LINK TO ALL-NSIC FOOTBALL TEAM

MINOT, N.D. – Defense made a huge impact on the gridiron this fall for the Minot State football team so it is no surprise that a trio of team leaders on that side of the ball were honored by the NSIC on Wednesday.

The Beavers' Isaiah Bigby, Knylen Miller-Levi, and Carson Cayko each were recognized for their play this season as the league's coaches voted each to the 2023 All-NSIC Football Team.

Bigby and Miller-Levi were named to the All-NSIC Defensive First Team, while Cayko was named to the All-NSIC Defensive Second Team. The honor is the third time Bigby and Miller-Levi have been named All-NSIC performers, while it is the first for Cayko.

Bigby is a junior defensive back from Las Vegas, Nevada who was named to the All-NSIC Team following the 2019 season and last fall, as well.

This season, Bigby led the Beavers with 89 tackles as he became the all-time leader in tackles in Minot State history with 238 career tackles. He also intercepted two passes, recovered two fumbles, broke up three passes, and had 2.5 tackles for loss.

Miller-Levi, a senior defensive back from Las Vegas, Nevada who was named a Second Team AFCA All-American last season, also was named to the All-NSIC Team in 2021 and 2022.

He finished his senior season with 49 tackles, third-most on the team, had one interception making him No. 3 all-time with 11 career interceptions, he forced two fumbles, broke up eight passes, and had seven tackles for a loss, second-most on the team.

He also added a 100-yard kick-off return for a touchdown, the second career kick-off return for a touchdown in his Beaver career.

Cayko, a junior linebacker from Fairview, Montana was second on the team with 71 tackles, giving him 192 in his career which ranks No. 4 all-time. He also led the Beavers in sacks with five, and tackles for loss with 12.5, giving him 28 tackles for a loss in his career which is a new all-time Minot State record. He also forced a fumble, broke up three passes, and scored a safety.