University of Mary Athletics

Paul Cronin
Outstanding Athlete
Football 1994-95

A dynamic quarterback with the ability to throw scoring strikes from any spot on the field, Paul Cronin led the University of Mary football team to the NAIA semifinals for the first time in school history as a senior in 1995. The Santa Rosa, CA, native set Marauders single season records with 2,933 yards passing and 32 touchdowns in his final year on his way to earning All-North Dakota College Athletic Conference honors for a second straight year.

After graduating Piner High School, Paul attended Mendacino Junior College for two seasons. The Marauders won a recruiting war to bring this outstanding athlete to U-Mary for the 1994 season when head coach Tom Shea convinced Paul that “it doesn’t snow in Bismarck – at least until October.”

Paul made an immediate impact on the Marauders in 1994, including setting a school record by throwing six touchdowns in a single game. U-Mary defeated Jamestown College 49-22 behind Paul’s 50 passes in the game to claim the unofficial title of “private school champions of North Dakota.” A seventh touchdown was also thrown in the contest to set a team mark. For the season, Paul threw for 23 touchdowns and 2,037 yards and the Marauders finished 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the NDCAC.

The Marauders made a national impact in 1995. After opening the season with eight straight wins, U-Mary would close out the season with a 9-1 mark overall and 5-1 in the NDCAC. The Marauders opened the NAIA playoffs with a 14-8 road win at Dickinson State University to avenge the team’s only loss of the season. The Marauders then defeated the University of Sioux Falls 42-17 at home before falling one game short of the championship game, losing 48-7 at Central Washington to a team led by long-time NFL quarterback Jon Kitna. U-Mary’s final record of 11-2 and national final four appearance ties the 1999 squad for best marks in school history.

Paul threw for 4,970 yards and 55 touchdowns in just two seasons and is third all-time in Marauders history in both categories.

A University of Mary graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical and Health Education, Paul is the head football coach at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, and has taken his squad to the state championship game twice. Paul and his wife Tracy, who is a native of Rugby, ND, have three children. Haley is five years old, Madison is three, and Jackson one.