Alt, Dahl repeat as Bemidji State Athletes of the Year

Bemidji State University soccer captain Megan Dahl and football captain Brandon Alt were announced as the 2022-23 Female and Male Athletes of the Year on Thursday evening at the annual Beaver Nation Celebration for the second straight year. The award winners were selected from a pool of nominated student-athletes from all 15 of BSU’s intercollegiate sport programs.

In addition, for the first time ever, Beaver women’s basketball forward Alyssa Hill and Beaver softball infielder Mariah Stevenson were selected as co-BSU 2022-23 Female Newcomers of the Year. Beaver men’s hockey forward Lleyton Roed was selected as BSU’s 2022-23 Male Newcomer of the Year. BSU women’s basketball guard Rumer Flatness was also named as the recipient of the fourth annual Community Impact Award.

A group of 16 student-athletes were named Female and Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year, achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA, including Rumer Flatness (women’s basketball), Katie LeBlanc (women’s golf), Abby DeLaRosa (women’s hockey), Hannah Hogenson (women’s hockey), Abbie Thompson (women’s hockey), Taylor Nelson (women’s hockey), Maggie Cade (soccer), Lili Wade (soccer), Mary Goodwin (cross country, track and field), Ashley Crowl (volleyball), Ashley East (volleyball), Lauren Sitter (volleyball), Kylie Struble (volleyball), Emily Wade (volleyball), Shane Alt (football) and Bill Ketola (football). Beaver Volleyball with a 3.77 GPA and Men’s Golf with a 3.44 GPA picked up the top academic team awards.

In total, 74 seniors were recognized in addition to a department-record 22 NSIC/Myles Brand Academic with Distinction Award winners and NSIC Elite 18 award winner Nick Gerlach, the fifth BSU student-athlete to earn the award.

Alyssa Hill – Women’s Basketball (Freshman, Forward, Negaunee, Mich.)

Hill started in 25-of-26 games this season as a true freshman averaging 23.2 minutes per game. She scored 296 points to average 11.4 points per game, while shooting a team-high 54.6 percent from the field, which ranked 27th best in the nation. In addition to her strong play inside, Hill connected on 7-of-17 from behind-the-arc and made 27 free throws. She was second on the team with 154 rebounds, averaging 5.9 per contest and added nine assists, 17 steals and 12 blocks. Hill earned four double-doubles on the season and had six games totaling 15 or more points and two with 20 or more. Hill scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds against MSU-Moorhead on Feb. 11.

Mariah Stevenson – Softball (Sophomore, Infielder, Sherwood, Wis.)

Stevenson started in 48 of the team’s 50 games during the 2022 season, while appearing in 49 as a true freshman. She led the Beavers in RBI (22), doubles (13), total bases (68), slugging percentage (.466) and on-base percentage (.385). Stevenson was second on the team with 47 hits and struck out just 17 times for the second fewest on the team while finishing second with 146 at-bats. She added a team-best 14 multi-hit games and five multi-RBI efforts. Stevenson saw 45 games at third base posting an .888 fielding percentage. She posted a career-high three hits against Concorda-St. Paul and drove in three runs twice during the season.

Lleyton Roed – Men’s Hockey (Freshman, Forward, White Bear Lake, Minn.)

Roed was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team after tying for third in the CCHA and led all league rookies by recording 26 points off 12 goals and 14 assists in 26 conference games. He totaled 31 points on 13 goals and 18 assists throughout the entire season to lead the team and all league freshmen. His 31 points is the fifth most points by a BSU freshman in its Division I history and most since 2009-10. He was named CCHA Rookie of the Week five times during the regular season and Rookie of the Month twice and is on the Hockey Commissioners Association Tim Taylor Rookie of the Year “Watch List.” Roed recorded a point in 20-of-36 games and had eight games recording two or more points. He led the team with 105 shots on goal, adding three goals on the power play. Roed tallied a pair of multi-goal and multi-assist games and reached a season-high four points against St. Thomas on Feb. 25.

Megan Dahl – Soccer (Senior, Defense, Rosemount, Minn.)

Dahl earned multiple accolades including United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team, D2CCA & United Soccer Coaches All-Region First Team, NSIC Defensive Player of the Year & All-NSIC First Team, and Academic All-America First Team. Dahl is the first two-time All-American in program history and the first back-to-back NSIC Defensive Player of the Year in program history. She anchored a backline that held opponents to just 16 goals over 25 matches and posted 15 shutouts during the regular and postseason which was tied for second most in Division II. A key contributor to the Beavers’ defense that held opponents to just a .060 shot percentage. Dahl started all 25 games at center back for the Beavers leading the team with 2,235 minutes played which was 96.8 percent of the team’s minutes played this season and played every minute during the NSIC and NCAA tournaments. Dahl also pitched in on offense as well and recorded four points off one goal and two assists.

Brandon Alt – Football (Senior, Quarterback, Cottage Grove, Minn.)

Alt was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Year, D2CCA All-Super Region 4 Second Team, D2football.com Elite 100 Team and finished eighth in the Harlon Hill voting after leading the conference with 3,864 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, ranking him third in Division II in both categories. He posted a 156.6 passing efficiency and 59.9 completion percentage in 13 games during the 2022 season in leading the Beavers back to the postseason and another 10-win campaign. Alt is already the program’s all-time career passing yards and career touchdown record holder with 8,649 career passing yards and 94 career passing touchdowns. He threw for over 200 yards in 12 games and eclipsed 300 yards in six games with a season-high 384 yards against Augustana. Alt had a touchdown pass in every game and multiple TD passes in 11 games.

Rumer Flatness – Women’s Basketball (Senior, Guard, Bemidji, Minn.)

Rumer has been active in the community throughout her career. Serving as President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) since 2021, she has helped organize numerous events including Make-A-Wish during hockey this past season and setting up several mental health awareness games raising money to help support the cause. Rumer has volunteered at Ruby’s Pantry, Special Olympics, and served on the Athletic Director search committee. In addition to all of this, Rumer holds a 4.0, earning the NSIC Elite 18 Award in 2022 and has been a Scholar Athlete each of the past three seasons. She’s been a team captain on the basketball team and a Team Impact representative and leader.