March 20, 2008

Bismarck, ND – The University of Mary has elevated Mike McMahon to a full-time coaching position on the football staff, announced Marauders head coach Myron Schulz. McMahon, who joined the staff last summer, will coach the secondary and coordinate the special teams.

“Mike is a great addition to our coaching staff and Marauders football,” said Schulz. “He’s a bright young coach who’s very familiar with our staff and our system.”

“It’s a privilege to be a part of this staff,” said McMahon. “Coach Schulz, Coach Petrino and Coach Fisk are amazing coaches and it’s humbling to be associated with them. The University of Mary has a proud tradition, and we cherish our roots, but our future looks extremely bright. It’s an exciting time to be a Marauder.”

In McMahon’s first year with the Marauders in 2007, U-Mary’s pass defense and total defense led the Northern Sun. The Marauders allowed just 197.6 yards passing and ranked 20^th in the nation in pass efficiency defense. U-Mary ranked 18^th nationally in allowing only 292 total yards per game and 23^rd in scoring defense (19.6 points per game). Working primarily with the cornerbacks, McMahon coached two All-Northern Sun players, as Devon Jones earned first-team honors and James Miles was an honorable mention selection.

McMahon joined the Marauders staff after compiling an extensive college coaching resume. He has eight years of collegiate experience, including two years as a graduate assistant coaching the defensive line at Utah State of the NCAA Division I Western Athletic Conference immediately before arriving at U-Mary.

After several knee injuries ended his playing career, McMahon began coaching while he was a student at Carroll College, where he worked with U-Mary defensive coordinator Jason Petrino. At Carroll, McMahon worked with safeties, linebackers and special teams units from 2000-02 before taking over as the defensive backs coach for two seasons. In his time at Carroll, McMahon coached several all-conference and All-America players. Carroll made five semifinal appearances and won three consecutive national championships during his tenure.

Born April 29, 1982 in Bellevue, WA, McMahon graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English writing from Carroll in 2004.

McMahon comes from a coaching family. One uncle, Tim, is a former high school coach at Capital High School in Helena, MT. A second uncle, Dick McMahon, is a current high school coach at Capital. A third uncle, Tom McMahon, currently is an assistant coach with the Atlanta Falcons.

McMahon, who earned his master’s degree in English Literature and Writing from Utah State in May 2007, also teaches English courses for U-Mary.