zetocha (Greg Dobitz, Oakes, N.D.), Justin Hanson (Davy Zinke, Central Dakota), Luis Montano (Tyler Kosel, Gila Ridge, Ariz.), Seth Abaurrea (Marty Hochalter, Carrington, N.D.) and Harrison Hammel (Scott Roehrich, Valley City, N.D.) all come from high school programs of former VCSU players.
Valley City State University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and plays its conference games in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA).
VCSU won its fourth straight conference championship last season, going 6-0 in the NSAA. The Vikings finished the season 9-2 overall, advanced to the NAIA National Playoffs, and were ranked No. 16 in the final NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.
North Dakota (14)
Zachery Danelson – Minot, Minot High School, LB, 5-10, 205 lbs
Eli Luna – Towner, TGU High School, WR, 5-8, 150 lbs
Andrew Hanretty – Rolla, St. John Public School, WR, 5-11, 150 lbs
Justin Hanson – Hannaford, Griggs County Central High School, OL, 6-0, 305 lbs
Dakota Johnson – Minot, Bishop Ryan High School, DL, 5-11, 197 lbs
Harrison Hammel – Valley City, Valley City High School, K, 6-0, 160 lbs
AJ Dale – Mandan, Shiloh Christian School, RB, 5-7, 185 lbs
Marshall White – Berthold, Lewis & Clark/Our Redeemers School, RB, 5-11, 200 lbs
Seth Abaurrea – Carrington, Carrington High School, RB, 5-10, 150 lbs
Drew Aronson – Crary, Lakota High School, LB, 5-10, 195 lbs
Brady Matheny – Lisbon, Lisbon High School, DL, 6-0, 250 lbs
Jake Peterson – Larimore, Larimore High School, WR/TE, 6-3, 180 lbs
Riley Schmaltz – Dickinson, Dickinson High School, LB, 5-10, 210 lbs
Carter Zetocha – Crete, Oakes High School, WR, 6-0, 155 lbs
Minnesota (10)
Eli Rahier – Northome, Northome School, RB, 5-9, 186 lbs
Dalton Jorgensen – Halstad, Norman County West High School, OL, 6-0, 265 lbs
Ben Lien – Moorhead, Moorhead High School, LB, 5-10, 190 lbs
DeForrest Nelson – Hitterdal, Ulen-Hitterdal Public School, LB, 6-0, 215 lbs
Jake Anderson – Randall, Little Fall Community High School, DL, 6-2, 235 lbs
Melvin Joyce – Champlin, Champlin Park High School, DL, 6-1, 230 lbs
Kellen Kessler – Appleton, Lac Qui Parle High School, WR, 5-11, 160 lbs
Dominic Kruse – Thief River Falls, Lincoln Senior High School, LB, 6-0, 190 lbs
Lawrence Ogunti – Brooklyn Center, Park Center Senior High School, QB, 6-0, 170 lbs
Swin Sinthavong – Waite Park, Apollo High School, DL, 5-11, 280 lbs
South Dakota (1)
Jackson Doeden – Groton, Groton High School, DB, 5-11, 185 lbs
Alaska (1)
Isaiah Dawkins – Wasilla, Wasilla High School, WR, 6-3, 179 lbs
Nebraska (1)
Danny Newton – Papillion, Papillion-La Vista High School, OL, 6-1, 270 lbs
Arizona (2)
Derek Edgin – Desert Edge High School (Goodyear), DL, 5-11, 250 lbs
Luis Montano – Yuma, Gila Ridge High School, DB, 5-10, 170 lbs
