When the University of Mary launched its football program, it needed more than talent. It needed leadership, belief, and individuals willing to help build something from the ground up. Few embodied that spirit more fully than Shayne Walth.
A Bismarck native and St. Mary’s graduate, Walth returned home when U-Mary football was just beginning. In doing so, he became one of the foundational figures in program history and helped establish a tradition that continues to shape Marauder football today.
Before helping launch football at the University of Mary, Walth had already built an impressive athletic résumé. He was named the 1984 North Dakota High School Athlete of the Year and competed in football at Dickinson State University for two seasons. He also spent a year in track at Moorhead State University.
When the opportunity came to be part of the University of Mary’s new football program, Walth came home to help build it.
In 1987, Walth joined the Marauders as a student-coach on the school’s first football squad. In that role, he worked with defensive backs, quarterbacks, and receivers, contributing wherever the young program needed him most.
His early involvement reflected the spirit of those first teams. He was not simply preparing to play. He was helping shape the identity, structure, and standards of Marauder football from the very beginning.
Walth went on to quarterback the first two Marauders varsity football teams in 1988 and 1989.
In his first season, he earned All-NDCAC honorable mention recognition. As a senior in 1989, he led the league in total offense and earned All-NDCAC honors, further cementing his place among the program’s earliest standouts.
As one of the few upperclassmen on the roster, Walth also served as a team captain. Alongside Toby Schweitzer, who led the defense, he helped guide the offense during the formative years of the program.
“We did not have the success that I would have desired but I take great pride in being the first QB and an original leader of the first teams that helped establish a tradition for future teams.”
The first Marauders teams faced difficult challenges, but they also delivered moments that remain meaningful in program history.
Highlights from those early seasons included a win over Rocky Mountain College in the school’s first varsity football game, along with several competitive contests that ended in narrow, last-minute losses.
In 1989, the Marauders earned their first conference victories over Mayville State and Jamestown College. That same team also pushed three nationally ranked opponents—Dickinson State, Valley City State, and Minot State—to the limit, falling by a combined total of just 10 points while having opportunities to win all three games.
Those seasons may not have produced all the results Walth hoped for, but they established the competitive standard and pride that would help define the program in the years ahead.
“A Fran Tarkenton like QB with the athletic ability and quickness to extend plays, Walth gives the Marauders a chance to win any game.”
Walth’s contributions to the University of Mary did not end with his playing career.
He served as a graduate assistant coach on the 1990 team and also competed in track and field for the Marauders. He graduated from the University of Mary in 1990 with a degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences and a minor in secondary education.
His time at the university reflected a deep commitment not only to athletics, but also to service, leadership, and the broader mission of the institution.
Today, Walth continues to make a meaningful impact in the Bismarck-Mandan community. He is the general manager of Bruce’s Manufactured Housing, a family-owned and operated business that includes Spiffy Biffs, an active sponsor of Marauders athletics.
He has also remained active in coaching youth sports, continuing his investment in the next generation of athletes and leaders.
Walth’s family reflects a lasting connection to Marauder athletics as well. He is married to Marlina, a distinguished former Marauders cross country and track and field athlete, and together they have two sons, Isaac and Christian. Isaac has continued the family’s University of Mary tradition as a member of the Marauders track and field team.
As a member of the Marauders Hall of Fame, Shayne Walth represents far more than statistics and honors. He represents the courage to build, the humility to serve, and the leadership required to establish something lasting.
His story is one of commitment to team, school, and community. As the first quarterback of Marauder varsity football and one of its original leaders, Walth helped lay the groundwork for generations of student-athletes who followed.
The history of Marauder football began with individuals willing to believe in what the program could become. Shayne Walth was one of those individuals, and his legacy remains an enduring part of that foundation.