Tuesday, February 05, 2013

BEMIDJI, Minn. -- Bemidji State University student-athletes Caley Westin (So., Virginia, Minn.) and Lance Rongstad (G/F, 6-3, 205, Sr., Eleva, Wis.) have been named Beaver Pride Athletes of the Week after recording outstanding athletic performances during the week of Jan. 28-Feb. 3.

Westin posted a 1-1 record at No. 1 singles in the Bemidji State tennis team's 2013 opening weekend. She got a win in her first match of the year battling back from a 6-2 loss in the first set to claim the second set 7-5 and earn a team point when she took the tie-breaker over University of St. Mary’s Lindsey Reinisch, 10-4.  Sunday at Minnesota Duluth, the co-captain forced a tiebreak with a 6-4 win in the second set, but fell to Alyssa Brunelli in the match 6-2, 4-6, (10-5). She also teamed up with fellow senior and co-captain Meg Hafdahl (Virginia, Minn.) at No. 1 doubles. The duo went 0-2 on the weekend dropping a match to St. Mary's 9-8 and 8-3 at Minnesota Duluth.

Westin’s Beaver Pride Athlete of the Week selection marks the second of the sophomore’s career, while it is the first time a member of the tennis team has been honored by the organization during the 2013 season. Westin was also named

Rongstad averaged 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in a 2-0 home NSIC weekend for the BSU men’s basketball team. He shot 40.9 percent from the field, 45.5 percent from 3-point land and 15-for-16 (93.8%) from the charity stripe. He scored 20 points and went 10-for-10 from the line with six rebounds in a 72-69 win versus University of Sioux Falls Feb. 2. He scored 10 points in the last 2:43, which includes a 6-for-6 performance from the line, in the game against the Cougars. He scored 18 points and added eight rebounds in the 72-57 victory against Southwest Minnesota State University Feb. 1. He added three assists and a steal in the two games.

Averaging 11.6 points per game this season, Rongstad sits third on the team in scoring, while his 13.6 points per NSIC game puts just a fraction of a point behind the team leader, Dermaine Crockrell (G, 6-1, 165, Sr., Mesa, Ariz.). Rongstad also ranks second on the team in rebounding averaging nearly five boards per contest (4.6).

This week’s award marks the fifth of the season for the senior and the seventh for a member of the BSU men’s basketball team. In addition to Rongstad’s Jan. 23 award, he follows Mason Walters (Dec. 12, Jan. 16 and Jan. 30) and Zach Noreen (Nov. 21 and Dec. 5). The multi-talented Rongstad was also selected for the honor three times during the football season (Sept. 5, Oct. 3 and Oct. 31).

The BSU men’s basketball team, now 11-9 overall and 9-7 in NSIC play, is back in action next weekend as it hits the road for a pair of conference contests. The Beavers will be at Minnesota State University, Mankato Friday and at Concordia University-St. Paul Saturday.

The BSU tennis team (0-2; 0-1 NSIC) now hits the road for a trio of NSIC matchups. BSU will meet the University of Sioux Falls in St. Peter, Minn. Saturday at 10:30 a.m. before a nightcap with Minnesota State University, Mankato at 6 p.m. Sunday the team will travel to Owatonna, Minn. to battle Winona State University in a neutral-site NSIC contest.

For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, 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--