THIS WEEK
The University of Mary opens a new era of Marauders football this Saturday, Sept. 2, as Shann Schillinger leads UMary onto the field for the first time in his head coaching debut at Augustana University. Kickoff for the 2023 season opener featuring the Marauders and the Vikings is slated for 1 pm at Kirkeby-Over Stadium in Sioux Falls, SD.
 
SCHILLINGER MAKES MARAUDERS HEAD COACHING DEBUT SATURDAY
Former NFL player and Baker, MT, native Shann Schillinger leads the Marauders onto the field for the first time Saturday when UMary visits Augustana in the season opener. A former star at the University of Montana and the 8^th 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.
 
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.
 
THE RECORDS/LAST SEASON
The Marauders finished 2-9 overall and in the NSIC and 2-4 in the NSIC North division… The Vikings were 7-4 overall and in the NSIC, placing 7^th overall in the then-14 team league and 4^th in the NSIC South.  
 
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 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
 
CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN
Seniors Drake Lalim and Ryan Woroniecki are the 2023 team captains. Lalim is entering his 4^th 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.
 
QUICK HITTERS

• The Marauders return 50 players from last season
• 16 returners have started one or more games for UMary and 32 have taken to the field for the Marauders
• By class, UMary has 9 seniors, 19 juniors, 15 sophomores, 17 redshirt freshmen and 31 true freshmen
• Among starters returning on defense are DL Grant Collins, DL Caden Green and LB Mason Phillips
• Offensive starters include offensive linemen Drake Lalim, Conner Paul, Melvin Hudson, Carter Smith and Mika Fuamata, TE Luke Bodine and WRs Collin Gapen, Traivon Dyson and Jaxon Young
• JR QB Jesse Forknell started two games in 2022, both Marauders wins. He earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors for delivering an overtime win over Northern State.  
• The Marauders will have six home games for a second straight year

 
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 31 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.
 
EXPERIENCE UP FRONT
The Marauders most experience come up front on the offensive line with five players who have seen an impressive amount of action. Seniors Drake Lalim (LT) and Conner Paul (OC) are four-year starters, keying the Marauders line play since their freshmen season in 2019. Melvin Hudson is a two-year starter at right tackle, moving into the lineup as a freshman. Mika Fuamatu, a junior, saw limited action at guard as a freshman before moving into the lineup last year as a sophomore. Bismarck native Carter Smith earned multiple starts at guard last season as a freshman.
 
MARAUDERS-VIKINGS SERIES HISTORY
This is the 9th meeting between the Marauders and the Vikings... After winning the last four meetings the Vikings have a 6-2 edge in the series... After the Vikings won the first two contests, the Marauders evened the series with back-to-back wins at home in 2011 (10-0) and 2012 (32-25)... Craig Bagnell quarterbacked the Marauders to both victories, earning NSIC Player of the Week honors in 2012 after throwing for 409 yards... Tyler Steffen was also a key player in both wins. The All-American wide receiver caught the only touchdown of the game in 2011 and had two TDs and 154 yards receiving in 2012.   
 
FAMILY MATTERS
Ryan Woroniecki's older brother Adam also played football for the Marauders… Cameron Brusven and Karsyn Jablonski are 2^nd generation Marauders as both of their father's played at UMary played football for the Marauders.
 
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, 1^st year (Montana)
Offensive Coordinator | David Schramm, 1^st year
Defensive Coordinator | Ben Davis, 9th year (MacMurray, '11)
Offensive Line | Mark Martin, 5th season (St. Cloud St., '01)
Wide Receivers | Jack Neuheisel, 1^st year
Special Teams/Safeties | Van Cooper, 1^st year
Tight Ends | Tom Johnson, 2^nd year (UMary, '17)
Running Backs | Markell Pete, 1^st year
Secondary | Jayden Dawson, 1^st year
 
Head Athletic Trainer | Rhonda Olson
Strength Coach | Michael Silbernagel
Asst. Strength Coach | Danielle Mize
Equipment Manager | Wayne Norman
Chaplain | Father Jarad Wolf
 
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 3^rd 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
• 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.

 
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