THIS WEEK
Following an off weekend after playing eight straight weeks, the University of Mary football team returns to action with the first of two straight road games on Saturday, November 2, when the Marauders visit Southwest Minnesota State University. Game time between the Marauders and the Mustangs is 11 am at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center in Marshall, MN.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 1-7 overall in 2024 with a 0-7 record in the Northern Sun… The Mustangs are 0-8 overall and 0-7 in the NSIC.
 
LAST WEEK
UMary last played October 19 and suffered a 30-0 loss to visiting #24 Wayne State College… SMSU dropped a 338-6 loss at MSU Moorhead.  
 
UMARY-SMSU HISTORY LESSON

• This is the 13th meeting between the Marauders and the Mustangs
• UMary holds a 7-5 advantage in the series
• Marauders Hall of Fame coach Myron Schulz opened his career with a 28-7 road win in 1999
• UMary is 3-3 at home and 4-2 at SMSU

 
PAST MARAUDERS-MUSTANGS MEETINGS
(Marauders lead series 7-5)
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)
2023 UMary 32 SMSU 28 (Bismarck, ND)
 
PAST MARAUDERS-MUSTANGS MEETINGS (Marauders lead series 7-5)
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… 2023: Mujeeb Rufai caught a 6 yard TD pass from Jesse Forknell with 37 seconds left in a 32-28 UMary home win over SMSU. Mason Phillips had 2 sacks in the game. Forknell threw for 251 yards and 2 TDs.
 
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 8 REWIND | #24 Wayne State College 30 UMary 0
Playing their firth home game of the season, UMary kept a powerful Wayne State offense in check most of the day until a pair of 4^th quarter TDs for the Wildcats.

• UMary limited defending NSIC Offensive Player of the Week Nick Bohn to 78 yards passing while completing 6-of-13 passes with one interception
• The Marauders held the Wildcats to 296 yards and 15 first downs, both season-bests for UMary. Nearly half the yardage came in the 4^th quarter, along with two of the WSC TDs.
• Jordan Polo-Solomon threw for 186 yards and completed 25-of-38 passes in his first start for the Marauders
• Karsyn Jablonski caught six passes for 66 yards
• WSC led 10-0 at half and 16-0 after three quarters
• UMary held the edge in time of possession (34:39-25:21) and plays (69-52)
• Cameron Brusven led UMary with six tackles, including one sack
• Grant Collins had 1.5 tackles for loss, including a sack

 
THE TURNOVER TOUCH
The Marauders have forced 16 turnovers this season, the 20^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 nine passes and recovered seven fumbles. The Marauders are 39^th nationally in interceptions and 13^th in fumble recoveries.
 
PRECIOUS COMMODITY
The Marauders are +4 in turnover margin this season. UMary has committed 12 turnovers (10 interceptions, 2 fumbles) while forcing the opposition to turn the ball over 16 times. The +.38 per game ranks 46^th nationally in turnover margin. The Marauders have intercepted nine passes and recovered seven fumbles. 
 
IN A (PASS) RUSH
The Marauders have 12 sacks through eight games after posting 13.5 sacks in the 2023 season. Mason Phillips leads the way with 4.5. Grant Collins is right behind with 3.0. Josh Obisui, Christopher Federico, Tofa Wilson and Cameron Brusven 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 5^th in the NSIC in red zone defense as opponents are scoring on 75.7% 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 25% of their 4^th down attempts against UMary, the top defensive conversion rate in the NSIC and 7^th best in NCAA Division II. Teams have earned a first down just three times in 12 opportunities.
 
RANKED
Five of the Marauders seven NSIC opponents this season were either nationally ranked (#14 Augustana, #21 Bemidji State, #24 Wayne State) or receiving votes (Minnesota Duluth, Sioux Falls) at game time.
 
DYNAMIC DUO
Mujeeb Rufai and Karsyn Jablonski give the Marauders two of the top 20 players in the NSIC in receptions this season. Rufai is 7^th in receptions with 39 catches for 418 yards and two TDs. Jablonski is 20^th in receptions with 23 catches for 324 yards and two touchdowns.
 
STOP!
Christian Federico is 3^rd in the NSIC with 8.3 tackles per game. The sophomore linebacker has 66 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 in the nation to not lose a fumble.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Mason Phillips owns 7.0 tackles for loss this season, including 4.5 sacks. He ranks 13^th in the NSIC with .88 TFL/game. He is also 7^th in the NSIC in sacks/game (.56).
 
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 is second in the NSIC with three interceptions and has also broken up four other passes for seven total passes defended. His average of .88 is 4^th in the NSIC… Jakob Petry ranks 10^th in the NSIC at 0.75 passes defended/game (4 breakups, 2 interceptions).
 
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 41 straight games
• A starter at right tackle since game one as a freshman, senior Melvin Hudson has played in 38 games, all starts. Hudson has also gone two years without allowing a sack.
• Sr. LB Jakob Petry has been a part of 39 UMary football games
• Sr. DL Grant Collins has competed in 34 UMary games
• Junior tight end Luke Bodine has played 31 games
• Sr. Caden Green has appeared in 30 games on the defensive line
• KR Jaxon Feller has appeared in 28 games
• WR Jaxon Young has played in 29 games, missing just one contest in three seasons
• Jr. Mason Phillips has played 28 games at linebacker
• Ian Kopf has played in 28 games on the defensive line
• Jr. LB Eli Heinrich has been in 24 career games
• JR OL Mika Fuamatu has played in 23 games

 
NCAA LEADER BOARD
Sofian Massoud

• #28 completion percentage (64.2)
• #39 completions/game (17.4)

Mujeeb Rufai

• #44 receptions/game (4.9)

Justus Breston

• #49 interceptions/game (0.4)

Christopher Federico

• #15 solo tackles (5.5/game)
• #44 tackles (8.3/game)

Matty Horne

• #8 fumbles recovered (2)

 
NCAA TEAM RANKINGS
#6 - 4^th down conversion % defense (25%)
#7 – defensive touchdowns (3)
#13 – fumbles recovered (7)
#12 – fewest penalties/game (4.88)
#20 – turnovers gained (16)
#25 – fewest fumbles lost (3)
#31 – completion percentage (.629)
#33 - Fewest penalty yards/game (49.75)
#36 – blocked kicks (3)
#39 – passes intercepted (9)
 
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.
 
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