Linebacker, Rooted at Home: The Hall of Fame Story of Steve Clooten

Some players arrive and quietly find their place. Others walk in and immediately raise the standard. Steve Clooten did the latter.

An outstanding multi-sport athlete at St. Mary’s High School in Bismarck, North Dakota, Steve began his college career at the University of Wyoming. When he transferred back home to the University of Mary in 1994, he brought Division I experience, toughness, and a mindset that helped push Marauder Football deeper into the national conversation.

Coming Home and Changing the Room

By the time Clooten suited up for Mary, the Marauders were already building momentum as a young program. His arrival accelerated that climb.

Enrolling in 1994 as a transfer, Steve made an immediate impact:

• Earned a starting role on defense
• Was named a team captain
• Brought a level of intensity and preparation that teammates quickly followed

Over the 1994 and 1995 seasons, Mary went a combined 17–something (17 wins total across those two years) and continued its push toward national relevance.

1995: A Season for the Record Books

The 1995 season stands out as one of the defining years in Marauder Football history—and Steve Clooten was at the heart of it.

That fall:

• The Marauders advanced all the way to the NAIA semifinals in Washington, one of the deepest postseason runs in program history.
• Clooten earned First Team All-American honors, cementing his place among the best defenders in the country at the NAIA level.
• He was named the Marauders Most Valuable Defensive Player.
• He repeated as an All-Conference selection (1994 and 1995).

His production matched the accolades. With 117 tackles during the 1995 season, Steve ranks fourth in the Marauders single-season record book for tackles. That kind of volume doesn’t come from one big game; it comes from showing up, snap after snap, week after week.

Leadership Through Work Ethic and Intensity

Clooten’s coaches and teammates remember him for more than stats.

His strong work ethic became a benchmark for others:

• He practiced with the same intensity he played with on Saturdays.
• He demanded accountability from himself first, then from those around him.
• As a captain, he led not just with words, but with consistent, physical play.

That combination of production and presence is a big reason why he became just the third Marauder football player inducted into the Marauders Athletic Hall of Fame.

Life After Football: Wide Open Spaces, Same Core Values

Today, Steve is still rooted in the Bismarck area and still living out many of the same values that defined his playing career.

• He currently manages an elk ranch north of Bismarck, trading in shoulder pads for the wide-open spaces of North Dakota land.
• He and his wife Sandy (Wagner)—also a University of Mary graduate—make their home in Bismarck.

Just as he did on the field, Steve’s life after football reflects hard work, commitment, and staying grounded in faith, family, and place.

A Model for Future Marauders

For current players and alumni, Steve Clooten’s story is a blueprint:

• Come in and raise the standard.
• Lead with effort and intensity every day.
• Help your team go further than it’s ever gone before.
• Carry those same traits into your family, work, and community.

From St. Mary’s to Wyoming to the University of Mary, from NAIA semifinals to the Marauder Hall of Fame, Steve Clooten’s journey is a reminder that some of the program’s greatest stories begin right here at home—and leave their mark for generations of Marauders to come.