Andrew Trandahl leads team charge onto field

Football Brian Larson, Asst. Director of Athletics - Communications

Marauders host Midland Thursday in Week 0 season opener

THIS WEEK
The 2025 University of Mary football season kicks off at home Thursday, August 28, with a Week 0 non-conference contest against visiting Midland University. Game time for the Marauders-Warriors tilt is 6:30 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl. Gates open at 5:30 pm.

KIDS FREE – PARENTS EXTRA
Children ages 12 and under are admitted to Marauders athletics event for FREE when accompanied by an adult!
 
MARAUDERS FOOTBALL TICKET INFORMATION
Single game and season tickets are available at www.UMaryTickets.com and via the HomeTown Fan App for iOS and Android mobile devices. Fans who purchase tickets online at www.UMaryTickets.com and on the HomeTown Fan App receive a discount over tickets purchased at the gate.
 
Football Ticket Prices – Online
  • Adult tickets $15 plus fees
  • Seniors and Youth (ages 13-18) $7.50 plus taxes
  • Children 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5 plus fees
 
Football Ticket Prices – At the gate
  • Adults tickets $20
  • Seniors and Youth (aged 13-18) $10
  • Children under the age of 13 are free when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5.
Note
  • Both cash and credit card payments will be accepted at the UMary ticket gate.
  • UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE. Youth ages 12 and younger with an adult are admitted FREE. If youth 12 and under unaccompanied by an adult the admission fee is $5.
 
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
 
BEK TO TELEVISE MARAUDERS OPENER STATE-WIDE AGAINST WARRIORS
BEK TV will carry the Marauders football season opener state-wide throughout North Dakota when UMary hosts Midland University on Thursday, August 28. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 pm. Visit www.bek.tv to find out how to watch the game in your area.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders finished the 2024 season 2-9 overall and 1-9 in the Northern Sun… Midland University, an NAIA program that competes in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, was 6-5 overall and 5-5 in the GPAC in 2024.

CAPTAINS
The 2025 University of Mary football team captains are senior LB Mason Phillips (Gilbert, AZ), senior QB Ryan Blair (Spokane, WA), senior QB Jordan Polo Solomon (Kalihi, HI) and junior LB Christopher Federico (Henderson, NV).
 
MARAUDERS-WARRIORS SERIES HISTORY
This is the first meeting between UMary and Midland.
 
THE PHILLIPS FILE
  • Senior LB Mason Phillips is the Marauders 2025 Northern Sun Defensive Player to Watch.
  • The Marauders team captain earned 2nd team All-NSIC honors in 2024 after posting 5.5 sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss
  • Phillips was 6th in the NSIC in tackles for loss and 8th in sacks in 2024
  • The Gilbert, AZ, native earned a spot on the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch list for 2025. He is the first Marauders player to be recognized since 2022 when WR Danny Kittner (1st team) and QB Logan Nelson was honored.
  • In his three seasons Phillips owns 14.0 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss. He has cracked the top-15 all-time at UMary in tackles for loss and is closing in on 12th place in sacks (All-American Grant Singer had 16 sacks for UMary).
 
BODINE NAMED MARAUDERS OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH
Entering his fifth season at UMary, senior TE Luke Bodine is the Marauders 2025 NSIC Offensive Player to Watch. Bodine leads all returning Marauders in games played, suiting up in 34 games for the Blue & Orange in his career. Last season the tight end from Plymouth, MN, caught 34 passes for 281 yards and a score, posting career-highs for receptions and yards. Over the course of his career Bodine has snared 83 balls for 778 yards and five scores.
 
2025 PRESEASON NSIC POLL
UMary is picked to finish 12th overall in the 2025 NSIC Football Preseason Coaches' Poll and 6th in the NSIC North Division. Minnesota State sits atop the overall preseason rankings, followed by Augustana, Minnesota Duluth, Bemidji State, Sioux Falls, Wayne State, MSU Moorhead, Northern State, Winona State, Minot State, Concordia-St. Paul, UMary, Southwest Minnesota State and Jamestown… The NSIC North rankings feature Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth tied for first, followed by MSU Moorhead, Northern State, Minot State, UMary and Jamestown. 
 
WE'RE BACK
  • 57 Marauders return from the 2024 season
  • 13 starters return (7 offense, 6 defense)
  • 40 Marauders have played previously for UMary
  • 45 Marauders are new to the program
 
CLASS TIME
The Marauders 2025 roster features:
  • 20 seniors and graduates
  • 25 juniors
  • 14 sophomores
  • 18 redshirt freshmen
  • 25 true freshmen
 
BLAIR PACES NEWCOMERS
Under the direction of Offensive Coordinator Taylor Kolste in his first year at UMary, five newcomers are expected to start the opening game of the year for the Marauders on offense. Leading the charge is graduate transfer QB Ryan Blair. The native of Spokane, WA, threw 37 touchdowns and just five interceptions at Whitworth University, completing 69% of his passes for 3,254 yards to earn conference offensive player of the year recognition while leading his squad to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.  
 
DEFENSIVE STRIKES
The Marauders showed several big-play tendencies on defense in 2024:
  • 4th in NCAA Division II with five defensive TDs
  • 12th in fumbles recovered
  • 3rd in 4th down defense (27.8% conversion rate)
 
RANKED
In 2024 the Marauders faced six teams that were either nationally-ranked or were receiving votes. Currently three teams on the 2025 schedule are ranked in the preseason polls: #16 Bemidji State, #23 Augustana and RV Minnesota Duluth.   
 
STOP!
Christian Federico finished 7th in the NSIC in 2024 with 7.2 tackles/game. The junior linebacker and team captain recorded 79 tackles (52 solo) with 3.0 tackles for loss and one sack.
 
BLOCK PARTY
Ian Kopf is the Marauders all-time NCAA leader in blocked kicks with six. He set the record when he rejected a Jamestown extra point attempt in the opener – the fifth block of his career. He later added a PAT block at SMSU… The senior defensive lineman from Walla Walla, WA, posted a pair of blocks each of the previous two seasons to go with two in 2024. 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 All-NSIC defensive lineman Brock Pittsley with four blocks (2014-17).
 
FAMILY MATTERS
Cameron Brusven, Karsyn Jablonski, Connor Harvison, Colter Harvison and Hudsen Sheldon are 2nd generation Marauders as their father's played football for the Marauders… Charles Richter had an older brother who played for the Marauders… Luke Dockter's father Jeff coached several seasons at UMary… WR Sam Alford is the brother of current UMary assistant coach Eli Alford… Jett Solomon and Jordan Polo Solomon are brothers… Logan Dockter's mother Angela played volleyball for the Marauders… Brothers Conner Harvison and Colter Harvison's mother Jennifer also played volleyball at UMary and their father Wayne was a 4-time wrestling All-American and is a member of the Marauders Hall of Fame… Hudsen Sheldon's mother Mandy is a member of the Marauders Hall of Fame for her track & field exploits.
 
HOME COOKING
Recruitment for the 2025 season featured a heavy focus on the Bismarck/Mandan area. Newcomers Hudsen Sheldon (Mandan HS), James Wilson (Shiloh Christian HS), Kain Heustis (Bismarck HS), Jensen Schulz (Mandan HS), Easton Bergrud (Legacy HS), Logan Dockter (Bismarck HS), Conner and Colter Harvison (Bismarck HS), Charles Richter (St. Mary's HS), DJ Gabriel (Bismarck HS), Terrell Diarra (Shiloh Christian HS) and John Bugbee (Mandan HS) are all local products.  There are now 21 players on the roster from the Bismarck/Mandan area.
 
TWO TRAVELING TROPHIES
The Marauders play two games annually for travelling trophies. UMary is a combined 12-16 in trophy games. The Marauders are 8-10 in the "Battle for the Paddle" with MSU Moorhead and 4-6 in the "Battle for the Big Lake" against Minot State.
  
MARAUDERS FOOTBALL QUICK FACTS
History | 37th varsity season (JV season 1987, varsity 1988)
Record - overall (through 2023) | 193-190-1
Record - conference | 133-154
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, 3rd year (Montana, '10)
  • Offensive Coordinator | Taylor Kolste, 1st year (Whitworth University, '20)
  • Defensive Coordinator | Ben Davis, 11th year (MacMurray, '11)
  • Running Backs/Co-Special Teams Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator | Van Cooper, 3rd year (Montana, '07)
  • Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator | Alex Land, 1st year (Weber State, '14)
  • Wide Receivers | Tanyon Bissell, 1st year (Boise State, '08)
  • Inside Linebackers | Tom Johnson, 4th year (University of Mary, '17)
  • Outside Linebackers / Co-Special Teams Coordinator/Pro Scout Liaison | Eli Alford, 2nd year (Montana, '23)
  • Defensive Backs/Defensive Pass Game Coordinator | Gavin Robertson, 2nd year (Montana, '22)
  • Safeties | Thomas DeCoud, 1st year (California, '07)
 
Equipment Manager | Wayne Norman
Chaplain | Father Jarad Wolf
Strength & Conditioning | Matthew Hall, Isaac Thurm
Sports Medicine | Rocci De Felice
Manager | Aiden Jagrowski

HEAD COACH SHANN SCHILLINGER
Former NFL player and Baker, MT, native Shann Schillinger leads the Marauders onto the field for his third season in 2025 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#
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Cameron Brusven

#53 Cameron Brusven

LB
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Karsyn Jablonski

#88 Karsyn Jablonski

WR
6' 1"
Sophomore
Luke Bodine

#0 Luke Bodine

TE
6' 3"
Senior
Luke Dockter

#35 Luke Dockter

LB
6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
Christopher Federico

#49 Christopher Federico

LB
5' 11"
Junior
Ian Kopf

#95 Ian Kopf

DL
6' 4"
Senior
Mason Phillips

#25 Mason Phillips

LB
6' 3"
Senior
Jordan Polo Solomon

#12 Jordan Polo Solomon

QB
6' 0"
Senior
Hudsen Sheldon

#16 Hudsen Sheldon

QB
6' 2"
Freshman
Ryan Blair

#3 Ryan Blair

QB
6' 0"
Graduate Student
James Wilson

#15 James Wilson

WR
6' 0"
Freshman
Kain Heustis

#16 Kain Heustis

DB
5' 11"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Cameron Brusven

#53 Cameron Brusven

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
LB
Karsyn Jablonski

#88 Karsyn Jablonski

6' 1"
Sophomore
WR
Luke Bodine

#0 Luke Bodine

6' 3"
Senior
TE
Luke Dockter

#35 Luke Dockter

6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
LB
Christopher Federico

#49 Christopher Federico

5' 11"
Junior
LB
Ian Kopf

#95 Ian Kopf

6' 4"
Senior
DL
Mason Phillips

#25 Mason Phillips

6' 3"
Senior
LB
Jordan Polo Solomon

#12 Jordan Polo Solomon

6' 0"
Senior
QB
Hudsen Sheldon

#16 Hudsen Sheldon

6' 2"
Freshman
QB
Ryan Blair

#3 Ryan Blair

6' 0"
Graduate Student
QB
James Wilson

#15 James Wilson

6' 0"
Freshman
WR
Kain Heustis

#16 Kain Heustis

5' 11"
Freshman
DB