By: Brian Larson, Sports Information Director

Bismarck, ND – For the first time in 15 years, the University of Mary football team will take to the field under new management. Josh Kotelnicki, who owns an NCAA Division II championship ring as a player and has coached on winning teams at the NCAA Division I, FCS and II level, today was publicly introduced as the Marauders new head football coach.

"Josh Kotelnicki is an outstanding young coach who has experienced tremendous success as a player and at every step of his coaching career," said Marauders athletic director Roger Thomas. "His experience at every level of coaching, from a position coach to coordinator, gives Josh a great perspective on the football side of being a head coach. His role as a recruiting coordinator and associate head coach has prepared him for the administrative side. We believe Josh is the right person to propel the Marauders to the next level and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish during his tenure."

"I am humbled and excited for this tremendous opportunity to lead the University of Mary football team," said Kotelnicki. "Thank you to University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea, Executive Vice President Greg Vetter and Athletic Director Roger Thomas for giving me this chance to coach our student-athletes and build on the rich tradition of Marauders football. I can't wait to get the family here, begin meeting people on campus and throughout the community and get started leading the football program."

The associate head coach and defensive coordinator last season at NCAA Division I University of North Dakota, Kotelnicki becomes the sixth man to lead the Marauders football program and the fifth varsity head coach at U-Mary. The Litchfield, MN, native takes over the post from Myron Schulz, who resigned the head coaching position after 15 seasons to become a faculty member in U-Mary's Gary Tharaldson School of Business.

Kotelnicki, who was a defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and a linebackers and offensive line position coach before adding assistant head coach duties in 2012, takes over a Marauders football program with a rich history. In 26 seasons, U-Mary has posted 17 winning records, qualified for the national playoffs ten times, captured six conference titles and owns a record of 170-101-1.

A team captain and starting outside linebacker on the 2001 UND national championship football team, Kotelnicki started his coaching career as an assistant offensive live coach at Murray State University in 2002. He helped lead the Racers to a single season team rushing record of 2,849 yards.

After two seasons with the Racers he returned to UND as the outside linebackers coach. During the 2004 and 2005 seasons, UND posted a record of 21-6, was the top scoring defense in the nation in 2004, advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinals in 2004, won a North Central Conference title in 2005 and qualified again for the national playoffs. He also coached four all-conference selections.

In 2006 Kotelnicki was named the defensive coordinator at Truman State University. In his only season with the Bulldogs, the team improved from zero to six wins, he coached four all-conference players and led a defense that improved from eight out of nine in scoring defense to five out of ten.

The next stop for Kotelnicki was Kansas State University, where he was a defensive graduate assistant for the 2007 season. He coached the outside linebackers, including an all-league selection, and assisted with special teams.
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Following his season in the Big 12, he returned to UND as the linebacker coach and special teams coordinator in 2008. As linebackers coach, Kotelnicki assisted with the Great West conference's top scoring, rushing and total defense in 2011 and coached two All-Great West performers. As special teams coordinator for UND through the 2012 season, he coached three All-Great West special teams selections, directed five units to the top statistical rankings in the conference and led the FCS in blocked kicks in 2011.

In January 2012 Kotelnicki was named UND's recruiting coordinator. He later added the responsibilities of assistant head coach in August 2012 and was elevated to the defensive coordinator slot at North Dakota in January 2013.

Kotelnicki earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from UND in 2002. He completed his master's degree in business administration from Murray State University in 2003. Josh and his wife Sarah have a son, Thomas, and a daughter, Nora.

The Marauders finished 6-5 last season to give Schulz 10 winning seasons in 15 years as head coach. Schulz, who was a member of the Marauders coaching staff for 23 out of the school's 26 varsity seasons, compiled a career mark of 103-60, the most wins in school history.

Kotelnicki is the second U-Mary head coach to join the Marauders program from North Dakota. Dale Lennon, who led the Marauders for two seasons (1997-98), also came from UND. Other previous U-Mary head coaches include Bill Conner, who started the program and led the team in one junior varsity season in 1987, Jim Driscoll (three seasons, 1988-90), Tom Shea, who is currently head coach at Upper Iowa University (1991-96), Lennon and Schulz.

Also, Kotelnicki is the brother of Andy Kotelnicki, the Marauders offensive coordinator in 2011-12 and is now the offensive coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, which just won the 2013 NCAA Division III national championship.
 
The Marauders open the 2014 season at home against Southwest Minnesota State University.

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