THIS WEEK
Back-to-back defending national champion University of Mary opens its American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Men's Division 2 title defense on Friday, March 17, in Marlborough, MA, when the Marauders open pool play against Bentley University at 4 pm CST. Game two against the University of Kentucky on Saturday, March 18, at 7 pm CST. Pool play wraps up on Sunday, March 19, when the Marauders take to the ice at 4 pm CST against the University of St. Thomas. All three pool play games are played on rink 7 at the New England Sports Center (NESC).
 
ACHA M2 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
The top team in all four pools advance to the semifinals on Monday, March 20, at 4 pm CST and 7 pm CST (The Marauders pool is slated for the 4 pm contest). The championship game is slated for Tuesday, March 21, at 3 pm CST.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 36-6-2-1 (W-L-OTL-T) on the season overall and 27-4-0-1 against fellow ACHA M2 teams entering the national tournament. UMary is 9-2-2-0 when facing ACHA M1 opposition… Bentley is 15-3-0-0… Kentucky is 27-6-0-1… St. Thomas is 27-4-0-0.
 
POOL PARTY
UMary is the top seed in Pool C and is joined by #2 St. Thomas, #3 Kentucky and #4 Bentley… The Pool C victor faces the top team in Pool B (#1 UMass, #2 Florida Gulf Coast, #3 Concordia (WI), #4 Dakota College at Bottineau) in the ACHA semifinals.
 
POOL PARTY HISTORY LESSON
The Marauders and Tommies split a pair of games this season in Mandan, ND, with UMary winning the opener 3-2 before falling 5-0 in game two. It was one of only four losses for UMary this season against ACHA M2 teams. UMary leads the all-time series with UST 8-1… The Marauders have never before faced Kentucky or Bentley.
 
TOURNAMENT FACT SHEET
 
UNIVERSITY OF MARY ACHAM2 POOL PLAY SCHEDULE
Friday, March 17 | #1 University of Mary vs. #4 Bentley University | 4 pm CST | NESC Rink 7
Saturday, March 18 | #1 University of Mary vs. #3 University of Kentucky | 7 pm CST | NESC Rink 7
Sunday, March 19 | #1 University of Mary vs. #2 University of St. Thomas | 4 pm CST | NESC Rink 7
 
ACHA M2 CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
Monday, March 20 | National Semifinals | Pool B v Pool C | 4 pm CST | NESC Rink 7
Tuesday, March 21 | National Championship | Pool B/C semifinal winner v Pool A/D semifinal winner | 3 pm CST | NESC Rink 1
 
POOL COMPOSITION
Pool A | #1 Liberty, #2 Northeastern, #3 Utah State, #4 Iowa
Pool B | #1 UMass, #2 Florida Gulf Coast, #3 Concordia (WI), #4 Dakota College at Bottineau
Pool C | #1 UMary, #2 St. Thomas, #3 Kentucky, #4 Bentley
Pool D | #1 Lindenwood, #2 Montana State, #3 New Hampshire, #4 Indiana
 
UMary vs. Teams in 2023 ACHA M2 National Tournament (2022-23/All-Time)

• St. Thomas (1-1 / 8-1)
• Liberty (2-0-0-1 / 7-2-0-3)
• Utah State (1-0 / 5-0)
• Dakota College at Bottineau (3-1 / 21-2-0-1)
• Lindenwood (3-1 / 8-1-0-1)
• Montana State (3-1 / 14-1)
• Indiana (0-0 / 1-0)
• Northeastern (0-0 / 1-0)

 
UMary ACHA M2 Tournament History
2018-19 | 1^st year, ineligible
2019-20 | #1 seed, cancelled due to pandemic
2020-21 | 5-0, National Champions | Mandan, ND

• Pool play game 1 | UMary 6 Davenport 0
• Pool play game 2 | UMary 3 Providence 1
• Pool play game 3 | UMary 5 North Carolina State 1
• Semifinals | UMary 7 Liberty 0
• Championship Game | UMary 2 Iowa State 0

2021-22 | 5-0, National Champions | Maryland Heights, MO

• Pool play game 1 | UMary 8 Wisconsin 0
• Pool play game 2 | UMary 4 Indiana 1
• Pool play game 3 | UMary 3 Northeastern  1
• Semifinals | UMary 6 Lindenwood 1
• Championship Game | UMary 3 Florida Gulf Coast 2 (3 overtimes)

 
WATCH LIVE
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PROGRAM HISTORY
2018-19 | 39-5-1-2 (not eligible for postseason as 1st year program)
2019-20 | 39-9-2-0 (#1 West Region seed | MWCHL tourney runner-up | #2 nationally in final poll | ACHA M2 tourney cancelled for pandemic)
2020-21 | 38-4-1-6 (ACHA M2 national champion | Ranked #1 in final ACHA M2 poll | #1 seed at ACHA M2 championships)
2021-22 | 33-4-1-2 (ACHA M2 national champion | Ranked #1 in final ACHA M2 rating | #1 seed from West region)
2022-23 | 36-6-2-1 (Ranked #1 in final ACHA M2 rating | #1 seed from West region)
TOTAL | 190-28-7-11 (W-L-OTL-T)
 
2022-23 HONORS
ACHA M2 All-Athletic Team | Johnny Witzke and Kyle Hayden continue making program history for the University of Mary as the duo become the Marauders first 3-time American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division 2 All-Athletic Team selections. Witzke earned 2022-23 1st team ACHA M2 All-Athletic Team honors while Hayden was voted to the second team. Witzke was previously named to the ACHA M2 All-Athletic Team in 2021 (1st team) and 2022 (2nd team). Hayden, the reigning ACHA M2 Player of the Year, earned 2nd team recognition in 2021 and 1st team honors in 2022.
 
Witzke named ACHA M2 West Region Player of the Year | Johnny Witzke is the American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division 2 West Region Player of the Year, the third straight Marauder to earn the honor. Witzke played a key role in the Marauders holding opponents to only 74 goals in 54 games. The Marauders team captain, Witzke joins Zach Garret (2020-21) and Kyle Hayden (2021-22) in earning West Region Player of the Year honors for UMary.
 
Witzke, Hayden and Thomas named to 2023 ACHA M2 All-West Region Team | Kyle Hayden, Johnny Witzke and Isaiah Thomas are 2022-23 ACHA M2 All-West Region team selections. Hayden and Witzke are 1^st team honorees with Thomas earning 2^nd team recognition. This is the third time claiming regional honors for Hayden and Witzke while Thomas recognized for the first time.
 
THE IGNITOR
Johnny Witzke has been a dynamic force for the Marauders on the blue line for three seasons. The 2-way defenseman plays a key role in the Marauders holding opponents to only 74 goals in 45 games. Offensively the Bismarck, ND, native provides a huge offensive spark. Able to immediately transition from defense to offense and carry the puck the length of the ice, Witzke scored a career-high 18 goals and delivered 30 assists for 48 points in 41 games, an average of 1.17 points/game. He is third on the team in both goals and assists and is second in points.
 
THE DOMINATOR
Kyle Hayden, who has shattered the school record for shutouts in a single season with 12 and will most likely do the same for save percentage and goals against average, is having an epic season in net for the Marauders. In his fourth season at UMary, the Alexandria, MN, native owns a record of 24-3-1-1, leaving him one shy of tying his mark for wins in a single season as the Marauders enter the national championships. Hayden allows just 1.18 goals per game and has a save percentage of .960.
 
GOLDEN GOALTENDERS
Kyle Hayden earning All-Athletic Team honors extends the Marauders streak of having a goaltender on the team all five seasons UMary has had a hockey program. Aaron Nelson was a 1st team selection in 2018-19, the Marauders inaugural season, followed by Lance Knutson (2020) and Hayden (2021-2022-2023). 
 
 
MARAUDERS TOP FINAL ACHA M2 NATIONAL. REGIONAL POLLS OF 2022-23 SEASON
The two-time ACHA M2 defending national champion Marauders retained the top ranking in the nation and West region when the final poll of the 2022-23 season was released February 14. UMary topped both rankings eight out of nine times this season.
 
The Marauders have had an exceptional season against the top squads in the country. In meetings with current ACHA M2 Top 25 teams, the Marauders are 17-4-1. UMary has faced #2 Lindenwood (3-1), #3 Montana State (3-1), #4 Liberty (2-0-1), #6 Saint Thomas (1-1), #13 Utah State (1-0), #18 Minnesota Crookston (3-0), #19 Dakota College (3-1) and #23 Marian (1-0).
 
ACHA M2 NATIONAL RANKINGS (Poll #9 released Feb. 14)
1. University of Mary
2. Lindenwood
3. Montana State University
4. Liberty
5. Florida Gulf Coast
6. Saint Thomas
7. Concordia (WI)
8. Trine
9. Massachusetts
10. Kentucky
11. Denver
12. DePaul
13. Utah State
14. Indiana
15. Weber State
16. Miami (OH)
17. Ohio U.
18. Minnesota Crookston
19. Dakota College
20. Washington
21. Northeastern
22. Michigan State
23. Marian
24. Penn State
25. Iowa
 
SHORTY
The Marauders are as potent skating shorthanded this season as their opponents are at full strength. UMary has scored 14 shorthanded goals this year and allowed 15 power play goals.
 
POWER PLAY POWER
The Marauders are connecting on 22% (35-of-159) of their power play opportunities. When skating down a man, UMary has been incredibly impressive, allowing opponents to score just 8% (15-of-180) of the time when they have a man advantage. Additionally the Marauders have not allowed a the opposition to score a shorthanded goal. UMary has scored 14 goals while shorthanded.
 
IRON
Drew Lenertz has played all 236 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… The UMary senior defenseman is just the 6th Marauders skater to hit triple figures. He now has 120 points (18g, 102a) in his career.
 
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 24-3-1-1 record this season with a miniscule 1.18 Goals Against Average and a dominant 96% save percentage. He also has 12 shutouts, a single season team record… Conan Hayton has proved a tremendous running mate for the Marauders and Hayden in net. Hayton is 12-3-1 this season with two shutouts, a 2.33 goals against average and a .921 save percentage.
  
SHARING THE LOAD
21 Marauders have scored a goal this season… 15 Marauders own game-winning goals… Kyle Hayden, Conan Hayton and Zach White have seen time in net. Both Hayden (12) and Hayton (2) own multiple shutouts.
 
CUSHING SEASON
Seth Cushing, second all-time at UMary in goals scored with 123, has had the magic touch in championship play. The Marauders have played 10 games all-time at the ACHA national championships and have won all ten games. Cushing has scored the game-winning goal in six of the wins, including the winner in the 3rd overtime of the 2022 championship game, a 3-2 win over Florida Gulf Coast.
 
LEADERS
Despite missing seven games, forward Isaiah Thomas leads the Marauders with 54 points (20 goals, 34 assists)… Seth Cushing is tied for the team lead in goals (20) and is 4th in points (39)… Defenseman Johnny Witzke is second in points (18g 30a) with 48 and is 3rd in assists… Cushing leads the team in game-winning goals with six and Thomas is right behind with five… Close behind in scoring is Alex Flicek (12-34-46), Caleb Petrie (14-24-38), Seth Cushing (20-19-39), Tanner Eskro (14-15-29) and Garrett Freeman (11-17-28).
 
BY THE NUMBERS
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.
 
14 | The Marauders have posted 14 shutouts in 43 games this year to break the program record set last season.
 
VETERANS
Headlined by All-Americans Kyle Hayden and Johnny Witzke the Marauders bring back 16 players from their 2022 ACHA M2 championship team… 12 Marauders played on both the 2021 and 2022 championship teams: Hayden, Witzke, Drew Lenertz, Riley Scanlon, Seth Cushing, Tanner Eskro, Alex Flicek, Braeden Zaste, Cyril Nagurski, Derek Dropik, Jaren Hugelen and Conan Hayton.
 
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.
 
MARAUDERS TO BEGIN COMPETING IN ACHA M1 AND MCH IN 2023-24
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.
 
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

 
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