THIS WEEK
The University of Mary football team wraps up the Marauders 2023 home schedule with a Senior Day game against Southwest Minnesota State University. Kickoff between the Marauders and the is slated for 12 noon on Saturday, November 4, at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
THE RECORDS/LAST WEEK
The Marauders (1-8 overall/1-7 NSIC) won the Battle for the Paddle on homecoming, defeating Highway 83 rival Minot State University 27-23… The Mustangs (1-8 overall / 1-7 NSIC) fell 30-12 at Minnesota State University.  
 
FOLLOW LIVE

• Voice of the Marauders Jesse Rostvedt and former UMary athletic director and Hall of Fame football coach Roger Thomas team up to broadcast Marauders games on KFYR 550 AM. The game is also streamed online at www.kfyr.com.
• Free video streaming of Marauders home and all Northern Sun games is available at https://nsicnetwork.com/goumary and at www.GoUMary.com/coverage 
• Live stats for Saturday's games are available online at www.GoUMary.com/coverage

 
FOOTBALL GAME DAY LINEUP VS. SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
9 AM | Tailgating in the Prairie Farms Dairy Marauders Alley officially starts at 9 am in the North Parking Lot of the MDU Resources Community Bowl. Laughing Sun Brewing will have food for purchase in the tailgate area.
 
10 AM | Marauders football team arrives in the Prairie Farms Dairy Marauders Alley to greet the fans.
 
11 AM | Gates to the MDU Resources Community Bowl open to the public. Purchase tickets online for a reduced rate at www.UMaryTickets.com
 
11 AM | The Laughing Sun Brewing Marauders Bay beer garden inside the MDU Resources Community Bowl. Adults are welcome in the Marauders Bay and can enjoy a Laughing Sun Brewing beverage while watching the Marauders until the end of the third quarter.
 
11:35 AM | Introduction of the Marauders 2023 Senior class
 
12 NOON | KICKOFF
The Marauders-Mustangs football game kicks off at 12 noon.
 
 
MARAUDERS-MUSTANGS SERIES HISTORY

• This is the 12th meeting between the Marauders and the Mustangs
• UMary holds a 6-5 advantage in the series
• Marauders Hall of Fame coach Myron Schulz opened his career with a 28-7 road win in 1999
• SMSU leads the series 3-2 in Bismarck

 
PAST MARAUDERS-MUSTANGS MEETINGS
(Marauders lead series 6-5)
1999 Mary 28 SMSU 7 (Marshall, MN)
2006 Mary 20 SMSU 0 (Marshall, MN)
2007 Mary 23 SMSU 22 (Bismarck, ND)
2010 SMSU 21 Mary 14 (Bismarck, ND)
2011 SMSU 48 Mary 45 (Marshall, MN)
2012 Mary 43 SMSU 24 (Marshall, MN)
2014 Mary 19 SMSU 18 (Bismarck, ND)
2016 SMSU 47 Mary 23 (Marshall, MN)
2018 SMSU 54 Mary 24 (Bismarck, ND)
2021 UMary 45 SMSU 23 (Marshall, MN)
2022 SMSU 31 Mary 28 (Bismarck, ND)
 
PAST MARAUDERS-MUSTANGS MEETINGS (Marauders lead series 6-5)
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS 1999: In Myron Schulz's first game as UMary head coach and the first meeting between schools, the Marauders went to Marshall, MN, and returned with a 28-7 win... In 2006, UMary's first season playing an NCAA Division II schedule, the Marauders earned a 20-0 road win, UMary's first as a D2 school... 2007 Trailing 22-16 with 1:35 left in the game and the ball 97 yards from the end zone, the Marauders converted one fourth down play before Blair Sandy connected with Mike Williams for an 85 yard scoring strike on third down with 23 seconds left in the game. In the game, SMSU scored touchdowns on a 100 yard interception return and a blocked punt. The Marauders outgained the Mustangs 425-247. SMSU held a 22-7 lead at half... 2010, a 21-14 SMSU win featured four UMary turnovers and a goal line stand in the final minute of play by SMSU. Down by a TD, the Marauders drove to the Mustangs 1 yard line but failed to score with 56 seconds left in the game. UMary held a 351-257 lead in total yardage. Jamal Lomax ran for 113 yards and 1 TD... 2011 SMSU won 48-45 in a game that featured 1,133 yards of combined offense and eight lead changes. Warren Matthew scored the winning touchdown for the Mustangs with 2:16 remaining in the game. UMary drove to the SMSU 18-yard line but failed to convert a 35-yard field goal with 18 seconds on the game clock. The Marauders generated 583 yards of offense, including 403 passing yards by Craig Bagnell. He also threw 3 TDs and ran for a score. Tyler Steffan caught five passes for 101 yards and Avan Leday had four for 104. Tyler Peschong threw for 334 yards and three scores for SMSU and ran for 89 yards and two TDs... Four 4th quarter TDs lifted the Marauders to a 43-24 road win over the Mustangs in 2012. Trailing 24-14 after the third quarter, Nick Jolliffe and Bryan Sandy both caught touchdown passes from Craig Bagnell, Darious Gravely busted loose from 44 yards out for a score and Evan Gross ran in from 6 yards out to complete the rally. Gravely ran for 140 yards and Bagnell passed for 199 yards and 3 TDs... UMary scored with 23 seconds left in the game to rally past SMSU 19-18 at home in the 2014 season opener. Zach Roberson connected with Jake East in the end zone and Brody Riggs hit the extra point for the win. Trailing 18-3, the Marauders rallied in the fourth to score on a Roberson to Nick Jolliffe scoring pass and a Riggs field goal. Roberson was 32-of-57 for 366 yards and two TDs. Elby Pope caught seven passes for 91 yards... 2016: UMary scored the first two TDs of the game and led 17-14 in the 3rd quarter before SMSU rallied to win 47-23. The Marauders ran for 258 yards and had 343 yards of offense plus held the ball for nearly 40 minutes. SMSU rolled up 28 first downs and 514 yards. Ben Jollife ran for 93 yards and Zach Podoll 73... 2018 DeShawn Gay twice found the end zone for UMary in a 54-24 home loss to Southwest Minnesota State. Gay caught seven passed for 107 yards and two scores, catching touchdown passes of 64 and 8 yards. He also returned seven kicks for 157 yards. UMary took an early 7-0 lead on a Colton Farmer 8 yard scoring run. After 20 straight points by SMSU, Gay caught a 64 yard scoring pass from Jason Hoekstra to pull the Marauders within 20-14 before SMSU grew its lead to 33-14 at half. The Marauders had four sacks with Grady Blewett posting 1.5. Simons had 119 yards rushing and Gimbel completed 21-of-31 passes for 356 yards and five scores plus added a rushing TD for SMSU... 2021 Logan Nelson passed for 249 yards and 4 TDs, including an 80 yard bomb to Danny Kittner. Luke Little caught 2 TDs and Kittner had 7 catches for 125 yards. Dave Small Jr. ran for 130 yards and 1 TD, Devin Beck and Ty'Rese Gibson both had interceptions… 2022: Danny Kittner caught 9 passes for 152 yards and had 244 total yards, Colin Gapen had 2 TD receptions and Logan Nelson passed for 307 yards and 3 TDs. SMSU ran for 301 yards and totaled 476 yards of offense. Jesse Sherwood ran for 205 yards and 3 TDs for the Mustangs.
 
QUICK HITTERS

• This is the second straight year Southwest Minnesota State visits Bismarck and the third straight year the two programs are facing each other
• The Marauders will honor their senior class prior to the game on the field at approximately 11:35 am
• This is the third straight home game for the Marauders
• UMary's first nine opponents have a current combined record of 45-34, a winning percentage of .570 that ranks 28^th most difficult in the nation. In the current AFCA poll UMary has played #9 Davenport, #13 Bemidji State, #1 Augustana and #RV Minnesota Duluth.   
• UMary is playing six home games for the second straight season
• The Marauders have started six freshmen and redshirt freshmen on offense (RB Andrew Trandahl, RB Jeremiah Moore, OL Elliot Kooiker, TE/OL Henri Supenski, WR Karsyn Jabonski, WR Sean Saise) and two redshirt freshmen on defense (S Abram Jopp and DL Christian Arteaga)

 
TURNOVER TALES

• UMary has won the turnover battle four times, lost three times and was even twice (CSP, Davenport)
• After forcing two turnovers against the Beavers in the Battle for the Big Lake, the Marauders are back on the plus side this season for turnovers at +1.
• The Marauders have forced ten turnovers (7 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions) and have committed nine (5 interceptions, 4 fumbles)
• UMary is 18^th in the nation and 2^nd in the NSIC for fewest turnovers committed (9)

 
(NEARLY) PENALTY FREE

• The Marauders opponents are being whistled for 71.7 yards of penalties/game, the most in the Northern Sun. UMary is called for 46.6 yards/game, the 5^th fewest in the league
• One of the least penalized teams in the nation, the Marauders rank 14^th in NCAA Division II in fewest penalties/game (4.89) and 20^th in fewest penalty yards/game (46.6)

 
STAT CITY

• Mujeeb Rufai ranks 17^th in NCAA D2 in receptions/game (6.0). He is 95^th in receiving yards/game (56.1).
• Jason Stoddard is 1^st in the country in fumble recoveries (3) and 32^nd in forced fumbles (2)
• Eli Heinrich is 12^th in the country in fumble recoveries (2)
• Eli Heinrich and Vegas George are 32^nd in forced fumbles with two each
• Jaxon Feller ranks 7^th in NCAA in combined kick return yards (607)
• Kevin Powell is 44^th in punting (39.0 yards/punt)
• Kevin Powell is 12^th in field goal percentage (.818) and 30^th in field goals made/game (1.0)
• Traivon Dyson is 36^th in receiving TDs (6)

 
WEEK 9 REWIND | UMary 27 vs. Minot State 23

• Marauders defeated Highway 83 rival Minot State University 27-23 on Homecoming to capture the Big Lake Trophy
• The homecoming victory is the Marauders first win of the season
• The Marauders defense held the Beavers to 261 yards, the fewest UMary has allowed this season. It's also the fewest yards allowed an opponent since limiting Minnesota Crookston to 236 yards in 2018.
• UMary also held Minot State to a season-low 25 yards passing
• Amir Bankhead ran 53 yards for a TD to give the Marauders a 10-7 lead
• Traivon Dyson caught a 2 yard TD pass from Sofian Massoud for a 17-7 halftime lead
• Kevin Powell's second of two field goal pushed the Marauders lead to 20-7 in the 4^th quarter
• Jakob Petry sealed the game with a 30 yard interception return for a TD and a 27-7 lead
• Bankhead finished with 79 yards rushing
• Jaxon Young caught 7 passes for 65 yards
• Caden Green had 7 tackles (6 solo) with 2.0 for loss and a sack
• Mason Phillips had 6 tackles (5) with 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack
• Petry had 6 tackles (5 solo), a tackle for loss, and a 30 yard pick six
• Jaxon Feller returned a kick 46 yards and a punt 36 yards
• Myles West ran for 147 yards and 2 TDs for Minot State

 
YOUTH
The Marauders have played more youth as the season has progressed, with as many as a combined 11 freshmen or redshirt freshman on the field playing either offense or defense. Eight freshmen/redshirt freshmen have started at least one game this season. 
 
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
The Marauders offensive line has had their depth challenged the last four weeks. Sr. Liam Bannon made his fifth straight start at center after making his debut against Winona State. R-Fr. Ethan Kooiker has started the last four. Jr. Luke Tuala made his first start of the season against Winona State at guard and has also played guard and tackle the last four weeks with starts at guard. Freshmen OL/TE Henri Supenski has also started this season at tight end has two starts at right tackle.
 
CAUGHT
Mujeeb Rufai has made an immediate impact in the Marauders passing game. A transfer from the University of Idaho, the junior from Portland, OR, has 54 catches for 505 yards and two TDs. He had a spectacular 1-handed TD catch at Augie in the opener. Rufai had 12 catches for 88 yards in his home debut against Sioux Falls. In his next home game he added another nine catches for 60 yards against Bemidji State. At CSP he caught nine passes for the second straight week for a season-best 120 yards and a TD.
 
SACKED
LB Mason Phillips ranks 9th in the NSIC in sacks with 4.0. He posted two against Sioux Falls – including one resulting in a recovered fumble – and had one against Bemidji State. The sophomore also posted a pair of sacks last season and has 6.0 for his career. Phillips leads the team in tackles for loss (6.5) and is 15^th in the NSIC.    
 
SCORE
Traivon Dyson is the team leader in touchdowns with six. He caught a pair of touchdown passes in the Marauders home opener against the Cougars when the sophomore from Las Vegas, NV, hauled in a career-best six catches for 88 yards. In eight games Dyson has 32 catches for 362 yards and six TDs. As a freshman in 2022 he caught three passes for 40 yards and a TD.
 
BOOM
Kevin Powell is averaging a career-best 38.8 yards/punt on 50 attempts, which ranks 44^th in NCAA Division II. The junior's previous top average was 35.3 last season. He has a career-best 70 yarder against Winona State this season. With six punts over 50 yards this year he has more than doubled his career total. Powell also has dropped 13 punts inside the 20 yard line… After a 2-for-2 effort against Davenport and making 2-for-3 against Minot State, he is 9-for-11 on field goals, a career-high for makes. His 82% conversion rate on field goals ranks 12^th in the country… Doing a little of everything against Bemidji State, Powell made a field goal and an extra point, punted 8 times for a 33.1 yard average, had a tackle and threw a 25 yard competed pass to convert on a 4th down.
 
FAMILY MATTERS
Ryan Woroniecki's older brother Adam also played football for the Marauders… Cameron Brusven and Karsyn Jablonski are 2nd generation Marauders as both of their father's played at UMary played football for the Marauders.
 
CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN
Seniors Drake Lalim and Ryan Woroniecki are the 2023 team captains. Lalim is entering his 4th year starting at left tackle for UMary and is a native of Saint Stephen, Minn. A linebacker, Woroniecki hails from Hebron, ND, and competed for Richardton-Taylor HS… The Marauders will also select two scholar-athletes to serve as gameday captains each week.
 
TWO TRAVELING TROPHIES
The Marauders play two games annually for travelling trophies. UMary is a combined 12-14 in trophy games. The Marauders are 8-8 in the "Battle for the Paddle" with MSU Moorhead and 4-6 in the "Battle for the Big Lake" against Minot State.
 
 
2023 NUMBERS

• 40 Senior captain and left tackle Drake Lalim has started 40 straight games for the Marauders since moving into the lineup the third game of his freshman season in 2019 and has played in 42 straight games
• 33 Senior guard Conner Paul has started 33 games in his Marauders career. His string of 28 straight was interrupted by injury late last season.  
• 28 Junior OL Melvin Hudson had started 28 straight games at right tackle before his string was snapped at UMD. He was back in the starting lineup against Bemidji State.
• K/P Kevin Powell has played in 31 straight games for the Marauders with Jakob Petry (30) close behind.
• 11 Marauders made their starting debuts for UMary in the opener at Augustana, including seven on defense
• 6 starters made their Marauers debut against Augustana, including a pair of true freshmen – RB Andrew Trandahl and OL/TE Henri Supenski
• 30 Marauders saw their first-ever action at UMary in the opener, including seven true freshmen and 10 redshirt freshmen
• 50 Marauders return from last season
• 16 returners have started one or more games for UMary and 32 have taken to the field for the Marauders
• 9 seniors, 19 juniors, 15 sophomores, 17 redshirt freshmen and 31 true freshmen

 
NSIC CHANGES
In 2023, Northern Sun football will consist of 13 teams with each team playing 10 conference games over an 11-week schedule. The NSIC will award an overall champion based on win percentage over the 10 NSIC contests. Ties will not be broken for the overall champions. This is the first time since 2010 NSIC teams will not play 11 conference contests. There are no North or South divisions for the first time since 2007, the first season the Marauders officially competed in the NSIC… The Marauders will take advantage of the open weekend in the conference schedule to host Davenport University in a nonconference contest on October 21, providing the Marauders six home dates with five road games in 2023.
 
LALIM NAMED MARAUDERS NSIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH
A senior from Saint Stephen, MN, Drake Lalim has anchored the Marauders offensive line at left tackle since he was a true freshman. After serving as a reserve his first two collegiate games, he moved into a starting role in his third game and has started 32 straight games for the Marauders. Lalim, a team captain since his sophomore year, earned All-NSIC honorable mention selection as freshman in 2019 and protected the Marauders quarterback's blind side as UMary led the nation in passing in 2021. He is also an NSIC all-academic team member.
 
COLLINS NAMED MARAUDERS NSIC DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH
Grant Collins moved into a starting spot on the defensive line last season as a sophomore after playing a key role on the line as a redshirt freshman in 2021. Now a junior, he native of Peoria, AZ, started all 11 games in 2022 and recorded 24 tackles. He had 2.5 tackles for loss – including a sack – and recovered a fumble. An NSIC All-Academic Team selection last fall, Collins set a career-high for tackles with five in the Marauders home win in overtime against Northern State.
 
MARAUDERS FOOTBALL QUICK FACTS
History | 35th varsity season (JV season 1987, varsity 1988)
Record - overall (through 2022) | 189-172-1
Record - conference | 130-137
Record - postseason | 6-10
Playoff appearances | 9 (1993, '95, '96, '98, '99, '00, 01, '02, '03)
Conference Titles | 7 (1992, '96, '98, '99, '01, '02, '04)
Home Field (capacity) | MDU Resources Community Bowl (7,000)
Surface | FieldTurf
 
FOOTBALL STAFF
Head Coach | Shann Schillinger, 1st year (Montana, '10)
Offensive Coordinator | David Schramm, 1st year (San Diego State, '88)
Defensive Coordinator | Ben Davis, 9th year (MacMurray, '11)
Offensive Line | Mark Martin, 5th season (St. Cloud St., '01)
Wide Receivers | Jack Neuheisel, 1st year
Special Teams/Safeties | Van Cooper, 1st year (Montana, '07)
Tight Ends | Tom Johnson, 2nd year (University of Mary, '17)
Running Backs | Markell Pete, 1st year (Dickinson State University, '13)
Secondary | Jayden Dawson, 1st year (Montana, '23)
 
Head Athletic Trainer | Ray Hall
Equipment Manager | Wayne Norman
Chaplain | Father Jarad Wolf
 
SHANN SCHILLINGER – YEAR 1 LEADING THE MARAUDERS
Former NFL player and Baker, MT, native Shann Schillinger leads the Marauders onto the field for the first time in front of the home fans on Saturday when UMary hosts the University of Sioux Falls in week two of the 2023 season. A former star at the University of Montana and the 8th head coach in UMary program history, Schillinger has coached in both the NCAA Division I Big Ten and Big Sky conferences and is a Montana Football Hall of Fame inductee.
 
Winning is a common theme throughout Schillinger's career. Between high school and college Schillinger's teams posted 100 victories and only seven defeats. A team captain, Schillinger won three state titles during his four years at Baker HS (2001-04) as quarterback and defensive back while coached by his uncle Don Schillinger, one of the winningest prep coaches in Montana history.
 
Dubbed "the fastest man from Baker, MT," his accolades made him a highly recruited college prospect before signing on with the Grizzlies as a safety. Schillinger helped lead the Grizzlies to two Football Championship Series (FCS) title games while also earning All-Big Sky Conference honors. Twice he was honored with the Tony Barbour Award, given annually to the "player who best exemplifies outstanding practice habits and makes an unselfish contribution to the betterment of the Grizzly football team." He ranks among the best in Montana history with 257 career takedowns and 11 career interceptions.
 
After a star-studded career with the University of Montana Grizzlies, NFL fans heard Schillinger's name called on national TV by the Atlanta Falcons in the 6th round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Drafted as the 171st overall pick, Schillinger played four years in the NFL as a safety from 2010 to 2013 with the Falcons and Tennessee Titans.
 
Schillinger's full-time coaching career began after the NFL in 2015 as a special teams and defensive backs assistant for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. He returned to his alma mater in Missoula to coach special teams and safeties from 2016 to 2021 and served as the team's pro scout liaison.
 
2022 REWIND

• All-NSIC performers WR Danny Kittner, Logan Nelson and Dave Small Jr. wrapped up impressive carers with the Marauders at the end of the 2022 season.
• Kittner, Small and Ty'Rhae Gibson earned All-NSIC honors
• All-American WR Danny Kittner shattered NSIC and Marauders career records for receptions (291) and receiving yards (3,651) while catching 29 receiving touchdowns. He is 4th all-time in school history in receiving touchdowns (29) and 3rd in total touchdowns (31)… He had 90 catches for 986 yards and 5 TDs in 2022.
• All-American QB Logan Nelson passed for 6,417 yards and 62 touchdowns in his career at UMary, completing 60.0% of his passes (499-of-825) with just 26 interceptions. He is 3rd all-time at UMary in passing yards and TD passes. In 2021 he triggered the Marauders passing attack that led the nation in yards passing/game.
• Kittner (Bears) and Nelson (Vikings) both earned NFL Rookie Camp invitations in May 2023
• The Marauders played eight teams with winning records at game time
• Marauders opponents had a winning percentage over .550 for the year
• 7 of 11 Marauders games in 2022 were one possession games, including 6 of 9 losses
• During the 2021-22 seasons UMary played ten contests decided by one possession (8 or fewer points)
• UMary owned second half leads in losses to Wayne State, Winona State, #23 Minnesota State, #14 Sioux Falls and MSU Moorhead. Wayne State scored the winning touchdown with 1:46 left in the game and Minnesota State with 1:57 remaining.

 
2023 MARAUDERS FOOTBALL TICKETING FAQs

• Tickets are $20 at the gate (cash only) and $15 (plus fees) online
• Tickets purchased online at www.UMaryTickets.com or via the HomeTown Fan app (iOS and Android) receive a $5 discount (minus fees) per ticket vs. cash purchases at the gate
• Tickets purchased at the gate are CASH ONLY transactions
• ATMs are located near the main ticketing gates for Marauders home games
• Debit and credit card purchases are ONLINE ONLY at www.umarytickets.com or via the HomeTown Fan App
• UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE
• Youth 12 and younger with an adult are admitted FREE
• Any youth 12 and under unaccompanied by an adult are charged a $5 admission fee at the gate (cash only)
• All ticket sales are FINAL at time of purchase, whether online or at the gate

 
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