Bemidji State University soccer captain Megan Dahl was announced as the 2021-22 Female Athlete of the Year on Sunday evening at the annual Beaver Nation Celebration. The award winners were selected from a pool of nominated student-athletes from all 15 of BSU’s intercollegiate sport programs.
In addition, Beaver soccer defender Emma Huelsnitz was selected BSU’s 2021-22 Female Newcomer of the Year.
A group of 14 student-athletes were named Female and Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year, achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA, including Rumer Flatness (women’s basketball), Amme Sheforgen (women’s basketball), Katie LeBlanc (women’s golf), Abbie DeLaRosa (women’s hockey), Hannah Hogenson (women’s hockey), Taylor Nelson (women’s hockey), Asia Buryska (soccer), Maggie Cade (soccer), Mary Goodwin (track & field/cross country), Abby Syverson (track & field/cross country), Ashley East (volleyball), Wyatt Olson (men’s basketball), Nick Gerlach (football) and Jack Powell (men’s hockey). Beaver Women’s Hockey with a 3.69 GPA and Men’s Basketball with a 3.52 GPA picked up the top academic team awards.
In total, 73 seniors were recognized in addition to a department-record 13 NSIC/Myles Brand Academic with Distinction Award winners and NSIC Elite 18 award winner Rumer Flatness, the fifth BSU student-athlete to earn the award.
Emma Huelsnitz – Soccer (Freshman, Defense, Ramsey, Minn.)
A 2021 NSIC All-Conference Second Team and NSIC All-Tournament Team selection, Huelsnitz played in all 24 matches with 23 starts on the team’s way to its second NSIC Championship in program history. She was voted as the team’s Rookie of the Year, helped the squad rank fifth nationally with a BSU single-season record 14 shutouts, and assisted in the conference’s second-best goals against average. Huelsnitz added two goals and two assists as part of a program record 53 assists in 2021.
Megan Dahl – Soccer (Senior, Defense, Rosemount, Minn.)
A 2021 United Soccer Coaches All-America First Team and Scholar All-America Team selection, Dahl anchored BSU’s defense on its way to its second NSIC Championship and third NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. She was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the USC All-Region First Team, NSIC All-Conference First Team, NSIC All-Tournament Team, and Fall NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence. Dahl, a 2021 team captain, also earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors once and led a defense that ranked fifth nationally with a BSU single-season record 14 shutouts. She added one goal and five assists as part of a program-record 53 assists in 2021.