From KFYR TV
By Lee Timmerman
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – It was six years ago this month when the University of Mary announced it was going to start a hockey club to play in the A.C.H.A.
The Marauders intended to begin on the highest level, which is called M1, but the A.C.H.A. had other plans and relegated U-Mary to its Division 2 level.
The Marauders thrived at that level, winning multiple national championships. This year marks the start of the program’s M1 operation and it’s also the first year in a conference called Midwest College Hockey.
“I don’t think we would have been where we are today without our D2 aspirations and the success that has come from that, the culture that has been built, the fan base, the excitement, the championships — all of that stuff came for a reason, and we were patient and we waited. The right time, we kind of felt the right time was now,” said Dan Huntley, U-Mary head coach.
Without playing a game as a full A.C.H.A. M1 team, the Marauders still find themselves in the top 25 of the poll of the season. U-Mary opens the season on Friday at Illinois State.
“The first coaches ranking which means nothing other than, ‘Hey, that was really cool to be a first-year program moving up,’ and people didn’t just cut and paste the final ranking from last year and say this is this year’s. They actually voted for us, and we bumped somebody out of ranking that was there last year, and so there’s some respect,” said Coach Huntley.
(Originally published at https://www.kfyrtv.com/2023/09/26/umary-starts-first-acha-m1-season-this-week/)
