From University of Mary Athletics
By Brian Larson
THIS WEEK
The 14th ranked University of Mary hockey team heads south to Chesterfield, MO, for three games in the ACHA M1 Showcase January 17-19. The Marauders open play at the Showcase against tournament host #11 Maryville University at 7:30 pm on Friday, January 17. In a quick turnaround the Marauders face West Chester University at 1:30 pm on Saturday, January 18. The weekend wraps up against the University of Central Oklahoma. Faceoff against the Bronchos is 1:30 pm on Sunday, January 18.
ACHA M1 SHOWCASE DEETS
All games played at the Maryville University Hockey Center in Chesterfield, MO
Admission is $10/day at the door and covers all six games that day
Showcase games will be streamed online at flohockey.tv (subscription/ppv)
FAMILIARITY
The Marauders lost at Maryville 4-1 Feb. 9, 2023, in the only meeting between the programs
UMary defeated West Chester 3-1 at the 2024 ACHA MD1 tournament in the lone meeting
The Marauders are 1-1 all-time against the Bronchos, splitting a pair of games in Edmond, OK, in October 2023
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video found at www.goumary.com/coverage.
RECORDS
The Marauders are 17-7-0-0-0-0 (W-L-OTL-T-SOW-SOL) overall, 16-7-0-0-0-0 in ACHA MD1 play and 9-3-0-0-0-0 against Midwest College Hockey competition… Minot State is 20-4-2-0-0-1… Iowa State enters the week 5-14-1-0-0-0 before playing at Minot State Jan. 10-11.
LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders opened 2025 with a 6-2 loss at #2 Minot State. Crae Dawson and Joe Gronholz scored 1st period goals for the Marauders… UMary downed visiting Iowa State 4-3 in overtime on a Gronholz goal with 4.5 seconds left on the clock off a feed from Derek Dropik. It was the second goal of the game for Gronholz. Dawson and Lyndon Orr also scored for UMary. The Marauders held a 64-24 edge in shots for the game.
AFTER THE ACTION
Marauders fans should make plans to stop Buffalo Wild Wings following all home hockey contests. With two convenient Bismarck locations and great food and drink specials, it’s easy to see why Buffalo Wild Winds is the preferred post-game hangout of Marauders Hockey!
LEADERBOARD
Newcomers are playing a big role in the Marauders impressive start to the season as the top four scorers this season are in their first season at UMary.
First-year player Joe Gronholz leads the team in points (30) and goals (14) and is second in assists (16)
Alex Senf leads the Marauders in power play goals (8) and is second in points (26) and goals (13) and 4th in assists (14)
Crae Dawson (12G 11A 23 points) is third on the team in scoring and tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (3)
Hunter Mangan (7G 14A 21 points) and Dylan Cunningham (2G 19A 21 points) are tied for 4th in scoring for UMary. Mangan is tied for second with Gronholz in power play goals (3) and is third in game-winners (2). Cunningham is the team leader in assists (19).
Team captain Michael Heitkamp is second among UMary defensemen in scoring (7G 11A 18 points)
Derek Dropik (6G 13A 19 points) is the top scorer among returners.
Jake Murray (5G 9A 14 points) and Liam Massie (9G 5A 14 points) are right behind Dropik and Heitkamp in scoring among returners
In his first season at UMary Lyndon Orr (5G 9A 14 points) is tied with Dawson for the lead in game-winning goals
NET GAINS
A trio of Marauders goalkeepers have combined for a 2.58 goals against average with a .910 save percentage this season.
Marino Ramirez is 6-6 in net with a 3.43 GAA and a .896 save percentage
Caleb Cross is 8-1 with a 2.58 GAA and a save percentage of .905
Zane Clausen has saved 96.4% of the shots he has faced for a record of 3-0 and a 0.66 GAA with two shutouts in three starts
RANKED
16 of the Marauders 23 ACHA MD1 games this season are against ranked opponents.
UMARY STAYS #14 IN ACHA MD1 NATIONAL RANKINGS
The University of Mary ranks 14th nationally in the 2024-25 American College Hockey Association Men’s Division 1 poll released January 15, 2025. This is the 10th regular season rankings overall and the 7th by computer.
The computer rankings determine the 24 teams that qualify for the 2025 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships in addition to eight league champions. The preseason poll and the first three rankings of the regular season were conducted by a vote of coaches.
UMary opened the 2024-5 season ranked #11 in the preseason poll, spent week’s 1-2 at #8 in the poll before jumping to #7 in the third and final coaches’ ranking of the regular season. The Marauders have ranked #18 (Week 4), #17 (Week 5), #13 (Week 6), #14 (Week 7), #15 (Week 8) and #14 (Week 9 and 10) in the computer rankings.
The next ranking will be released January 22, 2025.
Sixteen of the Marauders 23 ACHA MD1 games were played against ranked teams.
The 2025 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey will be hosted March 13-18 for the third time at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, MO. This will be the second year of the 24-team format.
2024-2025 ACHA Men’s Division I Ranking #10
Rank School Name M1 Record Previous Trend Conference
1 Minot State 23-2-3 2 ↑1 MCH
2 Nevada-Las Vegas 17-1-1 3 ↑1 WCHL
3 Liberty 13-4-2 4 ↑1 INDEP
4 Ohio 11-3-0 1 ↓3 INDEP
5 Adrian 15-1-2 6 ↑1 GL6
6 Jamestown 17-6-0 5 ↓1 MCH
7 Niagara 14-3-1 7 ― INDEP
8 Utah 11-3-1 9 ↑1 WCHL
9 Drury 19-1-0 11 ↑2 INDEP
10 Calvin 17-3-0 10 ― GL6
11 Maryville 12-6-2 8 ↓3 INDEP
12 Grand Canyon 9-7-1 13 ↑1 WCHL
13 Indiana Tech 18-2-0 12 ↓1 WHAC
14 Mary 16-7-0 14 ― MCH
15 Purdue Northwest 11-6-1 18 ↑3 GL6
16 Arizona 9-10-0 16 ― WCHL
17 Oklahoma 13-5-1 15 ↓2 WCHL
18 Pittsburgh 13-8-1 20 ↑2 ESCHL
19 Oswego State 14-6-3 19 ― NECHL
20 Grand Valley State 14-5-0 23 ↑3 GL6
21 Arizona State 6-11-2 NR ↑5 WCHL
22 Midland 13-13-1 17 ↓5 MCH
23 Delaware 11-8-3 22 ↓1 ESCHL
24 Stony Brook 8-8-3 NR ↑2 ESCHL
25 Northwood 16-2-0 25 ― GLCHL
2024-25 MIDWEST COLLEGE HOCKEY STANDINGS (THROUGH JANUARY 11)
North Division
Minot State 42 (14 games)
Jamestown 33 points (14)
UMary 26 (12)
Midland 15 (14)
Waldorf 12 (14)
South Division
McKendree 27 points (16 games)
Illinois State 18 (12)
Illinois 14 (14)
Iowa State 11 (12)
Northern Illinois 7 (14)
300
The University of Mary played its 300th hockey game in program history at Waldorf on Friday, December 6. Under the direction of head coach Dan Huntley, UMary is 232-47-9-10-2-1 since first taking to the ice September 15, 2018, in an 8-0 win over visiting North Dakota State.
MARAUDERS PICKED 3rD IN MCH NORTH PRESEASON POLL
The University of Mary is picked to finish third in the Midwest College Hockey North Division in the preseason coaches poll. A powerhouse division, the top three teams are all ranked nationally in the ACHA Men’s Division I poll. Preseason favorite and MCH newcomer Minot State is ranked 3rd in the country. Jamestown, the defending MCH regular season and tournament champion, is #8. The Marauders, the regular season and post-season runner-up in their first season in the MCH, is #11 in the nation.
MCH NORTH DIVISION PRESEASON POLL
Rank, Team Points
- Minot State (8) 96
- Jamestown (1) 78
- UMary (1) 62
- Midland 40
- Waldorf 24
(First Place votes in parentheses)
MCH SOUTH DIVISION PRESEASON POLL
Rank, Team Points
- Illinois State (9) 98
- McKendree (1) 64
- Iowa State 62
- Illinois 54
- Northern Illinois 22
(First Place votes in parentheses)
MCH NOTES
Teams in MCH plays each program in their own division each season and will play teams in the opposite division every other season. The Marauders will play North Division teams Minot State, Jamestown, Midland and Waldorf and South Division foes Illinois State and Northern Illinois. UMary will face Iowa State three times – all non-conference – and will not play McKendree and Illinois.
WE’RE BACK
The University of Mary returns nine players from last season: Michael Heitkamp, Liam Massie, Lucas Medeiros, Luke Schleusner, Jake Murray, Derek Dropik, Nick Bradshaw, Tucker Kruse and Brandon Kelly. Dropik is the most experienced returner as the forward is back for his fourth season. Massie, Medeiros and Kruse are back for their third seasons.
YEAR 2 IN ACHA MD1
2024-25 is year two for UMary competing in American Collegiate Hockey Association Men’s Division I. The Marauders spent their first five seasons at ACHA MD2, twice winning a national title (2021, 2022) and finishing with an all-time record of 13-1 at the national tournament.
YEAR 2 IN MIDWEST COLLEGE HOCKEY
The Marauders joined Midwest College Hockey in 2023-24, finishing the season second both the regular season (46 points with a record of 15-4-0-0-1) and the MCH tournament, which was hosted by UMary.
CENTURY CODE
The Marauders are 107-17-2-3-0-0 (W-L-OTL-T-SOW-SOL through Sept. 27, 2024) all-time at home. UMary earned its 100th win at home against Minot State University on January 24, 2024.
NEW
UMary has 16 newcomers. One recognizable name is Ben Tschida, whose older brother Marshall was an award-winning defenseman on both UMary national championship teams.
PROGRAM HISTORY LESSON
Under the direction of head coach Dan Huntley, a 2-time coach of the year, the University of Mary was a dominant force in ACHA M2 for all five years the program has existed.
2018-19 | 39-5-1-2 (not eligible for postseason as 1st year program)
2019-20 | 39-9-2-0 (#1 West Region seed | MWCHL tourney runner-up | #2 nationally in final poll | ACHA M2 tourney cancelled for pandemic)
2020-21 | 38-4-1-6 (ACHA M2 national champion | Ranked #1 in final ACHA M2 poll | #1 seed at ACHA M2 championships)
2021-22 | 38-4-1-2 (ACHA M2 national champion | Ranked #1 in final ACHA M2 rating | #1 seed from West region)
2022-23 | 38-6-3-1 (Ranked #1 in final ACHA M2 rating | #1 seed from West region | was 2-0-1-0 at ACHA M2 championships
2023-24 | 26-14-0-0-1 (W-L-OTL-SOW-SOL) | #10 seed at ACHA MD1 tournament | 1-1 at nationals | 23-14-0-0-1 v ACHA MD1 foes | 15-4-0-0-1 in Midwest College Hockey (2nd place with 46 points) | 1-1 at MCH tournament (2nd place) | #11 in final rankings | ranked as high as #4 in regular season
TOTAL THROUGH 2023-24 SEASON | 218-42-8-11-0-1 (W-L-OTL-T-SOW-SOL)
NATIONALS
The Marauders are 13-2 all-time at ACHA nation tournaments (12-1 in three MD2 tournaments, 1-1 in MD1).
(Originally published at https://goumary.com/news/2025/1/16/hockey-14-marauders-head-to-show-me-state-for-acha-m1-showcase.aspx)
