# Mary Marauders

The Marauders are the athletic teams that represent the University of Mary, located in Bismarck, North Dakota, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Marauders compete as members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for all 16 varsity sports . The University also is home to an ACHA men's hockey team. As of November 11, 2019, the University of Mary has discontinued their men's soccer program after 25 seasons of playing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

## Marauders history

Athletics at the University of Mary began in 1970 when Fritz Fell was brought on board to start a men's basketball program. Al Bortke succeeded Fell in 1973 as the men's basketball coach and athletic director and over the next 36 years would develop an athletic program that enjoyed tremendous success at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics level and later in NCAA Division II. After achieving a record of 335–156 in 16 years as the men's basketball coach that included 11 20-win seasons, Bortke became U-Mary's first full-time athletic director in 1989. During Bortke's tenure, Mary grew from one varsity sport (men's basketball) in 1970, to as many as 19 and the Marauders athletic program became a national power. Bortke is a member of both the Marauders and NAIA athletic halls of fame.

## Conference

The University of Mary is a member of NCAA Division II and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and offers nine varsity sports for women and eight for men.

## Mascot

The mascot or nickname "Marauders" was chosen by a selection process of the student body in the early 1970s. Timothy George, prominent theologian and founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School, offered commentary on the choice of this mascot for a Catholic school in an essay published in First Things in 2014, Mary on the Prairie. In 2017 the University unveiled in its campus restaurant a life-sized statue of a Marauder as a barbary corsair absorbed in conversation with Saint John of Matha. In 2018 the mascot was dubbed "Maximus," a nod to Maximus the Confessor.

## Varsity sports

| Men's sports | Women's sports |
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Soccer |
| Ice hockey | Softball |
| Track & field | Track & field |
| Wrestling | Swimming |
| | Tennis |
| | Volleyball |

## Records

* Football - Record - overall (through 2023) 191-181-1 | 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 Stadium - MDU Resources Community Bowl (7,000)
* Baseball
* Men's basketball - Overall record (through 2022) 778 - 688 (52 seasons) | Home Court - McDowell Activity Center (2,500)
* Women's basketball - Overall record (through 2022) 739 - 583, (2000 National Champions) | Home Court - McDowell Activity Center (2,500)

## Notable athletes

* Craig Bagnell
* Mike Capaccio
* Todd Hendricks
* Clarence McKinney
* Tim Miles
* Brayden Thomas
* Marquice Williams

## Gallery

* Marauders Football takes the field.
* Marauders Volleyball match in the Marauders Activity Center
* Marauders Basketball's Devon Douglas winning the NCAA Slam Dunk Contest
* Marauders indoor track competition in the UMary Fieldhouse
* Marauders Hockey player races for the puck
* Marauders Softball sliding safe into base
* UMary wrestling against a rival school in the Marauders Activity Center
* Marauders Women's Basketball sets up for a shot down low
* UMary Men's Track and Field in the UMary Fieldhouse
* Marauders Women's Swimming competition