Before Marauder Football had conference titles and national playoff runs, it had a handful of foundational players who helped build the standard. Jason Arenz was one of them.
A two-time All-American and four-time all-conference kicker, Arenz became just the second football player ever elected to the Marauders Athletic Hall of Fame. His story blends small-town roots, quirky details (yes, he kicked barefoot), and a lifelong commitment to his community on both sides of the Missouri River.
A 1989 graduate of Mandan High School, Jason joined the University of Mary that same year, suiting up for the Marauders during just their second season of varsity football.
Even as a true freshman in 1989, he was impossible to ignore:
In those early years, when the program was still establishing its identity, Arenz gave the Marauders something every young team needs: reliability in critical moments.
Jason’s senior year in 1992 remains one of the most remarkable kicking seasons in UMary history.
That fall, as the Marauders chased their first conference championship, Arenz delivered:
Those kicks didn’t happen by accident. Behind the scenes, Coach Bella Belogh was instrumental in Arenz’s development—famously convincing him to kick barefoot.
The image of a barefoot kicker lining up for clutch field goals has become part of Marauder lore. It also perfectly fits Arenz’s story: tough, a little unconventional, and highly effective.
Every great Marauder story has at least one moment of humility, and Jason’s is a classic.
As a freshman, he made the mistake of parking in Sister Thomas Welder’s parking spot—once.
“Boy did she track me down and embarrass me. Let’s just say it was the last time that ever happened!!”
It’s a small story, but it captures the spirit of those early days: a tight-knit campus, visible leadership, and lessons that went far beyond football.
Jason graduated from the University of Mary in 1993 with a degree in business administration. Just as he did on the field, he moved into leadership roles off of it.
Today:
He still finds time for fishing, bow hunting, vacations, and family time, but the through-line is clear: the same focus and consistency that made him a Hall of Fame kicker now shape his work, family, and community life.
For today’s players and alumni, Jason Arenz represents a powerful model of what it means to be a Marauder:
From barefoot kicks and record-breaking seasons to boardrooms and ball fields in Mandan, Jason’s legacy is a reminder that what starts on the turf at the University of Mary can echo through a lifetime.