BISMARCK, ND – The University of Mary and the Marauders wrestling program earned a big win with a tremendous gift from Bismarck's MATPAC Wrestling Club. One of the nation's top youth wrestling clubs, MATPAC generously donated $28,000 to the Marauders Armada and wresting program to provide scholarships for outstanding scholar-athletes to study and compete at the University of Mary.
 
"We are incredibly honored to receive this gift from MATPAC," said Marauders Director of Athletics Dale Lennon. "MATPAC is one of the leading wrestling clubs in the country. For their organization to demonstrate this level of support for Marauders wrestling speaks highly of our university and the hard work of head coach Adam Aho, his staff and their scholar-athletes. This donation helps grow our program, while raising the visibility of their sport."
 
Under the leadership of Aho, now in his eighth season at the helm of Marauders wrestling, the program's profile has impressively increased locally and nationally. The Marauders have recently found themselves ranked nationally multiple times while garnering five All-Americans the past three years. Home wrestling duals at the McDowell Activity Center are must-see events in front of packed crowds with specific seating on the floor set aside for youth wrestlers.
 

"Our mission at MATPAC Wrestling Club is to promote the sport of wrestling and mentor our athletes to be successful wrestlers, students, and community members into the future," said MATPAC Wrestling President Dyke Boese. "Our coaches not only help our athletes succeed on the mat and enjoy the sport of wrestling, they also hold them accountable for their attitude and behavior and help them obtain their goals. To help us work towards our goals and our mission we were looking for a way to help the community and our membership. With our history and connection with the University of Mary wrestling program through our founder and past University of Mary wrestling coach, Milo Trusty, we felt UMary was a natural fit. Coach Adam Aho is doing great things for the university and is building the wrestling program back up.
 
"We want to help him and the university in any way that we can. We were looking to do something in the near future, but after meeting with the university to discuss various opportunities we discovered the opportunity to obtain matching funds if we donated on Giving Day.
 
"We are very excited to help the university, the wrestling program, and Coach Aho and his staff. We look forward to watching our athletes grow and hopefully wrestle at the MAC in the future."
 
The Marauders Wrestling Team currently has Laken Boese (Bismarck High School), brothers Drew
(St. Mary's Central High School) and Devin Steidler (Bismarck High School), and Matt Kaylor (Legacy High School), who were members of the MATPAC Club. St. Mary's Central High School senior and MATPAC standout Reece Barnhardt has signed a letter of intent commitment to wrestle for the Marauders next year during the 2021-2022 season.
 
"This incredibly generous gift from MATPAC is a tremendous boost for the Marauders wrestling program," said Aho. "It allows us to continue growing our program to compete at a national level and provides validation that Marauders wrestling is heading in the right direction."
 
The MATPAC Wrestling Club is one of only eight clubs in the United States to be honored as a USAW Gold Cub Wrestling Organization and are nationally ranked by Trackwrestling.com. Visit https://www.matpacwrestling.org/ for additional information on MATPAC.
 
"To have the MATPAC, a respected and elite wrestling organization, support Marauders wrestling and the Armada is outstanding," said Don Williams, chair of the Armada. "Their support for the University of Mary is a dual benefit as it provides many scholar-athletes opportunities for years to come, and strengthens their relationship to help guarantee success for both programs."
 
UMary is set to open its 2020-21 wrestling schedule with a home dual against St. Cloud State University on January 7.
 
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