BSU Sports: Volleyball Picked to Finish 13th in NSIC; Local Freshmen on Track Team

BSU women’s volleyball was picked to finish 13th in the 2025 NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, and sophomore middle blocker Ava Athman was tabbed as the Beavers’ Preseason Player to Watch for the year.

It will be Bemidji State’s first season under new head coach Erika Bute, who spent last year as an assistant for the Beavs.

BSU women’s track and field will have 10 freshmen as part of this year’s incoming class, and two of them are from area schools. One is Naila Mikhael, a cross country and long distance track athlete from Staples-Motley who finished 11th in the 1600 meter at the Section 6A meet.

The other is Clearbrook-Gonvick’s Allison LaVine, who is a multi-event athlete and throws disc. In the latter event, she’s the reigning back-to-back Class A state champ.