When you think of the University of Mary football program, one name immediately stands above the rest: Myron Schulz. For over two decades, Schulz wasn’t just a coach on the sidelines; he was the primary architect of the Marauders' rise to national prominence.
Yet, his impact on the North Dakota sports landscape stretches far beyond the UMary gridiron. Following an incredible run with the Marauders, Schulz continued to cultivate excellence as an academic leader and, eventually, as a visionary Athletic Director at Bismarck State College.
Here is a look back at the incredible career of a local legend who dedicated nearly 40 years to shaping the lives of student-athletes.
Myron Schulz’s history with the University of Mary reads like a storybook. A Bismarck native, Schulz graduated from UMary in 1987 and immediately joined the coaching staff for the school’s first-ever varsity football season in 1988. After a brief stint coaching high school football in New Rockford and serving as a graduate assistant at Montana State, he returned home in 1992 as UMary’s defensive coordinator.
By the time he was elevated to head coach ahead of the 1999 season, he had already engineered some of the finest defenses in the country. What followed his promotion was a masterclass in program building:
A true testament to a head coach’s greatness is the success of those who worked under them. Schulz had an uncanny eye for coaching talent. Two notable names from his UMary staff went on to achieve elite success at the highest levels of football:
When Schulz stepped down from whistle-blowing duties in 2013, he didn’t leave the University of Mary. Instead, he transitioned into academia, serving for eight years as a beloved faculty member and the Program Director for the Sport and Leisure Management program in the Gary Tharaldson School of Business.
His ability to communicate, motivate, and mentor translated perfectly from the locker room to the lecture hall. He even lent his leadership to the UMary Track & Field program as an assistant coach, famously helping guide athletes to national championships simply through his elite ability to connect with and inspire people.
In August 2021, Schulz’s career came full circle when he was named the Director of Athletics at his other alma mater, Bismarck State College (BSC).
Just as he had done at UMary, Schulz brought a bold vision to the BSC Mystics. In just over four years at the helm, he spearheaded a massive institutional shift, orchestrating BSC’s strategic transition into the NAIA, upgrading athletic facilities, and expanding opportunities by adding new sports—including the college’s inaugural women’s wrestling program.
Schulz officially retired from athletic administration in January 2026, putting a bow on a spectacular 40-year career in athletics and education.
Whether he was drawing up defensive schemes in the 90s, guiding UMary into NCAA Division II, or rebuilding the athletic identity of Bismarck State, Myron Schulz approached everything with the same blueprint: heavy preparation, deep relationships, and a genuine care for the community.
He remains a towering figure in North Dakota sports history—a homegrown leader who proved that with the right culture, local programs can achieve national greatness.