SATURDAY'S BATTLE FOR THE BIG LAKE
The Battle for the Big Lake is set for this weekend when the University of Mary hosts Minot State University in a Northern Sun North division matchup between the lone two NCAA Division II programs in North Dakota. Game time is 6 pm on Saturday, Sept. 21, from the MDU Resources Community Bowl. 

TACKLE HUNGER
Taking on an issue faced not only locally but world-wide, the University of Mary football team looks to Tackle Hunger as the Marauders prepare to host Minot State University in the Battle for the Big Lake on Saturday, Sept. 20. Fans of both teams are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to the Marauders-Beavers game. All food collected will be donated to the Bismarck Emergency Food Pantry for distribution to local citizens in need. The Bismarck Emergency Food Pantry will be onsite with a tent in the tailgating area to collect donations. 

THE RECORDS/LAST WEEK
The Marauders (0-2 overall/NSIC | 0-2 NSIC North) lost 52-7 at Bemidji State University in UMary's first road game... The Beavers (0-2 overall/NSIC | 0-2 NSIC North) lost 14-10 at home to Northern State University.

BATTLE OF THE BIG LAKE
This is the 7th annual "Battle of the Big Lake" travelling trophy between the University of Mary and Minot State University. Currently the Marauders-Beavers battle remains the only annual football game in North Dakota between two NCAA members. Mary has played Minot State 27 times, more than any other school. The series began in 1988 when Mary joined the North Dakota College Athletic Conference and went on a hiatus in 2005 when the Marauders moved to NCAA Division II and the Northern Sun. After a seven-year break following the 2005 contest, the two schools resumed the series in 2012 when Minot State was admitted into the Northern Sun.

BIG LAKE TROPHY
The Marauders won the first two "Battle of the Big Lake" travelling trophy games;  45-10 at home in 2013 and 31-29 on the road in (2014). The Beavers claimed the trophy for the first time in 2015 with a 15-9 overtime road win, the first of four straight wins for MSU in the trophy game.

BACK-TO-BACK BEAVERS
For the second straight week the Marauders are playing the Beavers - Bemidji State last week and Minot State this week.  

TWO TRAVELING TROPHIES
The Marauders play two games annually for travelling trophies. Combined the Marauders are 10-10 in trophy games. The Marauders are 8-6 in the "Battle for the Paddle" with MSU Moorhead and 2-4 in the "Battle for the Big Lake" against Minot State. 

THE DAKOTA'S CW TO AIR MARAUDERS-BEAVERS BATTLE FOR THE BIG LAKE ON SEPT. 21
KX Sports will broadcast the Battle for the Big Lake between the University of Mary and Minot State University live on The Dakota's CW throughout the region. Kickoff is set for 6 pm on Saturday, Sept. 21. KXMC Sports Director Mike Elm handles the play by play duties with KXMB Sports Director and Marauders Hall of Fame football coach Myron Schulz providing the commentary. The Dakota's CW airs on Midco, DirectTV and Dish and covers western and central North Dakota, eastern Montana and northwestern South Dakota. 

MARAUDERS LUNCHEON SET FOR FRIDAY, SEPT. 20
The first Marauders Coaches Luncheon of the year is set for Friday, Sept. 20, at Chicks's Place, located in the Lumen Vitae Campus Center on the UMary campus. Open to all Marauders fans, head football coach Craig Bagnell is among the featured speakers.

UNDER THE LIGHTS
For the third straight games, the Marauders are playing under the lights. After Thursday night games against St. Cloud State and at Bemidji State, UMary hosts Minot State University in the Battle for the Big Lake trophy game at 6 pm on Saturday, Sept. 21.  

TV TIME
The University of Mary football games will be televised live throughout the state and region five times this season:
Sept. 5          Marauders vs. St. Cloud State     6 p.m.        BEK Sports
Sept. 12        Marauders at Bemidji State         7 p.m.        Midco Sports Network
Sept. 21        Marauders vs. Minot State           6 p.m.       The Dakota's CW
Sept. 28        Marauders at MSU Moorhead      1 p.m.       Midco Sports Network
Oct. 26          Marauders vs. Wayne State         2 p.m.       BEK Sports


SIX + 1 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. 

28 This is the 28th meeting between the Marauders and the Beavers, the most times UMary has played any opponent on the gridiron

18 Bailey Meyer ranks 18th in the nation in punting with an average of 42 yards/attempt. The Marauders are 14th in net punting (40.6 yards/punt).

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

5.5 So. WR Danny Kittner ranks third in the NSIC in receptions per game at 5.5. He has caught 11 passes for 91 yards. He is fifth in the NSIC in all-purpose yardage (118.0) and seventh in kick returns (20.1 yards/return).

5 Marquell Evans is 5th in the NSIC in kick return average at 24.7 yards/return and 13th in passes defended (2).

4 After leading the Marauders in tackles the past two weeks, Dylan Anthony is 4th in the NSIC in tackles with 9.5 per game. Richard Bendish is 7th at 8.5/game.

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... Minot State University head coach Mike Aldrich is in his third season with the Beavers and is the 21st head coach in the program's nearly 100 years. He was the assistant head coach and defensive line/linebackers coach at Southwest Minnesota State in 2015-16, where he was the 2016 AFCA D2 Assistant Coach of the Year. Aldrich compiled a record of 22-13 from 2010-12 as head coach at Augie, leading the Vikings to a playoff appearance and an 11-2 mark in 2010. He now 4-20 at MSU and 26-33 lifetime as head coach (7th season). 

THE MARAUDERS-BEAVERS SERIES HISTORY 
(MSU leads series 15-12)
An annual foe for the first 18 years of Marauders football (1988-2005), UMary trails the all-time series with Minot State 15-12...The Beavers have a 14-10 edge during the regular season but the Marauders have won the two playoff meetings (1993 and 2002)... Minot State won the first four match-ups with Mary but the Marauders captured nine of the last 16... NCAA MEETING NOTES 2012: Elby Pope had 154 receiving yards and a touchdown and Zach Roberson threw for 328 yards in his first collegiate start in a 32-21 loss at Minot State. The Beavers scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally for the win... 2013: UMary scored 38 unanswered first-half points in a 45-10 homecoming win over Minot State, the 100th win for Marauders head coach Myron Schulz. The first "Battle of the Big Lake" travelling trophy. Mary forced four turnovers. Dariouse Gravely scored on runs of 42 and 2 yards and finished with 84 rushing yards. Craig Bagnell was 11-of-21 for 148 yards and three TDs. Nick Jolliffe caught five lasses for 97 yards and two TDs. Grant Singer posted 2.0 tackles/loss and an interception... 2014: With Minot State facing 3rd-and-goal at the Marauders 5 with time running out, Seth Walton sacked Beavers QB Zac Cuhna and forced a fumble recovered by Grant Singer with 14 seconds left in the game to preserve a 31-29 Mary road win. UMary led 14-0 at half on two TD rund by Ben Jolliffe. Jolliffe ran for 75 yards and two TDs and passed for 171 yards and a score. Nick Jolliffe caught 6-105-1. Singer had 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles and the fumble recovery. Cuhna threw for 370 yards and two scores... 2015: Minot State won 15-9 on overtime on a Jarvis Mustipher 2 yard run. Zack Graves had a 36 yard TD run before Cody Goetz forced overtime with a 27-yard field goal with :04 left in regulation. Caleb Buck passed for 214 yards and Graves ran for 67. Austin Bolton had 16 tackles. Mustipher ran for 154 yards... 2016 Zack Graves ran for 101 yards and threw a 58-yard scoring pass to Sam Saucedo, Cody Goetz made two field goals and Jacob Parker returned an interception for a touchdown but it was a late Minot State score that lifted the Beavers to a 21-20 win over the Marauders. ... 2017: UMary posted 317 rushing yards to 260 for Minot State in a 27-19 Beavers win. DeShawn Gay, Brennan Doan and Garrett Weissinger ran for scores to give UMary a 19-12 lead in the 3rd. Larry Overstreet then ran for two scored in the fourth quarter for Minot State, including a 76 yard run with 62 seconds left in the game... 2018: Bryan Lumsden ran for two TDs and UMary outgained Minot State 423-321 but turned the ball over four times in a 41-28 loss to the Beavers. Will Blewett had a sack and six tackles.  

PAST MARAUDERS-BEAVERS MEETINGS (MSU leads series 15-12) 
1988        Minot State 42        Mary 22                            Bismarck, N.D.
1989        Minot State 28        Mary 24                            Minot, N.D.    
1990        Minot State 26        Mary 7                                Bismarck, N.D.    
1991        Minot State 21        Mary 7                                Minot, N.D.
1992        Mary 26                        Minot State 23             Bismarck, N.D.
1993        Minot State 27        Mary 24                            Minot, N.D.
1993        Mary 31                        Minot State 20            Minot, N.D. (NAIA Playoff game)
1994         Minot State 31        Mary 24                            Bismarck, ND
1995        Mary 14                        Minot State 7                Minot, ND
1996        Minot State 23        Mary 7                                Bismarck, ND
1997        Minot State 21        Mary 7                                Minot, ND
1998        Mary 36                        Minot State 12            Bismarck, ND
1999        Mary 41                        Minot State 10            Minot, ND
2000        Mary 45                        Minot State 6                Bismarck, ND
2001        Mary 43                        Minot State 38            Minot, ND
2002        Minot State 35        Mary 21                            Bismarck, ND
2002         Mary 21                        Minot State 18            Bismarck, ND  (NAIA Playoff game)
2003        Mary 27                        Minot State 6                Minot, ND
2004        Mary 13                        Minot State 7                Bismarck ND
2005        Minot State 14        Mary 10                            Minot, ND
2012        Minot State 32        Mary 21                            Minot, ND
2013        Mary 45                        Minot State 10            Bismarck, ND
2014        Mary 31                        Minot State 29            Minot, ND
2015        Minot State 15        Mary 9 (OT)                Bismarck, ND
2016         Minot State 21        Mary 20                            Minot, ND
2017        Minot State 27     Mary 19                            Bismarck, ND
2018        Minot State 41        Mary 28                            Minot, ND

QUICK LOOK AT THE MINOT STATE BEAVERS
Searching for their first win, the Beavers have dropped their first two games, a 52-7 road loss at Minnesota Duluth and a narrow 14-10 defeat at home to Northern State. Kick returner Cory Carignan scored the Beavers lone TD against UMD on a 100 yard kick return that was the ESPN Play of the Day. Against Northern State, QB Ben Bolinske ran for Minot State's only touchdown as MSU scored all 10 points in the second period after NSU scored 14 in the first. Ali Mohamed paces the MSU offense with 164 yards rushing. Bolinske has added 85 yards on the ground and is just 21-of-53 for 169 yards with three interceptions and no TDs through two games. Defensively Derek Wax  has a team-high 16 tackles with two for loss. Justin Coleman has the team's lone interception and the Beavers are looking for their first sack. 

LAST TIME OUT
Delayed by lighting and played in steady rain, UMary's first road game of the season started 40 minutes late. Limited to a Leo Vecchi touchdown reception the Marauders fell 52-7 at Bemidji State University. Producing a long touchdown pass for the second straight week, Logan Nelson found Vecchi over the top of the defense for a 40-yard scoring strike late in the third quarter. The touchdown capped a 3-play, 54-yard scoring drive. BSU opened the game with a 14-0 lead before UMary forced punts on consecutive possessions for the Beavers. After a Marauders miscue on the second punt, the Beavers scored two quick touchdowns following UMary turnovers to build an insurmountable halftime lead... Kade Lynch, who caught a 56 yard touchdown in the opener, posted two catches for a team-high 47 yards. His longest grab was 32 yards. Vecchi has shown big play capability in his two games with the Marauders. The junior from Italy has a 37 yard gainer in the opener to go with his 40 yard touchdown against the Beavers. Bryan Lumsden (34 yards) and Danny Kittner (23 yards) tied for team-high honors in catches with three... Nelson completed 9-of-17 passed for 139 yards with one touchdown and one interception... Isaiah Hubbard had 2.0 tackles for loss to lead the Marauders defense. He also had seven stops. Dylan Anthony posted eight tackles with one tackle behind the line. Paul Guptill added six tackles with one for loss... Bailey Meyer had another strong performance for UMary. The senior punter averaged 44.1 yards on nine attempts with a long of 50 yards and two downed inside the 20 with no touchbacks. Marquell Evans added a long kick return of 36 yards and had 61 total yards on two attempts... BSU QB Jared Henning was 17-for-22 for 191 yards and four TDs. Bryce Duffy caught a pair of touchdown passes and had 56 yards receiving. Jalem Frye and Sherrod Kpahn both ran for 93 yards.
 
11     
The Marauders have had 1 of their players make their first UMary career starts over the last two weeks. Making their first starts for the Marauders in the season opener against the Huskies were WR Leo Vecchi, OL Dylan Thomsen, QB Logan Nelson, DL Anthony Zuniga and Devin Sardelli, LB Paul Guptill and DBs Daquavian Ross and Richard Bendish. In week two, WR Kade Lynch, DL Taylor Morrison and DB Dre Jackson had their first UMary starts.  


DOWNTOWN
UMary owns three of the 18 longest passing plays in the NSIC this season. Kade Lynch caught a 56 yard touchdown in the opening game against SCSU, the 4th longest reception in the conference this year. Leo Vecchi checks in at #17 and #18 with a 40 yard touchdown reception at Bemidji State and a 39 yard catch against SCSU. All three passes were thrown by Logan Nelson. 

CATCH AND RUN
So. WR Danny Kittner is among the NSIC leaders in catches, kick returns and all-purpose yardage. Through two games he has 11 catches for 91 yards to rank third in catches/game (5.5) in the NSIC. He is seventh in kick return average (20.1). Kittner is fifth in all-purpose yardage, generating 118.0 yards/game combined in reception and kick return yardage. 

BOOM TOWN
All-NSIC punter Bailey Meyer had another strong week, averaging 44 yards on seven punts, including two inside the opponent's 20 and a 50-yarder. He ranks 18th in the nation with an average of 42.0 yards/attempt. Among his 16 punts, six balls have been pinned inside the 20 and three resulted in a fair catch. His season long is 50 yards. Meyer is the Marauders career punting leader with an average of 39.3 yards/kick and also holds records for singe season average (41.8 in 2018), single season attempts (77 in 2018) and career attempts (211).

LINE MATES
Offensive linemen Hunter Hanson and Tyson Lytle enter their fourth season as starters. Adding to a veteran front line, fellow senior Rory Olson is starting at center for the second straight year after starting a combined nine games as a freshman and sophomore.  

NSIC FAMILIARITY
Of the ten coaches on Craig Bagnell's staff, eight have either coached at or graduated from a Northern Sun school. Bagnell, Jordan Noskowiak, Matthew Splon, Rufus Saylee and student assistant coach Jackson Grad all have played and coached in the NSIC. Mark Martin and Tristian Johnson all coached in the NSIC at other schools before joining UMary. Ben Davis is back at UMary for his sixth season after spending last year at Benedictine University.   

BROTHERS
The Marauders have three brother combinations on their 2019 roster. Sr. Noah Krebs and R-Fr. Jonah Krebs are both linebackers from St. Mary's in Bismarck, ND. Soph. OL Dylan Thomsen and R-Fr. DL Jacob Thomsen are natives both from Thompson, ND. Sr. LB Grady Blewett and Jr. Will Blewett are from Bozeman, MT. 

BROTHERS PART 2
The Marauders also have several players who have had older brothers on the squad, including Cru Darrah (older brother Curtis), Paul Guptill (Troy), Ryan Woroniecki (Adam), and Jarad Zittleman (Brady), 

USS ANCHORAGE
Jr. Daquavian Ross is a veteran of the United States Navy and served on the USS Anchorage, one of the country's newest vessels. Former Marauders player Jordan Beaty served on the USS Anchorage with Ross. 

ROGER THOMAS JOINING MARAUDERS FOOTBALL BROADCASTS ON KFYR 550 AM 
Bringing his impressive wealth of football knowledge and gregarious personality to the radio booth, former University of Mary athletic director Roger Thomas will team with Voice of the Marauders Jesse Rostvedt on KFYR 550 AM as color commentator for UMary games. Tied for the most coaching wins at the University of North Dakota with current UMary athletic director Dale Lennon, Thomas also coached professionally in the Canadian Football League and in NCAA Division I. A member of the UND Hall of Fame, Thomas received the D2 Athletic Directors Association Lifetime Achievement Award this past year. 

UP NEXT
The Marauders next home game is HOMECOMING 2019! The Marauders 1995 football team that reached the NAIA final four is among the Hall of Fame inductees when UMary hosts Upper Iowa Oct. 12. Peacocks head coach Tom Shea was also the '95 Marauders head coach.