SATURDAY
Fresh off a homecoming win, the University of Mary now sets its sights on the 3rd ranked and NSIC-leading Minnesota State University. The Marauders visit the Mavericks at Blakeslee Stadium in Mankato, MN. Kickoff is set for 1 pm. 

THE RECORDS/LAST WEEK
The Marauders (1-5 overall/NSIC | 0-4 NSIC North) had to wait an extra day due to a fall snowstorm before defeating Upper Iowa 27-21 for homecoming 2019... #3 Minnesota State (6-0 overall / NSC | 4-0 NSIC South) rolled over Northern State 39-7.

NSIC RECOGNIZES THREE MARAUDERS
The Northern Sun recognized Logan Nelson, Paul Guptill and Danny Kittner among their weekly listing of "Other Top Performers" from the weekend after the Marauders 27-21 homecoming win over Upper Iowa... A senior linebacker, Guptill posted a team-best 11 tackles, had a game-high 3.5 tackles for loss that included a sack, and forced two fumbles in the Marauders 27-21 victory... Nelson keyed the Marauders offense. The junior quarterback completed 13-of-20 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 129 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries to become the first UMary player to run for over 100 yards and pass for 200 yards in an NCAA game. Nelson had runs of 72 and 49 yards in the game and completed five passes for over 20 yards... One of the nation's leaders in all purpose yardage, Kittner opened the scoring as he returned a punt 71 yards for the first touchdown of the game. Overall the junior wide receiver returned five punts for 98 yards, returned one kick for 38 yards and posted 139 all-purpose yards. He is 7th in NCAA and 1st in NSIC in all purpose yardage.

DELAYED GRATIFICATION
The Marauders 2019 homecoming game was delayed a day when Upper Iowa was unable to get to Bismarck, ND, until Saturday night. A snowstorm throughout central and eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota made travel hazardous. Playing on Sunday for the first time in recent memory, the Marauders claimed an early lead and the win. 

'95 MARAUDERS FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
The 1995 UMary football team that reached the NAIA semifinals was inducted into the Marauders Hall of Fame last weekend. Several of the players from the 1995 team stayed around an extra day to be on the sidelines for the homecoming game and cheer UMary onto victory.  An overwhelming force in all facets of the game, featuring three All-Americans and four future Marauders Hall of Fame members, the 1995 University of Mary football team was the first of only two UMary squads to reach the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) semifinals. Head coach Tom Shea - now the Upper Iowa head coach - directed the Marauders to a record of 11-2 overall and 5-1 in the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC), breaking the previous school record for wins in a season (8). The Marauders team included All-Americans Steve Clooten, Bryon Hoff and Jeremy Polson, and future Marauders Hall of Famers included Jon Ahneman, Clooten, Paul Cronin and Neil MacDannald; team member Jason Salz was elected to the Marauders Hall of Fame as a baseball player. All-NDCAC players include first-team selections Jason Aman, Eric Chinn, Clooten, Cronin, Hoff, Joel Lentz, Polson and Rich Sigsworth. Earning second team honors was David Delaplane, Steve Walker, MacDannald, Ahneman and Temell Parks. Cronin was selected as the NDCAC Most Valuable Player by the media after passing for 2,935 yards and 32 touchdowns; both totals remain school records. Team captains were Ahneman, Chris Clements, Clooten and Cronin.

SOUTH SEAS
After facing Northern Sun North Division opposition the first four weeks of the season, the Marauders enter week three of a four-week stretch of playing teams from the NSIC South. After facing Sioux Falls and Upper Iowa the last two weeks, the Marauders visit nationally-ranked Minnesota State on Oct. 19 and return to Bismarck to face Wayne State College on Oct. 26. 

SOUTH SEAS VICTORY
The Marauders victory over Upper Iowa is the first over a team from the NSIC South Division since defeating Concordia-St. Paul in the third week of the 2014 season.

BEEN A COUPLE YEARS
Due to the every-other-year format in the NSIC for facing teams from the other division, the last time the Marauders faced Sioux Falls, Upper Iowa, Minnesota State and Wayne State was in 2017... The last time the Marauders played in Sioux Falls and Mankato, MN, was in 2015. 

ALL AROUND AWESOME
Continuing to provide big plays in all facets of the game, Danny Kittner opened the scoring in the homecoming win over Upper Iowa with a 71 yard punt return for a touchdown. The sophomore has proved to be a dangerous threat on both offense and special teams this season, ranking 7th in the nation and 1st in the NSIC in All Purpose yardage at 173 yards/game... Despite not catching a pass last week, Kittner is 5th  in the NSIC in receiving yards/game (74.8) and 10th in receptions/game (4.33). He is now 2nd in the conference in punt returns 15.4 yards/return) and 7th in kick return average (23.8/return).He has 26 catches for 449 yards and two touchdowns... Kittner became the first Marauders football player of the school's NCAA era to post both 100 yards receiving and on returns in two consecutive games (5 catches for 136 yards and 1 TD receiving, two runs for 16 yards and five kick returns for 107 yards for 254 all purpose yards on 12 touches against Minot State; seven catches for 121 yards and a score, returned three punts for 35 yards and had two kick returns for 86 yards for 242 yards at MSU Moorhead)... The last time a UMary player went over 200 yards of all purpose yardage was all-Northern Sun receiver Elby Pope in each of the final four games of the 2014 season... While his 100x100 streak ended at two games, he extended his streak of consecutive 100 yard receiving games extended to three with 101 yards receiving on three receptions at Sioux Falls, the first UMary player to accomplish this feat since Pope in the final four games of 2014. Kittner is also among the league leaders in explosive plays. He has six receptions of at least 34 yards. Kittner has three of the 16 longest kick returns in the NSIC this season plus the longest punt return. 

LOGAN'S RUN
Since UMary began playing NCAA competition in 2006, the Marauders have had eight runs of at least 60 yards and Logan Nelson owns two of them. The junior QB had a 72 yard run against UIU and 62 yards against Minot State. If you include his runs of 55 and 49 yards, Nelson has four of the top 15 runs- and he's only played in four games!

LOGAN'S RUN II
Marauders quarterbacks have run for over 100 yards four times in an NCAA game and Logan Nelson has two of them. He ran for 149 yards against Minot State and 129 against Upper Iowa. The other two: Colton Farmer ran for 175 in the final game of 2018 at Minnesota Crookston and 111 yards by Blair Sandy against UMC in 2006.

RPO
Becoming proficient at running and passing, Logan Nelson became the first UMary player to crack 100 yards rushing and 200 yards passing against Upper Iowa when he carried the ball for 129 yards and a score and passed for 205 and two touchdowns. Earlier this year he ran for 149 and three scored and passed for 179 and a score. 

IMPORTED FROM ITALY
A native of Bergamo, Italy, Leonardo Vecchi joined the Marauders from Butte Community College and caught his second touchdown of the season for the Marauders against Upper Iowa. He also caught a scoring pass against Bemidji State. For the year he has 13 catches for 179 yards and two scores. 

TRIPLE THREAT
As a multi-purpose player who played a considerable amount at quarterback the previous couple seasons, Garrett Weissinger has ran for six touchdowns in his career and passed for seven. Against Upper Iowa the senior wide receiver caught his first touchdown pass, a 14 yard reception in the end zone from Logan Nelson. 

EXPLOSION
The Marauders have generated several big plays on offense this season. Here is a list of all 26 plays over 20 yards:
72 yards - Logan Nelson run vs. UIU
62 yards - Logan Nelson run vs. Minot State (TD)
56 yards - Kade Lynch catch from Logan Nelson vs. SCSU (TD)
55 yards - Logan Nelson run vs, Minot State (TD)
49 yards - Logan Nelson run vs. UIU (TD) 
49 yards - Scott Tripp run at Sioux Falls
48 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Logan Nelson vs. Minot State
47 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Avery Gould at Sioux Falls
46 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Logan Nelson vs. Minot State (TD)
44 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Avery Gould at Sioux Falls
42 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Jordan Velarde at MSU Moorhead
40 yards - Leonardo Vecchi catch from Logan Nelson at BSU (TD)
39 yards - Leonardo Vecchi catch from Logan Nelson vs. SCSU
34 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Jordan Velarde at MSUM
32 yards - Bryan Lumsden run vs. Minot State
32 yards - Kade Lynch catch from Logan Nelson at Bemidji State
30 yards - Garrett Weissinger catch from Logan Nelson vs. UIU
29 yards - Scott Tripp catch from Logan Nelson vs. UIU
27 yards - Luke Little catch from Logan Nelson vs. UIU
25 yards - Scott Tripp run vs. UIU 
25 yards - Luke Little catch from Logan Nelson vs. UIU
21 yards - Garrett Weissinger catch from Jordan Velarde at MSUM
21 yards - Kade Lynch catch from Jordan Velarde at MSU Moorhead 
20 yards - Jaden Andresen catch from Logan Nelson at Bemidji State
20 yards - Garrett Weissinger catch from Jordan Velarde at MSUM
20 yards - Leonardo Vecchi catch from Logan Nelson vs. UIU

BIG RETURNS
Marquell Evans and Danny Kittner have formed an impressive kick return duo for the Marauders this season. UMary is 2nd in the NSIC and 30th nationally, averaging 23.7 yards/return. Evans averages 24.8 yards a return this season to rank 4th in the NSIC. Kittner averages 23.8 yards/return to rank 5th in the NSIC. 

BUSY MEN
Sr. LB Paul Guptill is the 6th leading tackler in the Northern Sun. The former Marauders fullback is averages 7.8 tackles per game... Several Marauders are among the NSIC leaders in tackles per game. DB Richard Bendish ranks 16th (6.7), Jr. LB Dylan Anthony is 21th (6.2), Sr. DL Cyrano Rafield is 17th (6.5)... Taylor Morrison is 25th in the NSIC in sacks with 2.0.  

BEHIND THE LINES
Paul Guptill and Isaiah Hubbard are tied for 11th in the NSIC in tackles for loss with seven. 

FOURTH DOWN AND 2 NUMBERS TO KNOW
32 This is the 32nd  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. 

26 UMary owns 26 plays of 20 or more yards on offense this season

14 This is the Marauders 14th season competing in the NSIC and NCAA Division II

13 The Marauders offense owns 11 plays of 39 or more yards

7 Danny Kittner ranks 7th in NCAA Division II and first in the NSIC in all purpose yardage (rushing, receiving and return) at 173 yards/game

6    Danny Kittner is sixth in the nation in punt return average (15.4 yards/return)

COVER CHARGE
The Marauders are among the nation's top teams in kick coverage. In kick return defense, the Marauders are 33rd, allowing just 17.5 yards/return. The Marauders punt return defense is 15th, allowing 2.8 yards/return. The defensive effort on returns starts with kicker Brody Riggs and punter Bailey Meyer. Riggs has six kicks that have gone for touchbacks. Meyer has 10 kicks inside the 20 yard line has forced seven fair catches. 

HEAD COACHES
In his second season as UMary head coach Craig Bagnell was the youngest head coach in the NCAA in 2018 at age 28. The 2013 University of Mary graduate started his coaching career at Bemidji State in 2014 as a graduate assistant working with receivers. The next season he moved to offensive coordinator where he led a potent Beavers attack the last three years that featured creativity, balance and big plays. A four-year starter at quarterback for the Marauders, Bagnell was a two-time all-conference selection and UMary's all-time career leader in touchdown passes (75) and passing yardage (9,170). He was named head coach at his alma mater in Dec. 2017... The 2019 season marks the tenth season with head coach Todd Hoffner on the Minnesota State sidelines. During his ten seasons at Minnesota State, Hoffner has compiled a 98-21 (.823) record, including five NSIC championships and six trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2008, 2009,  2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018.

THE MARAUDERS-MAVERICKS SERIES HISTORY
(MSU leads the series 5-0)
2008: UMary and Minnesota State first squared off in 2008, the first year that MSU was a member of the Northern Sun, with the Mavericks earning a 40-0 win at home... 2009: MSU claimed a 35-14 win over UMary in the Mavericks first visit to Bismarck. The Marauders opened the scoring when Tyler Steffan caught a 12 yard touchdown pass from Henry Lau in the first quarter. The Mavericks then rolled off 28 straight points before the Marauders got back on the board when Terry Newsome caught another Lau scoring strike... 2013: The Marauders home and season opener against the #2 Mavericks was delayed 90 minutes before the start by lightning and again during the game. A wide open first quarter, Nick Jolliffe caught two touchdown passes from Craig Bagnell and the game was tied 14-14. MSU created a gap with ten points in the second quarter and a 72 yard interception return for a score in the third. Elby Pope returned a punt 34 yards to set up his 3-yard scoring strike from Bagnell. MSU tacked on a field goal to make the final 34-21. Bagnell threw for 243 yards and three TDs with one interception. Jolliffe caught eight passes for 87 yards and two TDs. John Oyloe had 3.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. Jon Wolf passed for 249 yards and ran for 47... 2015 UMary won the turnover battle but #1 Minnesota State University captured the scoreboard 48-0. The Marauders forced four turnovers but the Mavericks scored ten points in each of the first two quarters and 21 in the third stanza. Danielle Whitaker, Preston Tescher and Daniel Hunter all intercepted passes and Jacob Parker recovered a fumble and knocked down three passes for UM. Adam Woroniecki ran for a career-high 71 yards. Ty Dennis caught four passes for 109 yards and a TD for MSU. This was the first time the Marauders had faced the nation's #1 ranked team since moving to NCAA Division II in 2006... 2017 UMary ran for 196 yards and held the ball for over 37 minutes in a 35-7 home loss to #20 Minnesota State in the season opener. Colton Farmer scored just before haf to close the Marauders within 21-7 but the Mavericks scored 14 in the third quarter to put the game away. DeShawn Gay led UMary in rushing with 64 yards. Daniel Hudrlik posted two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. Nate Gunn led the Mavericks with 165 yards rushing and two TDs.  

PAST MARAUDERS-MAVERICKS MEETINGS 
(Mavericks lead series 5-0)
2008        Minnesota State 40                UMary   0    Mankato, MN
2009        Minnesota State 35                 UMary 14    Bismarck, ND
2013    #2 Minnesota State 34    UMary 21    Bismarck, ND
2015     #1 Minnesota State 48    UMary 0        Mankato, MN
2017    #20 Minnesota State 35    UMary 7        Bismarck, ND

QUICK LOOK AT THE #3 MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MAVERICKS
The two-time defending NSIC champion Mavericks are undefeated and ranked third in the NSIC after besting Northern State 39-7 on the road last weekend. MSU averages 34.2 points and 480.5 yards of offense a game, with 272.2 yards a game rushing. Defensively MSU allows just 56.2 rushing yards a game. Sr. Nate Gunn leads the Maverick rushing attack with 805 yards and nine touchdowns. Jr. QB JD Ekowa has thrown for 636 yards and four touchdowns this season, while Sr. QB Ryan Schlichte has tallied 524 passing yards and seven touchdown passes. Sr. WR Shane Zylstra has 32 catches for 696 yards and eight TDs. The Maverick defense allows 8.8 points (1st in NCAA D2) and 229.8 yards of offense per game this season. Opposing teams have reached the red zone just seven times. MSU has notched 21 sacks. Zach Robertson leads the MSU defense with 36 tackles, including 8.0 for a loss and 4.0 sacks. Cole Schroedermeier has tallied 23 tackles and a team-leading three interceptions. Jack Leius has tallied 30 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss and two interceptions.

LAST TIME OUT
Played a day late due to poor weather and hazardous travel conditions, the wait was worth it for the Marauders as UMary earned a 27-1 homecoming win. Logan Nelson passed for 205 yards and two TDs and ran for 129 yards, including a 72 yard romp to set up the Marauders second touchdown and a 49 yard burst for the final UMary score of the day, becoming the first UMary player to run for 100 yards and pass for 200 in an NCAA game... Danny Kittner electrified a homecoming crowd with a 71 yard punt return for a touchdown late in the 1st quarter. Two possessions later, the Marauders drove 86 yards on two plays - a 72 yard run by Nelson before he threw 14 yards to Garrett Weissinger in the end zone - to take a 14-0 lead. Up 14-7 entering the third quarter UMary scored on its first two possessions, a Nelson to Leonardo Vecchi 14 yard TD pass and a 49 yard scoring run by Nelson to increase the Marauders lead to 27-7. UIU closed within 27-21 but the Marauders ran out the clock on the final two minutes. Scott Tripp ran for 86 yards and UMary finished 214. Trip also caught two passes for 29 yards. Paul Guptill made 11 tackles – including 3.5 for loss and 1.0 sacks – and forced two fumbles. Toure' Oliver posted the Marauders first interception of the year and broke up three passes. Jarad Zittleman also broke up three passes, forced a fumble and had 1.5 tackles for loss. Isaiah Hubbard had three tackles for loss, had a sack, forced a fumble and had the team's first fumble recovery of the year. All told, the Marauders had 13 tackles for loss in the game. For UIU, Zach Reader ran for 82 yards and threw for 201 and 3 TDs. Simon had seven catches for 71 yards and a score and Stevens posted six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Christian Ruff led the Peacocks defense with 2.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.