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UNIVERSITY OF MARY ADDS NEW SHOTGUN SPORTS TEAM STARTING FALL SEMESTER 2023
Today the University of Mary announced shotgun sports as its new, 20th Marauders sports program that both men and women can compete in starting this fall, 2023. The co-ed sport allows scholar-athletes to compete in a sport that is growing regionally and nationally among higher education institutions. The sport already includes intercollegiate programs throughout North Dakota and the Upper Midwest.
This is the first sport initiative launched by the University of Mary’s new Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Cooper Jones after only a few weeks at the helm of Marauders Athletics. Jones believes this new sport is a perfect fit for the athletic program’s ‘Greatness through Virtue’ mission and identity and will enhance the student-life experience.
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The Marauders will be coached by longtime marksman and Capital City Sporting Clays owner, Mark Sandness, and will compete as part of the USA College Clay Target League.
Not only is Capital City Sporting Clays a premier sporting clays, skeet, and shotgun facility offering the finest fivestand ranges in the region, but it will be home to the new Marauders shotgun sports team where they will be challenged to the highest degree in marksmanship.
Sandness’ love for shooting started over 30 years ago. This passion for shooting and education inspired him to begin teaching the sport, while also having fun and, most importantly, being safe.
“I try to adjust my teaching method to meet the needs of each student,” explained Sandness. “I like to explain the ‘why’ to athletes. I started teaching over 20 years ago, and I have learned over this time that each athlete is unique. This is especially true in shotgun sports. The way I see a target is very different from the next person, and I love the challenge of helping that student succeed. I consider it an honor to teach these athletes the art of shooting and I am humbled by the opportunity to be their coach.”
One of the athletes Sandness will be coaching is University of Mary scholar-athlete Janine Warne, a freshman varsity softball player from Brookings, SD. She brought up the idea of adding a shotgun sports team at Mary to the Sportsmen’s Club on campus. Interest and excitement grew, so Warne and fellow sophomore classmate, Matthew Sammons, of Bismarck, got the university’s administration involved and the rest is history.
The goal is to have a roster of 20 shotgun sports athletes by the start of the season in September and then continue to grow the team from that foundation.
