SATURDAY
The University of Mary makes its first road trip of the 2017 season when the Marauders visit Wayne State College in Wayne, NE. The Northern Sun crossover contest between North and South division foes is set for 6 pm at Bob Cunningham Field. It is Family weekend for the Wildcats.  

THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 0-1 overall and in the Northern Sun... The Wildcats are 0-1 overall and the Northern Sun. Neither team has yet played a divisional game.

LAST WEEK
The Marauders opened the season with a 35-7 home loss to #20 Minnesota State University... The Wildcats dropped a 23-16 contest at Northern State.
LAST YEAR
The Marauders finished the 2016 season 1-10 overall and in the Northern Sun and 1-6 in the NSIC North division, placing 15th overall in the conference and sixth in the North division... The Wildcats finished 3-8 overall and in the Northern Sun and 2-5 in the NSIC South.  

FIVE NUMBERS TO KNOW
30 - This is the 30th season of Marauders football. After playing a junior varsity schedule in 1987, head coach Jim Driscoll led the 1988 squad to a 27-18 home win in the program's first varsity game. UMary will honor the members of the 1988 team - known as The Originals - the weekend of Sept. 30 when Minot State visits.

25 - Twenty-five players made their Marauders debut against Minnesota State.  

8 - Eight Marauders made their first collegiate start against the Mavericks (Tyson Carney, DeShawn Gay, Michael Buster, Jarad Zittleman, Casey Uhler, Cyrano Rayfield, Daniel Hudrlik and Brady Zittleman)

41% - After converting just 29 percent of their 3rd down conversion attempts last season, the Marauders converted 41 percent of their opportunities in the opener against Minnesota State (7-of-17). The squad exceeded that margin just twice last year.

37:30 - One facet of running the triple option is to control the clock. In addition to piling up 196 yards rushing, the Marauders held the ball for a full quarter more than the Mavericks in the opener.

HEAD COACHES
Josh Kotelnicki is in his fourth season as the head coach of the University of Mary. He is just the fifth varsity head coach in school history as the team begins its 30th season. Kotelnicki directed the Marauders to a 5-6 record in his first season in 2014 and is 7-27 lifetime (four years). Kotelnicki joined Mary after serving as the associate head coach at NCAA FCS University of North Dakota for two seasons (2012-13) and as UND's defensive coordinator in 2013. A native of Litchfield, Minn., Kotelnicki won an NCAA Division II title as a player at North Dakota and has been on winning teams as a coach at the NCAA FBS, FCS, and Division II levels. After starting his coaching career at UND, he has also worked at Murray State, Truman State, and NCAA FBS Kansas State before returning to UND... Dan McLaughlin is in his 13th year as head football coach at Wayne State College entering. McLaughlin is the all-time wins leader at WSC and has a career record of 66-69 (.489) overall and 62-58 (.516) in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. He is the second-longest tenured coach in the NSIC, trailing only Winona State's Tom Sawyer (22 years), and is the second-longest tenured coach at WSC, trailing only Del Stoltenberg's 14-year tenure from 1969-82.

THE MARAUDERS-WILDCATS SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State College won the first five meetings in the series until UMary broke through with a 35-27 road win in 2013... The series began in 2007 when UMary played its first Northern Sun schedule... 2007: The first meeting between the two schools was for a berth in the Mineral Water Bowl. Both teams were tied for second in the NSIC - and finished the season tied for second - but WSC earned the postseason berth with the 35-30 win in the 19th Egg Bowl. Trailing 21-3, the Marauders pulled within 28-23 before Nick Baldetti returned an interception 75 yards to seal the Wildcats win. Blair Sandy threw for 242 yards and three scores and Jesse Laber had two sacks to lead UM. Logan Masters caught four passes for 130 yards for WSC... 2008: Henry Lau threw for 302 yards and two scores and Erik Kruse caught 12 balls for 119 yards in a 31-16 UM loss. Silas Fluellen passed for 267 yards and led WSC to a 24-3 lead... 2009: Fluellen completed 15-of-20 passes for 220 yards and four scores as WSC rolled past UM 47-21. Jamal Lomax ran for 114 yards and scored two TDs to lead the Marauders... 2010: The Marauders overcame a 13-point deficit to take a lead with 1:36 remaining on a Craig Bagnell 4 yard run but WSC would claim a 33-28 win when All-American Frank Bruno caught a 34 yard TD pass with 45 seconds left to play. Bagnell passed for 260 yards and Tyler Steffan made six catches for 114 yards. Lomax ran for 51. The Wildcats' Evan Johnson passed for 387 yards and ran for 35 to win NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Defensively, LB Buddy Wallace led the Marauders with two sacks and four tackles for loss while Marcus Broome had a game-high 14 tackles... 2011: WSC WR Mitch Montgomery caught consecutive touchdowns to break a 10-10 tie in a 31-24 Wildcats win. Montgomery caught four balls for 113 yards and two TDs. Josh Edwards passed for 283 yards and two scores for UMary and Josh Murray ran for 138 yards and scored on a 45 yard pass play and a one yard run... 2013: Nick Jolliffe caught three touchdowns and Elby Pope scored the winning touchdown on a punt return as the Marauders defeated Wayne State 34-27. It was UMary's first win over WSC. UMary opened the scoring on a 14 yard scoring catch by Jolliffe from Craig Bagnell but WSC ripped off the next 21 points. Bagnell found Jolliffe for another TD pass but the Marauders trailed 24-17 at half. The third Jolliffe TD catch tied the game in the third before Pope's 35 yard punt return pushed UMary ahead 31-24. Jolliffe caught 8 passes for 92 yards and 3 TDs. Bagnell completed 33-of-53 passes for 304 yards, three TDs and one interception. Pope returned three punts for 60 yards and caught six passes for 82 yards. Charlie Davidson ran for 142 yards and a score to lead the WSC offense. Defensively Troy Guptill posted three tackles for loss, forced two fumbles and recovered one... 2015: Adam Woroniecki led the Marauders with 108 yards rushing but the visiting Wildcats claimed a 24-10 win. WSC scored touchdowns in each of the first three quarters. UMary could only counter with a Cody Goetz field goal before Caleb Buck ran for a 1 yard TD with 1:21 left in the game. Ryan Ludlow ran for 165 yards to lead WSC. The Wildcats held a 416-281 edge in total yards.  
      
PAST MARAUDERS-WILDCATS MEETINGS
(Wildcats lead series 6-1)
2007: @WSC 35  UMary 30
2008: WSC 31 @ UMary 16
2009: @ WSC 47 UMary 21
2010: WSC 33 @ UMary 28
2011: @WSC 31 UMary 24
2013  UMary 34 @WSC 27
2015  WSC 24 @ UMary 10

QUICK LOOK AT THE WAYNE STATE COLLEGE WILDCATS
Senior QB Zach Osborn is two scoring passes away from tying all-time Wildcats great Silas Fluellen's career total of 76. Osborn is also second at Wayne State in passing yardage (8,648) and total offense (9,386). In the season-opening loss at Northern State Osborn passed for 262 yards and two scores. Rashad Trimble ran for 97 yards and Willie Walton had seven catches and 99 yards receiving against the Wolves. An experienced offense features nine upperclassmen in the starting lineup.  Defensively sophomore LB Tyler Thompson had a big game in the opener, posting 2.0 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and 13 total tackles. A little less experienced on defense, the Wildcats start seven sophomores.

WEEK 1 REWIND
Opening up at home on a Thursday night, the University of Mary ground out 196 yards rushing and held the ball for 37:30 but couldn't match the scoring production of #20 Minnesota State in a 35-7 loss. Both teams committed two turnovers on the night. The Mavericks turned both Marauders miscues into touchdowns, including the opening score of the game. UMary fumbled on the second play of the game. Six plays later Nate Gunn scored from 6 yards out for a 7-0 MSU lead. MSU doubled its lead on the Mavericks next possession and moved ahead 21-0 midway through the second quarter. Colton Farmer capped an 11 play 65 yard drive with a 1 yard scoring run to close UMary within 21-7 at half. After forcing MSU to punt on its opening possession of the second half, UMary couldn't take advantage. MSU then took its second possession of the 3rd quarter and drove 82 yards for a touchdown. Another UMary fumble, this time on a punt return, was converted into the Mavericks second score of the third quarter. Ford ran for 42 yards and completed 6-of-9 passes for 90 yards. DeShawn Gay added 42 yards rushing in his first college game. Noah Krebs had 10 tackles. Gunn led MSU with 165 yards rushing and two scores. Overall MSU ran for 273 yards and totaled 420 yards to 286 for UMary.  
 
STAR LIGHT STAR BRIGHT
For the second straight week the Marauders kickoff is set for 6 pm. Overall this season UMary plays four games that start at 6 pm or later.
RUSH HOUR
Soph. DL Daniel Hudrlik posted the first two sacks of his career against Minnesota State. He also had 2.5 tackles for loss. Hudrlik was second in the conference and sixth in the nation in sacks after opening weekend.

TOUCH
So. P Bailey Meyer averaged 41.7 yards per punt in the opener, placing three boots inside the 20 yard line. His longest effort of the day went 66 yards. He did have two touchbacks. Meyer also accounted for a UMary 1st down for roughing the kicker when he was hit by MSU after kicking ball .

BROTHERS
Senior defensive back Brady Zittleman and his younger brother, redshirt freshman Jarad Zittleman, both started in the defensive backfield against Minnesota State. It was the first time the two Mandan, ND, natives have played together in a varsity contest. Jarad registered six tackles and Brady had five. Both has three solo stops.

BROTHERS PART TWO
In addition to the Zittleman brothers, the Marauders have three other brother combinations on the team. Sophomore LB Coleton Ford and R-Fr. SB Jaxon Ford are brothers from Bismarck, ND, sophomore LB Grady Blewett and freshman Will Blewett are brothers from Belgrade, MT, and junior PK Cody Goetz and FR WR Cameron Goetz are brothers from Eden Prairie, MN.

FAMILY
Here are a handful of other family ties for the Marauders football team. So. SB Paul Guptil is the younger brother of Marauders All-American Troy Guptill. Also his sister Josie Guptill was an All-American for the Marauders track & Field program... Sophomores Tyson Lytle and Jamison Lytle are cousins... Jamison Lytle's father was an all-conference player for UMary in 1991... R-FR Gage Gellner's father played for UMary... Josh Weiler's dad was a thrower on the Marauders track & field team... So. DE Jaren Olson is the son of Rhonda Olson, the Marauders longtime head athletic trainer.

DEFENSIVE EXPERIENCE
The Marauders have 14 defenders who played last season, earning valuable experience for 2017. Among the key returners are defensive linemen Brock Pittsley, Devon Macias and Brody Peterson, linebacker Chris Kraft and defensive back Jacob Parker, all returning starters. Linemen Daniel Hudrlik, Luther Missoh and Jaren Olson, linebackers Cyrano Rayfield and Grady Blewett, and defensive backs Noah Krebs, Brady Zittleman and Ryan Naki also saw considerable action last season.

NUMBERS
Chris Kraft is the Marauders returning leader in tackles after making 62 stops as a redshirt freshman in 2016... With 4.5 tackles for loss, Cyrano Rayfield led UMary... Brody Peterson paced the Marauders with 3.0 sacks... Jacob Parker broke up a team-high eight passes and tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

DUAL ROLES
Sam Mackedanz is a two-sport athlete for the Marauders. In addition to starting at wide receiver, Mackedanz is also a high jumper for the men's track & field program. He placed fifth last winter in the high jump at the men's NSIC indoor championships.

KIDS ARE FREE (PARENTS EXTRA)
To make Marauders athletics more accessible to children in the community, starting this year children 18 and younger will be admitted to all Marauders home games in any sport for free!  High school-aged students will be asked to show their high school ID for free admittance. Game tickets are available at the gate for all sports. Adult tickets are $10 while seniors (ages 55+) and college students with ID are $5. UMary students and faculty/staff are admitted free with their M-Card.

FIVE MARAUDERS GAMES TELEVISED
Five 2017 Marauders football games will be televised. BEK Broadcasting carried the season opener against the Mavericks and will broadcast the homecoming game against Minnesota Crookston on Oct. 14. Midco Sports Net will carry three UMary games, at home against Minot State on Sept. 30 and road games at Upper Iowa (Sept. 21) and Northern State (Nov. 2). The Upper Iowa and Northern State games are part of the new Thursday night Northern Sun slate with Midco SportsNet.

SENIORS
The number of seniors on the 2017 squad. Brennan Doan, Jacob Parker, Brock Pittsley and Brady Zittleman have played their entire collegiate career at UMary. The fifth senior, Aaron Brennan, also played his entire collegiate career for the Marauders. However those first four seasons were spent with the men's soccer program.

LINE GAME
The Marauders return four starting offensive linemen, and none are seniors. Nick Benshetler - who has started as a true freshman - and Jared Taylor are juniors and man the tackles. Sophomore Hunter Hanson is back at left guard. Tyson Lytle, who started at guard last season as a true freshman, shifts to center this season. The fifth lineman is sophomore Rory Olson, who started a pair of games in 2016.

USS ANCHORAGE
Three Marauders are veterans of the United States Navy and served together on the USS Anchorage, one of the country's newest vessels. Jordan Beaty and Daquavian Ross are redshirt freshmen this season after joining the Marauders last season. Chris Davis joined the Marauders this season. Additionally, a fourth shipmate -  Devon Grant - will join the UMary men's basketball team.