THIS WEEK
Back after time in Arizona and Alaska, The Jug Series ignites between the #11 University of Mary hockey team and #8 University of Jamestown when the Marauders host the Jimmies in a homecoming week game on Thursday, October 1. The puck drops at 7 pm at the Starion Sports Complex Schwan Cadillac Rink in Mandan, ND.
 
The two teams reverse sites when UMary travels down I-94 on Saturday, October 3, when the Jimmies host the Marauders. Game time is 7 pm.  
 
HOMECOMING NIGHT WHITE OUT
The Marauders homecoming game against the Jimmies on Thursday, October 1, is designated as a WHITEOUT game. All UMary fans are encouraged to wear their white in support of the Marauders.   
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video are available at www.goumary.com/coverage.
 
MARAUDERS WEBCASTS STREAMED LIVE ON NSIC NETWORK POWERED BY MIDCO SPORTS NET
For the first time this season, Marauders home contests will stream live on the NSIC Network powered by Midco Sports Net. Games can be purchased individually for $10. A monthly subscription is available for $15 with an annual subscription $79. Visit www.MidcoSportsPlus.com to subscribe today.
 
THE RECORD
The Marauders are 2-0-0-0-0-0 (W-L-OTL-T-SOW-SOL) this season… The Jimmies have played three exhibition games.
 
LAST WEEK
After opening the regular season with road wins over #11 Grand Canyon University (7-3) and #RV Arizona State University (3-1) in Arizona, the Marauders played exhibition games last weekend at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Anchorage. The contests against the Nanooks and the Seawolves were the first time the Marauders had faced an NCAA Division I program.
 
THE JUG SERIES
Located just 100 miles apart on I-94, the University of Mary and the University of Jamestown compete annually for a travelling trophy called simply "The Jug." The team that wins the yearly series of games claims possession of The Jug, which is a Bridgeman Russell Company Jug. UMary purchased the trophy and had "The Jug" painted and logoed. Each winning team is responsible for placing their institution's name and record in the series on "The Jug" each season.
 
This is year three of The Jug series, with the Jimmies claimed the trophy in 2024-25 (4-1 series win) and 2025-26 (4-1 series win).
 
HISTORY
The Marauders are 11-18-1-0-0-0 against the Jimmies ACHA MD1 program… The Marauders defeated the Jimmies 1-0 in the last meeting between the two teams in the 2026 MCH semifinals as Joe Gronholz scored the game's lone goal in the first period and Caleb Cross made 23 saves.
 
DOUBLE DOWN
After scoring one goal last year in his first season at the University of Mary, John Lang has two goals this season after tallying in each of the Marauders two games. Used in a variety of roles last year, Lang opens this season centering UMary's top line and has taken advantage of the opportunity.
 
CHALLENGE
The Marauders have opened the season with an impressive challenging schedule. Following an exhibition game against the Aberdeen Wings, who made the North American Hockey League division finals last year, the Marauders went to Arizona and opened the regular season with a 7-3 win over #12 Grand Canyon and a 3-1 victory over #RV Arizona State University. UMary now is in Alaska to take on NCAA Division I programs University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Anchorage in a pair of exhibition games. This is the first time the Marauders have faced an NCAA Division I program.
 
The Marauders schedule won't get any easier as UMary them plays five straight games against teams ranked in the top nine in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division 1 preseason poll with two games against both #8 Jamestown and #9 Drury and one against #4 Minot State University.
 
MARAUDERS RANK #11 IN PRESEASON ACHA MD1 COACHES' RANKINGS
The University of Mary men's hockey team opens the 2026-27 season ranked 11^th in the American College Hockey Association Men's Division Preseason Coaches' Ranking. The ranking matches the Marauders finish in the final ACHA computer rankings from last season.
 

• UMary plays 22 of its 31 ACHA MD1 games against nationally-ranked teams
• The first ranking of the regular season will be released on Wednesday, October 7
• The computer ranking commences November 4 and will determine the 24 teams that qualify for the 2027 ACHA Men's Division I National Championships, which also includes nine auto-bids for conference champions
• The 2027 ACHA Men's Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey will be hosted March 11-16 at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, MO

 
268 AND COUNTING
Head Coach Dan Huntley, entering his ninth season as the Marauders head coach, has led UMary to all 268 program wins and owns 364 collegiate wins as a head coach.
 
BACK IN THE BLUE AND ORANGE
The Marauders return 16 players, including 2026 All-Midwest College Hockey 2^nd team forward Dain Sardelli, MCH all-rookie team selection Isaac Flatley and ACHA MD1 All-tournament performer Will Falconer. 
 
Sardelli is the Marauders leading returning scorer with 19 goals, including seven game-winners. Joe Gronholz and Sardelli both had 38 points in 40 games prior to the ACHA tournament. Gronholz (16 goals), David Loahr (14), Hunter Mangan (13) and Flatley (12) are all back after reaching double digits in goals.
 
The Marauders also return both of their goaltenders. Caleb Cross finished with 20 wins and four shutouts with a 2.24 goals against average and a 92.7 save percentage. Zane Clausen had one shutout with a 2.68 goals against average and a 91.3 save percentage.
 
A LOOK BACK
The Marauders set an ACHA MD1 program record for wins in a season last year, finishing 2025-26 with a record of 27-14-0-0-0-1 (W-L-OTL-T-SOW-SOL) overall. The 10^th seed at the ACHA MD1 2026 ACHA national tournament, UMary opened the championships with a win to remain undefeated in the opening round of ACHA national tournaments (6-0).
 
HISTORY LESSON
UMary, which won back-to-back ACHA Men's Division II national championships in 2020 and 2021, made the move up to MD1 for the 2022-23 season. Head Coach Dan Huntley has directed the incredibly successful UMary program since the Marauders first took to the ice in September 2018. Over the course of eight seasons UMary has fashioned a record of 266-70-9-11-2-2 (W-L-OTL-T-SOW-SOL), posting a winning season with 20 or more wins each year (all-time record through the 2025-26 season).
 
The Marauders made their third straight MD1 national tournament last spring and went 1-1, defeating #23 Lawrence Tech 2-1 in the opening round before falling to #7 Maryville University 5-1. Throughout program history covering seven national tournaments, the Marauders are 15-3-1-0-0-0 (W-L-OTL-T-SOW-SOL) in ACHA tournament games and has only three losses in regulation. 
 
TICKETS
Tickets for Marauders home games at the Starion Sports Complex Schwan Cadillac Rink are available online at www.UMaryTickets.com and at the door.
 

2026-2027 ACHA Men's Division I Preseason Ranking
Rank	School Name	1st Votes	25-26 M1 Record	Pts	Previous	Conference
1	Ohio	25	32-6-0	741	1	INDEP
2	Adrian	4	30-7-2	697	2	GL6
3	Nevada-Las Vegas	1	27-4-2	683	3	WCHL
4	Minot State	3	28-2-2	662	5	INDEP
5	Calvin		23-9-2	608	4	GL6
6	Niagara	1	25-5-0	606	6	ACCHL
7	Liberty		19-11-2	578	7	INDEP
8	Jamestown		22-12-0	502	11	MCH
9	Drury		23-4-1	496	9	INDEP
10	Maryville		14-11-1	454	8	INDEP
11	Mary		24-14-1	446	10	MCH
12	Grand Canyon		23-8-1	427	12	WCHL
13	Utah		16-10-1	374	13	WCHL
14	Hope		26-9-0	359	15	GL6
15	Arizona		14-10-4	331	14	WCHL
16	Missouri State		16-9-5	287	16	WCHL
17	Purdue Northwest		15-16-2	251	18	GL6
18	Stony Brook		17-14-3	218	17	ACCHL
19	Grand Valley State		17-14-2	187	21	GL6
20	Midland		7-19-6	145	19	MCH
21	Indiana Pennsylvania		27-4-4	116	20	CHMA
22	West Chester		25-9-1	98	22	ECHA
23	Northwood		25-9-2	94	25	GLCHL
24	Davenport		18-17-5	84	24	GL6
25	Illinois		20-7-4	60	23	INDEP

Others receiving votes: Rhode Island, Indiana Tech, Delaware, Pittsburgh, Arizona State, Toledo, Kentucky, Lawrence Tech, and Western Michigan.
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