NORTH DAKOTA SPORTS INFORMATION
University of North Dakota head coach Bubba Schweigert announced the additions of punter Austin Dussold and wide receiver Demun Mercer to his team’s football roster on Friday. Dussold played the 2013 and 2014 seasons at Missouri S&T before sitting out last season, while Mercer spent his first three collegiate seasons at Texas State.
“Punter and wide receiver were two positions where we needed to add some depth and to be able to bring in a pair of experienced players at the NCAA level will help us fill those needs,” Schweigert said. “Both Austin and Demun have played a lot of football early in their college careers and we expect them to be immediate contributors to our program’s success.”
Dussold was the Miners’ starting punter in both of his seasons with the NCAA Division II program, averaging 36.8 yards per punt and downing 36 punts inside the 20-yard line during his two-year career. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder also had 10 50-plus yard punts to his credit. The Farmington, Mo., native will have two seasons of eligibility for the Fighting Hawks.
Mercer, who hails from La Marque, Texas, redshirted his first season for the Bobcats in 2013 before catching 28 passes for 289 and four touchdowns over the past two seasons for the FBS program in the Sun Belt Conference. As a sophomore at TSU, the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder appeared in all 12 games and was fifth on the team with 19 catches for 235 yards and two touchdowns.
As a prep senior, Mercer played quarterback at La Marque High School where he was named his District’s MVP after throwing for 1,067 yards and rushing for 1,136.Mercer will also have two seasons to play at UND.
The Fighting Hawks open the 2016 season at Stony Brook on Thursday, Sept. 1. Season tickets for UND’s five-game home schedule are currently on sale and single-game tickets go on sale Wednesday, Aug. 3. Fans can visit www.UNDSports.com/tickets for more information.
