Wednesday, January 30, 2013

BEMIDJI, Minn. — The Bemidji State University women’s tennis team kicks off their 2013 season at home with a nonconference match against St. Mary’s University on Saturday. The contest will be at 2:00 p.m. at the Gillett Recreation-Fitness Center.

This will be head coach Mark Fodness’ first season with BSU and also his first collegiate coaching job after almost 25 years of teaching and coaching at the middle school and high school levels. Other newcomers include Carmen Backowski (So., Little Falls, Minn.), Anna Buck (Fr., Fergus Falls, Minn.), Jessica Dulz (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn.), Nicci Hedtke (Fr., Nisswa, Minn.), and Carlie Loeks (Fr., Elbow Lake, Minn.). Returning players include senior Meg Hafdahl (Virginia, Minn.), Emily Rollins (So., North Branch, Minn.), and Caley Westin (So., Virginia, Minn.). Hafdahl and Westin were named co-captains for the 2013 season.

St. Mary’s posted 11-11 overall on the 2012 season while the Beavers recorded 3-14. On their spring break trip last season Bemidji State fell to SMU 7-2 with No. 5 and 6 singles victories from Hafdahl and former player Briana Rueter, respectively.

On Sunday the Beavers head east to play the University of Minnesota Duluth at 10:00 a.m.

For more information on the Bemidji State women’s tennis program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) or sign up for the TXTUpdates from BSUBeavers.com text-messaging system through the "Multimedia" pull down menu on the main page of BSUBeavers.com.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--bsu—