1/12/2010 - VOLLEYBALL Bemidji State reassigns Bitter

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BEMIDJI, Minn. -- Bemidji State University Director of Athletics Dr. Rick Goeb announced today that Laurie Bitter has been reassigned to an administrative position within the athletic department, effective immediately. The university will begin a national search to fill her previous position of head women’s volleyball coach.

“Laurie Bitter has a passion for making positive influences in young people’s lives,” Goeb said. “BSU Athletics looks forward to Laurie’s new responsibilities and contributions within the athletic department.”

Bitter guided the Beavers for three seasons, posting a 28-61 overall and 17-41 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference record. Last season, BSU went 11-20 overall and 8-12 in the NSIC. The 11 overall wins were the most by a BSU squad since the 2003 team went 15-17 and its eight conference victories was the most league tallies since the 2002 campaign when it finished 8-10. The Beavers were ninth in the final NSIC standings, just one victory from seventh, after being tabbed 11th in the preseason coaches’ poll. BSU went 6-4 at home in 2009, which is its first winning home record since 2003 when that squad posted a 7-4 mark in the BSU Gymnasium. Bitter put together a back row that helped the Beavers finish fourth in the NSIC and 15th in the nation (regular season) in digs per set at a 17.41 clip.

She had two seasons with double-digit wins, including her first campaign in 2007 at 10-17. Five Beavers were named conference player of the week during Bitter’s tenure, including two student-athletes in one week for the first time in BSU program history. Junior Nicole Olson (Baudette, Minn.) earned All-NSIC Honorable Mention honors in 2009 and Brittney Burns was also named to the honorable mention squad in 2007.

BSU also had success in the classroom during her tenure. Thirteen members of the team were named to the Fall Academic All-NSIC Team and sophomore Courtney Bitter (Bemidji, Minn.) was an ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic Second-Team All-District V, in 2009. She was the first Beaver to make the team since Brittney Carlson was a third team member in 2005.

Bitter will remain the advisor for the Student-Athletes Advisory Committee (SAAC) and NCAA LifeChoices Program. This past Thanksgiving, SAAC helped deliver $500 worth of turkey dinners to the local community outreach program and during the men’s and women’s hockey games the weekend of Dec. 4, SAAC raised $2,500 worth of hats, mittens and teddy bears for those in need.

Bitter came to BSU after a 16-year tenure at Lake of the Woods High School where she turned the Bears’ volleyball program and Lady Laker club team into powerhouses that competed well on the regional, state and national levels. While at Lake of the Woods Bitter piled up an impressive 354-100-1 record as its head coach. Nine times she led the Bears to North Border Conference Championships--including her last six consecutively. The team also won eight district championships and participated in the Minnesota State High School Volleyball Tournament four times under the watchful eye of Bitter, earning an AA Championship in 2005 and runner-up honors in 2003. Bitter earned Section Coach of the Year accolades in both 1998 and 2001. In addition to Bitter’s high school coaching experience, she was also active on the club team circuit, was the head of the physical education department and taught physical education at the K-10 level for 16 years.

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--bsu--