No. 21 Winona State University travels to Wayne State College Thursday night to kick off the 2018 campaign. Game time between the Warriors and Wildcats is set for 6 p.m. in Wayne, Nebraska.

The Warriors have won three of their last four season-opening contest, including a 30-20 victory over No. 25 Bemidji State last year that would help propel the unranked Warriors on an eight-game winning streak to begin the 2017 season. Winona State owns an 18-4 all-time record against Wayne State, including three straight wins over the Wildcats, and victories in seven of the last eight meetings.

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THAT'S A WRAP: Behind one of the best defenses in the country in 2017, the Warriors posted a 10-2 record under NSIC Coach of the Year Tom Sawyer. Winona State appeared in the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time since 2007 and hosted its first home postseason game in over a decade. WSU's season came to an end in a hard-nosed 20-10 loss to the eventual National Champions – Texas A&M-Commerce. It marked the sixth 10-win season in program history, each coming during Sawyer's 22-year tenure.

PRESEASON PICK: Winona State has been tabbed second in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, behind Minnesota State Mankato. The Warriors have home games this season against each of the other top four teams in the conference preseason poll – Sioux Falls (3), Mankato (1) and Duluth (4). In the Division II NFCA Coaches' Preseason Poll, WSU was ranked No. 21 after spending eight weeks in the Top 25 last year, reaching as high as No. 10.

O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Seniors Michael Ferrante (DE), Nick Pridgeon (LB) and Colin Valley (OL), along with junior Michael Gomez (DL) have been named captains of the 2018 Warriors squad. It marks the second straight season Pridgeon has been dubbed a team captain.

NEW SIGNAL CALLER: For the second straight year, Winona State will have a new starting quarterback under center. Sophomore Owen Burke has been named the opening night starter against Wayne State. Burke appeared in six games, making three starts, last season and went 28-60 with four touchdowns. Junior John Rumpza is slated as Burke's backup to begin the year.

GROUND & POUND: The Warriors enjoyed plenty of success on the ground offensively last season with their four top options all returning in 2018. Junior Javian Roebuck and senior Eric Birth were a fierce one-two punch, each rushing for over 600 yards and seven touchdowns. Also in the mix are sophomores Landon Jacobson and Sam Santiago-Lloyd who combined for over 500 yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2017.

SOMETHING SPECIAL: Kickers beware of Winona's junior return specialist Jake Balliu. In 2017, Balliu led all Division II players and set a new school record with 504 punt return yards. He was fifth in the country with 936 combined return yards while bringing back two punts and one kickoff for touchdowns. Balliu led the NSIC in kick return average (28.8 yards) and punt return average (14.8).

SECOND TO NONE: Winona State's ball-hawking secondary ranked second in the country last season with 24 interceptions and the Warrior defense ranked third in turnovers gained (37). WSU ranked sixth overall in scoring defense (14.6 ppg). Despite losing the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year, Andrew Spencer, the Warriors are poised for another strong season on the defensive side of the ball. WSU returns players who accounted for 15 of those 24 interceptions a year ago. Pridgeon picked off four, followed by Romario Gayle, Isaiah Hall and Cole Monckton with two apiece.