Bemidji State Women’s Tennis Fuels Hot Start with Mix of International and Local Talent

BSU women’s tennis is off to their best start since 2022, where they’re sitting at 4-5 overall and 2-2 in conference. It’s more wins at the midway point of this season than the Beavers had in each of the previous two years, and they owe it to the recruitment of some talented players from both near and far.

America is known as the great melting pot, and inside the Gillett Wellness Center, Bemidji State women’s tennis has a melting pot of their own. Mexico, Venezuela, South Africa, and the Netherlands are all represented, which is more than most other sports, but not uncommon for tennis.

“From back home, I have a lot of friends after high school, we’re just kind of like, ‘Oh, should we try and go overseas and play for a year?'” said graduate Sophie Groen, who is from the Netherlands. “But I notice that a lot of us, after one year, really kind of get hooked and we’re like, ‘Oh, you know what? Let’s stay a couple more years. We might as well just finish college.'”

Mia Leshem, a freshman from South Africa, further explained why foreign players come to the United States. “Whoever plays in international tournaments, which I did under 18, they usually look to go overseas. Competition and opportunity-wise, study-wise, and just a better future in general.”

According to the NCAA, tennis welcomes the most international student-athletes of any sport by a large margin, with Division II women’s tennis accounting for 45% of the total across all D2 women’s sports. Golf is the next largest at 19%.

For BSU, 40% of their roster are foreign born. It’s something head coach Kyle Fodness believes is a huge positive in terms of growth for the Beavers as young women.

“What a great opportunity for student-athletes on a tennis team to say, ‘When I come to practice, there are different languages, they’re different cultures, they’re different backgrounds, they’re different stories from everything you could possibly imagine.’ It’s just incredible.”

On the court, Groen is the Beavers’ number one singles player, and she is the leader of a young team comprised of herself, a junior, and eight underclassmen.

“I always just tell them, ‘Have fun, it’s over before you know it,'” she said. “I’ve been here four years and it doesn’t feel like it at all. So yeah, just have fun, work hard, and just play the best you can.”

Leshem is already playing at both number two singles and number two doubles as just a freshman. It’s something she didn’t expect so soon.

“No, not at all,” she laughed. “I just put my best foot forward and I’m trying to do my best in every situation that I’m in and in every match as well. I’m very happy to be where I am. But yeah, just putting my best foot forward.”

Bemidji State has also found plenty of talent close to home, with the six U.S. players all from Minnesota, including Lauren Rutten, a freshman from Staples who plays in the top five singles for the Beavers.

“I love the jump,” Rutten said. “I definitely went into the fall tournaments not ready to play college tennis. And now I’m slowly progressing and working up, but it was great to have a spot right away and be able to play my game.”

BSU hits the road this weekend for a match with Minnesota Crookston in Grand Forks, North Dakota on Friday and then a match with Wisconsin-Stout on Saturday in Rogers, Minnesota.