--- title: "The Deep Threat Who Rewrote the Record Book: Jake Pfau’s Marauder Legacy" description: Jake Pfau set records as a dominant wide receiver at the University of Mary, becoming an NAIA All-American and leaving a lasting legacy on and off the field. image: https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(34).png --- [Skip to content](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marauder-football-alumni-association-blog/the-deep-threat-who-rewrote-the-record-book-jake-pfaus-marauder-legacy#main-content) ![2x10 Marauder Football Alumni Association (2)](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hubfs/2x10%20Marauder%20Football%20Alumni%20Association%20(2).png "2x10 Marauder Football Alumni Association (2)") [Website](https://marauderfootballalumni.com/)[Membership Levels](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/-levels) --- [Business Opportunities](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marketing-branding-experience)[Events](https://marauderfootballalumni.com/group-events) ![](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(34).png?width=2000&height=1000&name=Untitled%20design%20(34).png) Marauder Alumni Hall of Fame # The Deep Threat Who Rewrote the Record Book: Jake Pfau’s Marauder Legacy ![Marauder Football Alumni Association](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy-1.png?width=48&height=48&name=Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy-1.png) Marauder Football Alumni Association February 9, 2026 When the University of Mary needed a big play in the early 2000s, everyone in the stadium knew where the ball was going—and there still wasn’t much anyone could do about it. **Jake Pfau**, a dominating wide receiver from **Beulah, North Dakota**, became one of the most feared playmakers in NAIA football. A **two-time NAIA First Team All-American**, he left UMary as the **all-time leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns** and still sits **second in career receptions**. His career was so impactful that he was later named to the **NAIA All-Decade Team for the 2000s**. ## From Beulah to Bismarck: A Perfect Fit Pfau arrived at the University of Mary with the size, hands, and toughness that fit perfectly with the Marauders’ tradition of explosive offenses and disciplined football. A **two-time All-DAC-10 selection**, he developed into the go-to target in an offense that expected to move the ball through the air and on the scoreboard. ## 2003: First All-American Season and an Elite Eight Run Jake’s national breakout came in **2003**. That season, he: - Caught **59 passes** - Racked up **1,038 receiving yards** - Hauled in **16 touchdown receptions** Those numbers helped power the Marauders to: - A **10–2 overall record** - A trip to the **NAIA Elite Eight** For his efforts, Pfau earned: - **NAIA First Team All-American honors** - **All-DAC-10 recognition** He had become one of the premier receivers in the country—and he was just getting started. ## 2004: MVP, Champion, and Back-to-Back All-American Pfau’s **senior season in 2004** cemented his place among the all-time greats. That year, he: - Caught **67 passes** - Totaled **1,042 receiving yards** - Scored **10 receiving touchdowns** Led by his production, the Marauders: - Won the **DAC-10 title** - Returned to the **NAIA playoffs** Individually, Jake added to his résumé: - Named **DAC-10 Most Valuable Player** - Earned **NAIA All-American honors for the second straight year** He became just the **second player in UMary history** to earn **First Team All-American recognition**. ## A Career Etched in the Record Books By the time he played his final down, Pfau had stacked up numbers that still define Marauder excellence at wide receiver: - **2,682 career receiving yards** – **1st all-time** at UMary - **34 career touchdown receptions** – **1st all-time** - **161 receptions** – **2nd all-time** - **208 career points scored** He’s also the **only UMary player to record two 1,000-yard receiving seasons**, an incredible measure of consistency and dominance. And on a single Saturday, he put together one of the greatest receiving performances in program history: - **13 receptions vs. the University of Sioux Falls in 2002** – still the **single-game record for catches**. Every stat line, every record, and every big moment tells the same story: when the ball went his way, good things happened for the Marauders. ## Life After Mary: Tech, Teaching, and Family Football wasn’t the only area where Pfau excelled. The son of **Robert Pfau** and **Mary and Rick Miller**, Jake graduated from the University of Mary in **2005** with a **degree in business administration**. He later transitioned into the world of technology and education: - Works as a **computer labs consultant at the University of Missouri–St. Louis** - Is pursuing a **master’s degree in computer science** At home, Jake’s most important role is dad: - He is the father of **Gabriella Duncan** Just as he once balanced academics and athletics in Bismarck, he now balances work, advanced study, and family life in St. Louis. ## A Standard for Marauder Wide Receivers For current Marauder wideouts and alumni, **Jake Pfau’s** career is both a benchmark and an inspiration: - **Two-time NAIA First Team All-American** - **Conference MVP and two-time All-DAC-10 selection** - **All-decade recognition** at the national level - School records in **career receiving yards, touchdowns**, and a host of single-game and single-season feats His story shows what’s possible when talent, work ethic, and opportunity come together—and it’s a reminder that some of the best wide receivers in small-college football history have worn Marauder orange and blue. ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fpage.marauderfootballalumni.com%2Fmarauder-football-alumni-association-blog%2Fthe-deep-threat-who-rewrote-the-record-book-jake-pfaus-marauder-legacy](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fpage.marauderfootballalumni.com%2Fmarauder-football-alumni-association-blog%2Fthe-deep-threat-who-rewrote-the-record-book-jake-pfaus-marauder-legacy) ## Keep reading ### [![](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-09-15%20at%2011.45.39%20AM-1.png?width=3916&height=1882&name=Screenshot%202026-09-15%20at%2011.45.39%20AM-1.png) Staff Team Marauder Alumni Closing the Gap: Why the UMary Marauders are on the Brink of Turning the Tide Against USF](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marauder-football-alumni-association-blog/closing-the-gap-why-the-umary-marauders-are-on-the-brink-of-turning-the-tide-against-usf) ### [![](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-09-08%20at%209.00.33%20AM.png?width=1254&height=688&name=Screenshot%202026-09-08%20at%209.00.33%20AM.png) Staff Current Marauders Team Week 2 - Marauders Hit the Road to Face Concordia-St. Paul](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marauder-football-alumni-association-blog/week-2-marauders-hit-the-road-to-face-concordia-st.-paul) [![Marauder Football Alumni Association](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy.png?width=200&height=200&name=Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy.png "Marauder Football Alumni Association")](https://marauderfootballalumni.com/) ###### \*Not an Official Organization of the University of Mary. --- Privacy Policy · Legal · © 2026. 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