ST. LOUIS – Sophomore kicker Jerry Nunez (Preseason All-MVFC) and redshirt senior running back LeMonte Booker (Honorable Mention) have both been named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason All-Conference Team, the Valley announced Monday morning.
 
Now in his second year as a Sycamore, Nunez is coming off an impressive freshman campaign as the starting place kicker for Indiana State. The Naples, Fla., native was named Second-Team All-MVFC and as a member of the MVFC All-Newcomer team after going 15-of-18 in field goals and 29-of-31 in PAT in 2016. He ended the year in the Valley lead for field goal percentage (83.3) and tied for the lead with 15 made field goals. His 1.36 field goals per game ranked him ninth in all of the FCS, and his 83.3 clip ranked 11th nationally as well. He was clutch from distance, nailing 7-of-8 from beyond 40 yards and a perfect 4-of-4 from 30-39 yards out with a career long of 46. In addition, Nunez was one of nine FCS kickers to start the season 7-for-7 or better.
 
Booker – a senior native of Orland Park, Ill. – missed the entire 2016 season due to an injury sustained during spring practices, but still commanded the respect of Valley voters to earn an Honorable Mention nod as a running back. Booker enters his final season with the Sycamores with 2,321 career all-purpose as a receiver and kick returner in addition to his duties in the backfield. His most recent season in 2015 looked bright after an explosive opener against Butler with 161 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, but was hampered by injuries throughout the season. That year he was voted Preseason Honorable Mention as a return specialist, as he was the top returning specialist in the Valley after a 2014 season which featured 413 kick return yards on 22 returns.
 
A new era in Sycamore Football will begin this fall under first-year head coach Curt Mallory. Indiana State went 4-7 in 2016, and will again play in the toughest conference in the FCS: the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Sycamores open at home under the lights for the first time since 2010 against regional non-conference rival Eastern Illinois on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.
 
Indiana State follows that up with two exciting non-conference games, starting with a trip to Rocky Top against Tennessee on Sept. 9 and a trip out to Virginia to take on Liberty on Sept. 16 – closing out a home-and-home that began in 2014 with a 38-19 Sycamore victory at Memorial Stadium.
 
The MVFC slate begins at Illinois State on Sept. 30. Sycamore fans will be able to catch Valley opponents North Dakota State (Oct. 7), Southern Illinois (Oct. 21, Homecoming), Youngstown State (Nov. 4) and Western Illinois (Nov. 11) at Memorial Stadium this season.
 
The MVFC Preseason Poll will be released Tuesday morning (July 25).
 
2017 Preseason All-MVFC Team
 
Offense:
QB – Taryn Christion, SDSU
RB – Lance Dunn, NDSU
RB – Steve McShane, WIU
RB – Brady Mangarelli, SDSU
FB – Kane Louscher, SDSU
WR – Malik Earl, MSU
WR – Spencer Schnell, ILS
WR – Jake Wieneke, SDSU
TE – Dallas Goedert, SDSU
OL – Jacob Judd, WIU
OL – Charlie Harmon, SDSU
OL – Vitas Hrynkiewicz, YSU
OL – Jacob Ohnesorge, SDSU
OL – Austin Olsen, SIU
OL – Justin Spencer, YSU
LS – James Fisher, NDSU
PK – Jerry Nunez, INS
 
Defense:
DL – Colby Isbell, MSU
DL – Dalton Keene, ILS
DL – Greg Menard, NDSU
DL – Kellen Soulek, SDSU
DL – Nate Tanguay, NDSU
LB – Armand Dellovade, YSU
LB – Nick DeLuca, NDSU
LB – Jared Farley, UNI
LB – Christian Rozeboom, SDSU
LB – Brett Taylor, WIU
DB – Tre Dempsey, NDSU
DB – Robbie Grimsley, NDSU
DB – Davontae Harris, ILS
DB – Alec Kocour, ILS
DB – Malcolm Washington, UNI
P – Mark Schuler, YSU
RS – Deion Holliman, MSU
 
Honorable Mention All-MVFC
 
Offense:
QB – Chris Streveler, USD
QB – Sean McGuire, WIU
RB – Trevor Allen, UNI
RB – LeMonte Booker, INS
FB – Hans Carmien, SIU
WR – Connor Iwema, SIU
WR – Darrius Shepherd, NDSU
WR – RJ Urzendowski, NDSU
OL – Coleman Clanton, MSU
OL – Austin Kuhnert, NDSU
OL – Cal Twait, UNI
PK – Sean Slattery, ILS
LS – Brandon Godsey, USD
 
Defense:
DL – Khalen Saunders, WIU
LB – McNeece Egbim, MSU
LB – Quentin Moon, WIU
DB – Elijah Campbell, UNI
DB – Jeremy Chinn, SIU
DB – Craig James, SIU
DB – Danny Rambo, USD
P – Brady Hale, SDSU
P – Sam Kuhter, UNI
RS – D.J. Davis, SIU
RS – Jalen Rima, UNI