ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Indiana State's Garret Ollendieck and Maddix Blackwell were both named to the Missouri Valley Football's preseason All-Conference First Team as the conference's preseason poll and All-MVFC selections were announced on Monday afternoon.
 
Ollendieck (linebacker) and Blackwell (defensive back) both earned preseason First Team accolades for the first time, while Gianini Belizaire (defensive line) and Geoffrey Brown (linebacker) were both honored on the conference's Honorable Mention team as voted on by the league's head coaches, SIDs, and media members.
 
The Sycamores were picked 10th overall in the Valley's preseason poll receiving 68 total points. Reigning national champion South Dakota State was voted the preseason favorite with 482 points and 42 first-place votes, while North Dakota State (437, 1 first-place), and South Dakota (371) rounded out the top three in the rankings.
 
Ollendieck finished just shy of 100 tackles finishing with 97 in his second full season with the Sycamores. The Cresco, Iowa native took over as the Sycamores' starting middle linebacker early in the season and the move paid dividends immediately. Ollendieck finished the season with four consecutive double-digit tackling efforts including a 15-stop game against Youngstown State.
 
The linebacker was dominant at the point of attack, particularly along the line of scrimmage. He finished third in the MVFC in sacks (7.5) and second overall in tackles-for-loss (13.0) in the regular season. Ollendieck posted a four-game stretch against South Dakota, North Dakota, Youngstown State, and Western Illinois where he recorded a combined 47 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, and three quarterback hurries. He added a pick-six for the Sycamores returning an interception 27 yards for the score against Illinois State.
 
Blackwell made major strides in his first full season starting at safety for the Sycamores. The Bloomington, Ind. native became the first Indiana State player to post 100-plus tackles in a single season since Jonas Griffith (2019) on his way to posting 107 stops on the year. He led the Valley in tackles per game (9.73) and recorded seven games with double-digit stops including a season-high 15 against Youngstown State, while adding 13 at North Dakota and 12 in the season finale against Southern Illinois.
 
He was adept in the turnover game playing a part in five fumbles and two interceptions on the year. Blackwell scored ISU's first points of the 2023 season with a 75-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Indiana and added a 15-yard fumble scoop-and-score against Southern Illinois in the season finale. He added a third fumble recovery against Ball State to finish second in the MVFC with three recoveries. Blackwell also posted interceptions against both Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois.
 
Belizaire lined up and started all 11 games at defensive tackle for the Sycamores over the course of the 2023 season. The Gonaives, Haiti native was explosive in the backfield with 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks among his 15 tackles in the season. Highlighting his junior season included a season-high three-tackle, 1.0 TFL game at Southern Illinois, while adding two tackles, 1.5 TFLs, and a sack at Ball State.
 
Brown finished third on the Sycamores in the 2023 season with 76 total tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss from his linebacker position. The Fishers, Ind. native recorded a season-high 14 tackles with 1.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks against Youngstown State, while adding a second 10-tackle game with an interception in the season finale at Southern Illinois. Always around the ball, Brown recorded at least five tackles in nine of the 11 games played in the 2023 season.
 
The Sycamores report for fall camp on Tuesday, July 30, and will officially start their fall practice slate on Wednesday, July 31.
 
Indiana State Season Tickets On Sale Now
Season ticket membership renewals and new season ticket memberships remain on sale online for the upcoming 2024 season.
 
Season tickets for the six ISU home football games will start at $60 for adults and $30 for youth. Faculty, staff, seniors, and members of the I-Club can purchase tickets for $55.
 
Additionally, anyone who renews or buys a reserved seat in Section F will have the option to rent a seat chairback for the season. Chairback rentals are available for $20.
 
Access to Touchdown Corner is available with Varsity Club status starting at just $125. Contact the Sycamore Athletic Fund at 812-237-6134 for more information.
 
Indiana State will employ mobile ticketing as the default option for all home games during the 2024 football season, enabling contactless entry into athletics venues. Offering greater convenience and safety, fans can access their ticket online and transfer to family and friends. Fans will also have the option to get their tickets printed for an additional $5 charge.
 
For more information on season tickets, fans can contact Assistant Manager of Athletic Ticketing Grant Manning by phone at 812-237-8972 or via email at Grant.Manning@indstate.edu. Fans can also call 877-ISU-TIXS or email ISU-Tickets@indstate.edu. Fans have the opportunity to also buy or renew season tickets online by clicking HERE.

Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Football, visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.