SATURDAY
Homecoming week 2016 at the University of Mary is highlighted by the Marauders football game when the Marauders host the Winona State University Warriors on Saturday, Sept. 24. Game time is 1:03 pm at Bismarck's MDU Resources Community Bowl.

THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 0-3 overall and in the Northern Sun. Mary has not yet played a game against the NSIC North... The Warriors are 2-1 overall and in the NSIC and has yet to play an NSIC South opponent.

LAST YEAR
The Marauders finished the 2015 season 1-10 overall and in the Northern Sun and 1-6 in the NSIC North division... The Warriors were 5-6 overall and in the NSIC to finish 11th in the league overall and 5th in the NSIC South division.

LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders dropped a 47-23 decision at Southwest Minnesota State... The Warriors defeated Northern State 26-7 at home.

NBC ND SPORTS NETWORK TO TELEVISE MARY HOMECOMING GAME
The University of Mary homecoming football game will be broadcast live throughout central and western North Dakota on the NBC North Dakota Sports Network. The broadcast of the Northern Sun contest between Mary and visiting Winona State University begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24... The North Dakota NBC Sports Network stations televising the contest are KFYR-TV in Bismarck, KMOT-TV in Minot, KUMV-TV in Williston and KQCD-TV in Dickinson... Nine-time North Dakota Sportscaster of the Year and KFYR-TV sports director Lee Timmerman is the television play-by-play announcer for the Marauders. Joining Timmerman in the booth as color commentator is Mike McMahon, former Marauders football defensive coordinator and current Mary assistant vice president for Enrollment Services. Kaleigh Emery, the KFYR-TV weekend sports anchor and host of Marauders Weekly, is the sideline reporter.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR VISIT
North and South Division teams in the Northern Sun face each other every other season (i.e. every two years), and visit the opponent's field every four years. The Marauders last hosted the Warriors in 2012 and suffered a 32-23 loss to WSU on homecoming.

RARITY
Out of the ten schools that made up the Northern Sun in 2007, the first season Mary played a full conference schedule, the Marauders have faced Winona State University the fewest times (5). The next fewest is Upper Iowa (6).  

HEAD COACHES
Josh Kotelnicki is in his third season as the head coach of the University of Mary. He is just the fifth varsity head coach in school history as the team begins its 29th season. Kotelnicki directed the Marauders to a 5-6 record in his first season in 2014 and is 6-19 lifetime (3rd year). Kotelnicki joined Mary after serving as the associate head coach at NCAA FCS University of North Dakota for two seasons (2012-13) and as UND's defensive coordinator in 2013. A native of Litchfield, Minn., Kotelnicki won an NCAA Division II title as a player at North Dakota and has been on winning teams as a coach at the NCAA FBS, FCS, and Division II levels. After starting his coaching career at UND, he has also worked at Murray State, Truman State, and NCAA FBS Kansas State before returning to UND... The longest-tenured coach in the NSIC, Tom Sawyer became Winona State's 21st head coach in 1996. In his 21st season, he has a record of 158-74. He had a streak of 18 consecutive winning seasons (1997-2013) and has won double-digit games in a single campaign five times. He is first in program history in both wins and career winning percentage. Sawyer is 12th among active NCAA Division II coaches in winning percentage and sixth in total victories. The Warriors have played in the NCAA Division II Playoffs five times under Sawyer as well as making three Mineral Water Bowl appearances. Sawyer has coached six Harlon Hill Award candidates, 46 All-Americans, and 345 All-NSIC selections. Five Warriors have earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Year accolades under Sawyer while five others have been the NSIC's Defensive Player of the Year.

THE MARAUDERS-WARRIORS SERIES HISTORY (WSU leads series 4-1)
The Warriors hold a 3-1 lead in their series with the Marauders… 2007: Winona State won the first meeting between the two schools 32-27 at home. Two touchdowns by Bayland Rippenkroeger gave the Marauders a 14-12 lead but 10 straight Winona State points pushed the Warriors to an insurmountable lead. The Marauders held a 470-425 edge in yardage and a 20-16 advantage in first downs. Rippenkroeger ran for 102 yards and two scores and Mike Williams caught nine passes for 190 yards and two TDs. Blair Sandy threw for 344 yards. Peters caught five balls for 179 yards plus the two scores for WSU. Drew Aber threw for three TDs and 256 yards... 2010: Craig Bagnell passed for 251 yards and Jamal Lomax set the Mary career rushing record but it took a blocked 43 yard field goal attempt on the final play of the game by John Oyloe for the Marauders to secure a 21-19 win at Winona State University and knock the Warriors out of post-season contention. Down early, the Marauders scored 21 straight points on touchdowns by Tyler Steffan, Terry Newsome and Bo Cole for a 21-7 Mary lead. WSU would score two touchdowns but couldn't convert its extra point attempts. The Warriors held a 26-19 advantage in first downs and a 449-369 advantage in yards but the Marauders forced the only two turnovers of the day… 2011: In a shootout featuring 971 yards of offense, the Warriors scored the winning touchdown with 51 seconds left in the game on a Rayon Simmons 1-yard run. Simmons finished with 203 yards rushing and scored four times. Down 14-0 early, the Marauders had taken a 43-39 lead on a Craig Bagnell to Tyler Steffan 5-yard scoring pass, the third time in the game the duo had connected for a touchdown strike. Steffan finished with eight catches for 100 yards. Bagnell threw for 372 yards and four scores. Josh Murray ran for 132 yards and one TD. Mary turnovers contributed to 17 points for the Warriors... 2012: Three Marauders turnovers led to 17 points for the Warriors in a 32-23 Winona State win to dampen the Mary homecoming. Down 14-0 early, Mary pulled within 19-17 in the third quarter on Craig Bagnell touchdown passes to Tyler Steffan and Jeremy Mayfield. Rayon Simmons jumped the WSU lead to 32-17 with two fourth quarter scoring runs. Bagnell connected with Bryan Sandy for a touchdown to get Mary within 32-23 but the Warriors controlled the ball for the final 6:24 of the game. Bagnell finished the game 27-of-46 for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Elby Pope caught eight passed for 117 yards. Scott Maldonado led the UM defense with 16 tackles (1.5 TFL, 1 sack). John Oyloe had two sacks and Troy Guptill added two tackles for loss. Simmons ran for four scores and 176 yards for Winona State. WSU QB John Tiegland was an impressive 22-of-27 for 232 yards... 2014: Battling from behind all day, the University of Mary lost 42-34 at Winona State. Down 28-14 at half, Elby Pope returned a punt a school-record 89 yards and Austin Bolton returned a fumble 57 yards for the score in the third quarter to even the game. WSU responded with two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including an interception return for a score, to build an insurmountable 42-28 lead. Making his first collegiate start, R-Fr. QB Ben Jolliffe was 18-of-30 for 187 yards, three scores and two interceptions and ran for 37 yards. Nick Jolliffe caught nine passes for 98 yards and one TD. Pope caught three passes for 32 yards and a score. Grant Singer made a career-high 19 tackles and Troy Guptill posted 2.5 sacks. Jack Nelson of WSU was named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week after completing 30-of-45 passes for 422 yards and three scores. Josh Mikes caught seven passes for 121 yards and a score and Dylan Ulferts made nine catches for 118 yards.

PAST MARAUDERS-WARRIORS MEETINGS (WSU leads 4-1)
2007     WSU 32                 Mary 27                 Winona, MN
2010     Mary 21                    WSU 19             Winona, MN
2011     WSU 46                    Mary 43                 Bismarck, ND
2012    WSU 32                    Mary 23                Bismarck, ND
2014    WSU 42                    Mary 34                Winona, MN

QUICK LOOK AT THE WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY WARRIORS
Looking to bounce back after two straight losing seasons following a string of 18 consecutive winning years, the Winona State University Warriors are off to a 2-1 start. SR QB Jack Nelson is closing in on the NCAA Division II all-time top 30 passing leaders with 9,822 passing yards (Toby Korrodi is #30 in passing yards with 10,843). In three games this season Nelson is 54-for-85 for 845 yards, eight scores and two interceptions. Top target Cameron Johnson has 18 catches for 359 yards and five touchdowns. Paul Preston leads the run game with 358 yards and four TDs on 58 carries, an average of 6.2 yards/carry. Defensively Andrew Spencer leads the team with 26 tackles (20 solo) and 3.0 tackles for loss. He also has an interception. Jake Balliu leads the NSIC in punt returns with an impressive average of 30.7 yards a return (7-215), including one for a score. He also is averaging 39.5 yards on two kick returns. After three games WSU is 4th in the NSIC in scoring (41.7) and second in scoring defense (13.7) and total defense (257.7 yards/game).   
LAST WEEK: Southwest Minnesota State 47 Mary 23
The Marauders scored the first 14 points of the game and led 17-14 in the third quarter but was unable to hold off one of the nation's top offenses in a 47-23 road loss against the Mustangs. Mary converted a pair of firstquarter turnovers into a 41-yd scoring run by Ben Jolliffe and a Colton Farmer 1-yd touchdown run. After SMSU tied the game with two 2nd quarter scores, a Cody Goetz 19-yd field goal in the third put Mary in front 17-14. SMSU then reeled off three straight touchdowns. After Jolliffe ran for a 1-yd touchdown in the final quarter, SMSU added two long scoring plays to complete the Mustangs comeback and seal their win. The Marauders posted season-highs in points, rushing yards (258) and total yards (343) in the game. Jolliffe ran for a career-high 93 yards and two scores and also passed for 85 yards. Zach Podoll ran for a career-high 73 yards and Mary averaged 4.6 yards/carry. Defensively Austin Bolton registered 11 tackles. SMSU gained 514 yards. Blake Gimbal threw for four touchdowns and completed 15-of-19 passes for 175 yards. Divonte Bell ran for 164 yards and Max Simmons carried for 101 yards and two TDs.

TURNOVERS TO TOUCHDOWNS
Turnovers led to the Marauders first two touchdowns against the Mustangs. Danielle Whitaker intercepted a pass that led to a 62-yd scoring drive, capped by Ben Jolliffe's 41 yard scoring run. On the ensuing kickoff, Noah Krebs forced a Mustangs fumble recovered by Michael Buster at the SMSU 17 yard line. Five plays later Colton Farmer scored from 1 yard out.

CAREER DAY
Two Marauders set personal career bests on the ground against the Mustangs. Jr. QB Ben Jolliffe ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns. His 41 yard scoring run tied his career-long. Sr. FB Zach Podoll, a tight end before this season, ran for a season-best 73 yards as Mary rolled up 258 team rushing yards.

GROUND GAME
The 258 yards rushing complied by the Marauders against the Mustangs is the fifth-largest total since Mary began NCAA Division II play in 2006. The record in the NCAA era is 364 yards at MSU Moorhead in 2011. It was the most rushing yards since gouging Minnesota Crookston for 323 yards last season.  

T.O.P.
One of the reasons for moving to the triple option offense was to control the clock and the Marauders are finding success in this area. Against Southwest Minnesota State, Mary held the ball for 39:53. The Marauders second in the NSIC in time of possession at 35:38/per game and fourth in NCAA Division II.

BOLT THE DOOR
SR LB Austin Bolton recorded double digit tackles for a third straight game. The Joliet, IL, native had 11 tackles at Southwest Minnesota State. He has 13 against Augie in week two and ten tackles at Concordia-St. Paul in the season opener. Bolton leads the NSIC and is 18th in the country in tackles at 11.3/game.

A BUSY MAN
Sr. RB Zack Graves has made several explosive plays for the Marauders this season. After a 68-yard kick return at SMSU, Graves is averaging 32.8 yards/return on five attempts to rank second in the NSIC and 13th in NCAA Division II. Graves is 161st in the NCAA in all-purpose yardage, averaging 100 yards/game. He has rushed for 96 yards and caught four passes for 40 yards.   

FIRST
When So. QB Colton Farmer burst into the end zone from 1 yard out for the Marauders second score against the Mustangs, it was his first collegiate touchdown.


KEEPING THE FIELD CLEAN
The Marauders have committed just 12 infractions for 96 yards through three games. The average of 32 penalty yards/game is the fewest in the NSIC and the 12 penalties is tied for the least. Additionally the Marauders are 6th in NCAA Division II in both fewest penalties and fewest penalty yards.

BEHIND THE LINE
Seeing the most extensive time of his young career, sophomore defensive tackle Brody Peterson has quickly made an impact in opposing backfields. The native of Lemmon, SD, is ninth in the NSIC and 51st in NCAA Division II with a team-high 2.5 sacks. He posted 1.5 sacks against Concordia-St. Paul and one sack against Augustana.

DEBUTS
13 Marauders made their career debut in the season opener against the Golden Bears. WR Adam Geiger, SB Paul Guptill, OL Hunter Hanson, LB Eric Knutson, LB Chris Kraft, DB Noah Krebs, DL Devin Macias, P Bailey Meyer, DL Luther Missoh, WR Harley Mollman, OL Rory Olson, DE Brayden Thomas and OL Tyson Lytle all saw their first action in the Blue & Orange. Starting for the first time were Hanson, Kraft, Macias, Meyer, Mollman and Lytle. True freshmen playing for the Marauders were Geiger, Meyer, Thomas and Lytle.

WELCOME BACK
After playing wide receiver last season and missing the final six games due to injury, junior Ben Jolliffe is back on the field, but this time playing quarterback. The Bismarck native started six games at quarterback as a redshirt freshman in 2014 and is back under center to lead the Marauders triple option offense.