THIS WEEK
The University of Mary returns to Bismarck, ND, for the Marauders penultimate home game of the 2024 season when UMary hosts #24 Wayne State College. Game time between the Marauders and the Wildcats in the Northern Sun contest is slated for 2 pm on Saturday, October 19, at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.    
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 1-6 overall in 2024 with a 0-6 record in the Northern Sun… The Wildcats are 5-1 overall and 4-1 in the NSIC.
 
LAST WEEK
UMary fell 48-7 at Winona State University… Wayne State earned a 41-7 win at Southwest Minnesota State.  
 
UMARY-WSC HISTORY LESSON

• This is the 12th meeting between the Marauders and the Wildcats
• WSC leads the series 10-1
• UMary is 0-5 at home and 1-5 at WSC
• Wayne State has won five straight games
• Last three games were decided by 7 or fewer points (26-23 in 2-19, 34-27 in 2021, 33-28 in 2022)
• Danny Kittner caught 17 passes for 202 yards and 2 TDs in the 2021 game, setting a then-program record for catches
• Nick Jolliffe caught three touchdowns from Craig Bagnell and Elby Pope returned a punt for a score in the Marauders 34-27 win over the visiting Wildcats in 2013. Bagnell passed for 303 yards and three TDs.
• LAST MEETING The Wildcats scored the winning TD with 1:46 remaining in a 33-28 road win over the Marauders. Logan Nelson passed for 271 yards and 1 TD for UMary. Danny Kitner caught eight passes for 114 yards and 1 TD and threw for 29 yards.   

FOLLOW LIVE

• All Marauders home games and home and away Northern Sun games are streamed live online at www.nsicnetwork.com/goumary and at www.GoUMary.com/coverage 

• Live stats for Marauders football are available online at www.GoUMary.com/coverage

 
MARAUDERS ATHLETICS MOVES ALL LIVE ATHLETICS BROADCASTS ONLINE
Beginning with the 2024-25 athletic season, the University of Mary is moving all athletics broadcasts to online streaming only. All Marauders home games and home and away Northern Sun games will stream live and free of charge at www.nsicnetwork.com/goumary and at www.GoUMary.com/coverage. Join Dan Doherty, the Voice of the Marauders, and Hall of Fame football coach and former UMary athletic director Roger Thomas on the call for all home football games. 
 
GAME 7 REWIND | Winona State University 48 UMary 7
Playing in a third straight homecoming game, the University of Mary football team didn't receive a friendly welcome from Winona State University.

• Christopher Federico had a career-best 14 tackles (7 solo) to lead UMary
• Mason Phillips registered a sack and 2.0 tackles for loss
• The Marauders scored early in the fourth quarter when Jordan Polo-Solomon found Maxwell Larson in the back of the end zone for a 2 yard scoring pass to cap a 10-play 75 yard drive
• Andrew Trandahl led the Marauders with 56 yards rushing, including a career-long run of 61 yards
• Polo-Solomon came off the bench to pass for 120 yards
• UMary lost its first fumble of the season in the fourth quarter. The Marauders were one of the last nine teams to lose a fumble.

 
THE TURNOVER TOUCH
The Marauders have forced 15 turnovers this season, the 5^th most in the nation. During a three-game stretch against #RV Minnesota Duluth (3 turnovers), #21 Bemidji State (4 turnovers) and Concordia-St. Paul (3 turnovers), UMary forced 10 turnovers. UMary has intercepted eight passes and recovered seven fumbles. The Marauders are 21^st nationally in interceptions and 3^rd in fumble recoveries.
 
PRECIOUS COMMODITY
The Marauders have done a tremendous job taking care of the football while forcing opponents to treat the ball with far less care. UMary has committed eight turnovers (7 interceptions, 1 fumble) while forcing the opposition to turn the ball over 15 times. UMary is +7 on the season and +.71 per game to rank 32^nd in turnover margin. The Marauders have intercepted eight passes and recovered seven fumbles. 
 
IN A (PASS) RUSH
The Marauders have ten sacks through seven games after posting 13.5 sacks in the 2023 season. Mason Phillips leads the way with 4.5. Grant Collins is right behind with 2.0. Josh Obisui, Christopher Federico and Tofa Wilson also have sacks while Jakob Petry owns 0.5 sacks.
 
RETURNED FOR A TOUCHDOWNNNN!
The Marauders have four touchdowns on returns this season. Justus Breston returned two interceptions to the house in the opener, Andrew Trandahl returned a kick 89 yards for the score at Sioux Falls and Jaylen Martin had a 43 yard fumble return for a touchdown against Minnesota Duluth. The Marauders three defensive touchdowns ranks 6^th in the nation.
 
RED ZONE D
The Marauders rate 4^th in the NSIC in red zone defense as opponents are scoring on 74.2% of their possessions. UMary has stopped the opposition twice by interceptions, twice on downs and once by fumble.
 
FOURTH AND FINAL
Opponents are converting only 27.3% of their 4^th down attempts against UMary, the top defensive conversion rate in the NSIC and 16^th best in NCAA Division II. Teams have earned a first down just three times in 11 opportunities.
 
RANKED
When the Marauders host the Wildcats, it will be the 5^th time in 7 games playing a team that was ranked (#14 Augustana, #21 Bemidji State, #24 Wayne State) or receiving votes (Minnesota Duluth, Sioux Falls) in national polls this season at game time.
 
DYNAMIC DUO
Mujeeb Rufai and Karsyn Jablonski give the Marauders two of the top 17 players in receiving yards per game in the NSIC. Rufai has 34 catches for 380 yards and two TDs to average 54.3 yards receiving/game. In six games Jablonski has 17 catches for 258 yards and two touchdowns to average 43 receiving yards/game.
 
STOP!
Christian Federico is 2^nd in the NSIC with 9.3 tackles per game. The sophomore linebacker has 65 total tackles (44 solo). He has 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks.
 
BLOCK PARTY
Ian Kopf became the Marauders all-time NCAA leader in blocked kicks with five when he rejected a Jamestown extra point attempt in the opener. The junior from Walla Walla, WA, posted a pair of blocks each of the previous two seasons to go with one this year. Kopf was named the NSIC Player of the Week in his freshman season of 2022 when he blocked a pair of extra points in a 27-26 UMary overtime win over Northern State. His second block of the game came in overtime. The Marauders previous NCAA-era leader in blocked kicks was defensive lineman Brock Pittsley. The all-NSIC performer had four from 2014-17.
 
BALL SECURITY
After six games without losing a fumble, the Marauders lost a fumble for the first time this season in game seven at Winona State. UMary was one of the last nine teams to not lose a fumble.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Mason Phillips owns 7.0 tackles for loss this season, including 4.5 sacks. He ranks 4^th in the NSIC with 1.00 TFL/game. He is also 4^th in the NSIc in sacks/game (.64).
 
AIR GUARD
Justus Breston, the NSIC and D2Football.com Player of the week after retuning two interceptions for touchdowns in the Week 0 season opener, is among the NSIC leaders in passes defended. He leads the NSIC with three interceptions and has also broken up four other passes for seven total passes defended. His average of 1.00 passes defended/game is 2^nd in the NSIC… Jakob Petry ranks 9^th in the NSIC at 0.71 passes defended/game (4 breakups, 1 interception).
 
SACKED
With two sacks in the season opener and 4.5 total in 2024, Mason Phillips is on his way to cracking the Marauders All-Time career leader board. In his third season, the junior linebacker has corralled opposing QBs 13 times in his career (2.0 in 2022, 6.5 in 2023, 4.5 in 2024). All-American LB Grant Singer is #12 all-time at UMary with 16. 
 
EXPERIENCE
Several Marauders have played more than 20 games for the Marauders:

• Kevin Powell has played in every game since his freshman season in 2021 as the Marauders punter and kicker, a string of 40 straight games
• A starter at right tackle since game one as a freshman, senior Melvin Hudson has played in 37 games, all starts. Hudson has also gone two years without allowing a sack.
• Sr. LB Jakob Petry has been a part of 38 UMary football games
• Sr. DL Grant Collins has competed in 33 UMary games
• Junior tight end Luke Bodine has played 30 games
• Sr. Caden Green has appeared in 29 games on the defensive line
• KR Jaxon Feller has appeared in 27 games
• WR Jaxon Young has played in 28 games, missing just one contest in three seasons
• Jr. Mason Phillips has played 27 games at linebacker
• Ian Kopf has played in 27 games on the defensive line
• Jr. LB Eli Heinrich has been in 23 career games
• JR OL Mika Fuamatu has played in 22 games

 
NCAA LEADER BOARD
Sofian Massoud

• #33 completion percentage (64.2)

Mujeeb Rufai

• #40 receptions/game (4.9)

Justus Breston

• #45 interceptions/game (0.4)

Christopher Federico

• #7 solo tackles (6.3/game)
• #23 total tackles (9.3/game)

Matty Horne

• #3 fumbles recovered (2)

 
CAPTAINS
Sofian Massoud, Jakob Petry, Mujeeb Rifai and Mason Phillips have served as the Marauders captains this season.
 
UMARY FOOTBALL'S STEFFAN AMONG 2024 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Tyler Steffan (Football 2008-12), the 1st UMary football player to earn NCAA All-American honors, was enshrined in the Marauders Hall of Fame during homecoming on October 4. A devastating weapon at wide receiver, Tyler used his size, speed, and athleticism to make big plays all over the field. He led the nation with 17 TD catches in 2011 and ranks 2nd in career TD catches (30) and 4th in catches (162) and yards (2,494).
 
QUICK HITTERS

• Among the 58 Marauders who played in the season opener, 16 were playing in their first game for the Orange & Blue
• 10 of the Marauders 11 game 1 starters on offense started games last season with senior transfer WR Kalani Washington (transfer from Sacramento State) the lone newcomer. Since then Jaydon Coley (TE/G) and OL Leo Togia have also earned starts. 
• 10 of the 11 Marauders game 1 starting defenders also played for UMary last season with JR LB Tuakoi Mahe (transfer from Chabot College) the lone new face. Since then CB Justus Breston has also earned a start. 
• WR Karsyn Jablonski, LT Elliot Kooiker and RB Jeremiah Moore – all sophomores – are the lone underclassmen in the offensive starting lineup
• Defensively the Marauders have started four sophomores – LB Chris Federico and DBs Antwon Jenkins Jr., Abram Jopp and Treyton Horstman
• Head coach Shann Schillinger is in his second season at the helm of the Marauders
• The Marauders opened the season with 98 players on the roster
• UMary returns 64 players from last fall, including 47 Marauders who saw action last season
• BY CLASS: 18 true freshmen, 13 Redshirt Freshmen, 24 sophomores, 25 juniors, 18 seniors/graduate students. 
• 26 players who started at least one game for UMary in 2023 return (15 offense, 11 defense)
• The incoming class features 18 freshmen and 16 transfers

 
FAMILY MATTERS
Ryan Woroniecki's older brother Adam also played football for the Marauders… Cameron Brusven and Karsyn Jablonski are 2nd generation Marauders as their father's played football for the Marauders.
 
TWO TRAVELING TROPHIES
The Marauders play two games annually for travelling trophies. UMary is a combined 12-15 in trophy games. The Marauders are 8-9 in the "Battle for the Paddle" with MSU Moorhead and 4-6 in the "Battle for the Big Lake" against Minot State.
 
BRESTON NAMED NSIC, D2FOOTBALL.COM DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Justus Breston picked up a pair of impressive honors following his stunning Marauders debut. The junior defensive back from Atlanta, GA, returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns (25 and 47 yards) and broke up another pass in UMary's 23-6 Week 0 win over the University of Jamestown.
 
For his efforts Breston was named the D2Football.com national defensive player of the week, a first for a UMary player. The only other Marauders to previously claim D2Football.com weekly honors were Tyler Ryan (special teams in 2013) and Danny Kittner (offense 2021).
 
The transfer from Chabot College was also the Northern Sun defensive player of the week. Breston was the UMary player to earn NSIC weekly accolades since Kittner earned offensive honors on October 24, 2022. The last UMary player to earn defensive honors was Paul Guptill in the final game of the 2019 season.
 
MUJEEB RUFAI NAMED MARAUDERS OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH IN NSIC
A transfer from the University of Idaho, Mujeeb Rufai immediately played a major role in the Marauders offense in 2023. The senior wide receiver from Portland, OR, caught a team-high 65 passes for 569 yards and three touchdowns. Rufai snared a season-high 12 passes against the University of Sioux Falls and posted nine receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown at Concordia-St. Paul.
 
MASON PHILLIPS NAMED THE MARAUDERS DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH IN NSIC
Mason Phillips provided tremendous pressure in opponent's backfields last year as the junior linebacker led the Marauders with 6.5 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss. The native of Gilbert, AZ, also forced and recovered a fumble. Phillips posted a pair of sacks and forced a fumble against USF while making a sack and forcing a fumble in a win over Southwest Minnesota State University. He was 5th in the NSIC in sacks and 13th in tackles for loss.
 
UMARY PICKED 13^th IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
UMary was picked to finish 13th in the 2024 NSIC Football Preseason Coaches' Poll. Minnesota Duluth sits atop the rankings, followed by Augustana, Minnesota State, Wayne State, Bemidji State, MSU Moorhead, Winona State, Sioux Falls, Northern State, Concordia-St. Paul, Southwest Minnesota State, Minot State and UMary. 
 
MARAUDERS FOOTBALL QUICK FACTS
History | 36th varsity season (JV season 1987, varsity 1988)
Record - overall (through 2023) | 191-181-1
Record - conference | 132-145
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, 2^nd year (Montana, '10)
Offensive Coordinator | David Schramm, 2^nd year (San Diego State, '88)
Defensive Coordinator | Ben Davis, 10^th year (MacMurray, '11)
Offensive Line | Mark Martin, 6^th season (St. Cloud State, '01)
Wide Receivers | Renato Diaz, 1^st season (University of South Florida, '83)
Defensive Backs/Asst. Special Teams Coordinator | Van Cooper, 2^nd year (Montana, '07)
Inside Linebackers | Tom Johnson, 3^rd year (University of Mary, '17)
Outside Linebackers / Pro Scout Liaison | Eli Alford, 1^st year (Montana, '23)
Running Backs / Recruiting Coordinator | Gavin Robertson, 1^st year (Montana, '22)
Tight Ends | Eli Stewart, 1^st year (United States Naval Academy, '22)
 
Equipment Manager | Wayne Norman
Chaplain | Father Jarad Wolf
 
STAT CITY | NCAA DIVISION II FINAL 2023 RANKINGS FOR RETURNERS
Mujeeb Rufai #19 receptions/game (5.9)
Eli Heinrich #22 fumble recoveries (2)
Jaxon Feller #6 combined kick return yards (772)
Ian Kopf #16 blocked kicks (2)
Kevin Powell #47 in punting (39.1 yards/punt)
Kevin Powell #14 field goal percentage (.769) and #38 in field goals made/game (0.91)
Sofian Massoud #36 completion percentage (0.619)
 
TEAM STAT CITY | NCAA DIVISION II FINAL 2023 RANKINGS FOR RETURNERS
#20 4^th down conversion (.591)
#16 Blocked kicks allowed (1)
#49 Blocked kicks (3)
#33 Completion percentage (,619)
#16 Fewest penalties/game (4.82)
#28 fewest penalty yards/game (48.3)
#28 Fumbles lost (5)
#32 fumbles recovered (9)
#14 kickoff return defense (16.0) 
#36 Turnovers lost (15)
 
SHANN SCHILLINGER – YEAR 2 LEADING THE MARAUDERS
Former NFL player and Baker, MT, native Shann Schillinger leads the Marauders onto the field for his second season in 2024 after taking over as UMary head coach in 2023. 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.
 
#marauders#