THIS WEEK
Back on the ice for the first time in over three weeks, the University of Mary hosts Dakota College at Bottineau on Wednesday, January 4. Game time is 7 pm at the Starion Sports Complex Schwan Cadillac Rink in Mandan ND… The Marauders also have three games on the road. After playing at Waldorf University on Friday (7 pm) and Saturday (2 pm), January 6-7, in Albert Lea, MN, UMary visits Midland University on Monday, January 9, at 2 pm in Fremont, NE.
 
MAKEUP
The January 4 Marauders home game against the Lumberjacks was originally scheduled for November 16.
 
THE RECORD
The Marauders are 20-4-1 this season, including a 16-3-1 mark against ACHA M2 teams.
 
ACHA M1 / MCH PREVIEW
When the Marauders make the move up to compete in American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division I starting in the 2022-23 season, the Marauders will also be competing in Midwest College Hockey. The seventh member, UMary joins Illinois State University (Normal, IL), Jamestown University (Jamestown, ND), McKendree University (Lebanon, IL), Midland University (Fremont, NE), Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, IL), and Waldorf University (Forest City, IA) in the MCH. This weekend the Marauders get an early look at future MCH foes Waldorf and Midland. The Marauders hosted Waldorf in two games to open the season and won both games. UMary had planned to host Midland earlier this season but a winter storm prevented Midland from making the trip to North Dakota. The Marauders also have upcoming games against the University of Jamestown.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders knocked off Williston State College 12-2 on December 7 before splitting a pair of games at Dakota College on December 7-8. UMary won the opener 4-2 before falling 5-3 in the Marauders final game of 2022 as Lumberjacks goalkeeper Mason Matthew turned away 65 shots.
 
RANKINGS
Two-time defending national champion University of Mary retains its top national ranking in the final poll of 2022. The Marauders have topped the American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division II poll in four of the five rankings released for the 2022-23 season.
 
 
In games against current Top 25 teams, the Marauders are 9-2-1. UMary has faced #2 Montana State (1-1), #3 Lindenwood (2-0), #5 Saint Thomas (1-1), #8 Utah State (1-0), #9 Liberty (2-0-1), #13 Montana (1-0) and #22 Marian (1-0).
 
The Marauders also top the ACHA M2 West Region poll.
 
ACHA M2 NATIONAL RANKINGS
1. University of Mary
2. Montana State University
3. Lindenwood
4. Florida Gulf Course
5. Saint Thomas
6. Trine
7. Concordia (WI)
8. Utah State
9. Liberty
10. Denver
11. Metro State Denver
12. Miami (OH)
13. Montana
14. Weber State
15. Kentucky
16. Massachusetts
17. Northern Colorado
18. Ohio
19. Minnesota Crookston
20. Indiana
21. Lake Superior State
22. Marian
23. Ohio State
24. Northeastern
25. Boston
 
ACHA M2 WEST REGION RANKINGS
1. UMary
2. Montana State
3. Utah State
4. Denver
5. Metro State Denver
6. Montana
7. Weber State
8. Northern Colorado
9. Utah
10. Dakota College
11. Washington
12. Grand Canyon
13. Williston State
14. Arizona State
15. UCLA
16. Colorado
17. Colorado State
18. Loyola Marymount
19. East Texas Baptist
20. Utah Valley
 
28
After winning their first eight games of the season, the Marauders set a program record with a 28 game win streak. UMary finished the 2021-22 season on a 20-game win streak. The winning streak was halted by a 2-2 draw at Liberty University on October 14. Originally declared a forfeit win after the Flames improperly used a skater during a shootout, the result was recently changed to a tie.
 
34
Undefeated in their first 14 games of the season after closing the 2021-22 season with 20 straight wins, the Marauders set a program record with a 34 game undefeated streak.
 
11
The Marauders have posted 11 shutouts in just 25 games this year to tie the program record set last season.
 
BRICK WALL
Reigning ACHA M2 Player of the Year Kyle Hayden is having another exceptional season. In his fourth season at UMary, Hayden has a 13-3-1 record this season with a microscopic 0.93 Goals Against Average and a dominant 96.4% save percentage. He also has nine shutouts, a single season team record.
  
IRON
Drew Lenertz has played all 216 games in school history, a team record… Opening weekend of the 2022-23 season was the first time Lenertz hadn't skated aside Marshall Tschida, Defensive partners for four seasons, the duo were paired together for the first 191 games in program history.
 
SHARING THE LOAD
Eighteen total Marauders have scored a goal this season and 20 have at least a goal or an assist… 11 Marauders own game-winning goals… Kyle Hayden, Conan Hayton and Zach White have seen time in net. Both Hayden (8) and Hayton (2) own multiple shutouts.
 
LEADERS
Despite missing six games, forward Isaiah Thomas leads the Marauders with 23 points (9 goals, 13 assists)… Seth Cushing paces the Marauders in goals (11)  and is tied for second in points (22) with Johnny Witzke (8g 14a)… Thomas and Cushing lead the Marauders with 3 game-winning goals apiece… Close behind in scoring is Alex Flicek (5-16-21), Caleb Petrie (4-14-18), Garrett Freeman (4-13-17) and Tanner Eskro (8-8-16).
 
VETERANS
Headlined by All-Americans Kyle Hayden and Johnny Witzke the Marauders bring back 16 players from their 2022 ACHA M2 championship team… Hayden, Witzke, Drew Lenertz, Riley Scanlon, Seth Cushing, Tanner Eskro, Alex Flicek, Braeden Zaste, Cyril Nagurski, Derek Dropik, Jaren Hugelen and Conan Hayton have played on both the 2021 and 2022 championship teams.
 
DAY 1
Drew Lenertz, Alex Flicek and Cyril Nagurski are starting their 5th seasons with Marauders hockey and have been with the program from season 1 in 2018-19.
 
WELCOME BACK
A Marauders hockey original, Andy Huber returns to the UMary program after a year away. The Bismarck, ND, native earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2020 and helped lead the Marauders to the 2021 ACHA M2 title, producing a hat trick in the semifinal win. He spent the 2021-22 season in Washington, D.C., while serving in the Unites States National Guard's 816th military police unit. Huber is now pursuing a graduate degree in Business Administration.
 
FUTURE VISION
UMary opened the 2022-23 season against ACHA M1 Waldorf University.  Next season the two teams will be conference foes. The Marauders will be moving up to ACHA Division 1 in 2023-24 and will join the Midwest College Hockey conference. In addition to Waldorf, the MCH is also home to Illinois State University (Normal, IL), Jamestown University (Jamestown, ND), McKendree University (Lebanon, IL), Midland University (Fremont, NE), Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, IL), and Waldorf University (Forest City, IA).
 
All MCH teams are expected to play a 20-game regular season conference schedule and the MCH Regular Season Champion will be determined on a points basis. The MCH Playoff Tournament is held at the conclusion of the MCH regular season in late February/early March. The MCH Playoff Tournament format will see two games on Day 1 (3 vs 6, 4 vs 5), two games on Day 2 (1 vs lowest seeded Day 1 winner, 2 vs highest seeded Day 1 winner) and a Championship game on Day 3. Starting with the 2022-2023 season, the winner of the MCH Playoff Tournament will be awarded the MCH's autobid to the ACHA Men's Division 1 National Championships.
 
2021-22 SLAP SHOT REVIEW

• Marauders won their 2nd straight ACHA M2 championship
• Defeated Florida Gulf Coast University 3-2 in triple-overtime championship game on a goal by Seth Cushing
• Zach Garett (1st team), Seth Cushing (1st), Johnny Witzke (1st), Kyle Hayden (2nd) and Marshall Tschida (2nd) named to ACHA M2 All-Tournament team
• UMary finished 2021-22 season 38-4-1-2 overall
• Kyle Haden was named the ACHA M2 Player of the Year
• Kyle Hayden and Zach Garrett (1st team) and Johnny Witzke (2nd) earned ACHA M2 All-American honors
• The NDAPSSA named Kyle Hayden the non-school male athlete of the year and the Marauders were the 2022 non-school team of the year for a 2nd straight year
• The Marauders were 14-2 at home

 
NEXT UP
The Marauders start a four-game home stand when they host the University of Cincinnati on January 14-15 and the University of Minnesota Crookston January 16.
 
TICKETS
Game tickets for Marauders athletics are available online at www.UMaryTickets.com and at the gate for all UMary athletics. Adult tickets for hockey are $10 + fees while senior citizen and youth tickets (13-18 years old) are $5 + fees when purchased online at www.umarytickets.com. Tickets purchased at the gate are $15 (cash only) for adults and $10 for seniors and youth 13-18.
 
UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard and youth 12 and younger are admitted free.
 
Please note that ticket sales at the gate are CASH ONLY purchases. If needed, ATMs are located by the ticket gate at the Starion Sports Complex Schwan Cadillac Rink.
 
Fans receive a discounted rate on tickets when purchased online at www.umarytickets.com than at the gate. Fans are also able to purchase tickets using credit and debit cards when ordering online while sales at the ticket booth are cash only.
 
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