The 2024 Bemidji State Volleyball season gets underway this weekend as the Beavers travel 3,840 miles east to Hilo, Hawai’i to compete in the De Luz Chevrolet Hawai’i Fall Volleyball Challenge on the campus of University of Hawai’i at Hilo.

The Beavers began their travels Tuesday, Sept. 3 and will play four matches during their stay in Hilo. Bemidji State opens the tournament Thursday facing host institution Hawai’i at Hilo at 6 p.m. CT. The Beavers then play two matches the next day in Saint Martin’s University at 6 p.m. CT followed by Western Oregon University at 12 a.m. CT (Saturday). BSU concludes play in Hawai’i Saturday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. CT by facing Hawai’i Pacific University.

The Beavers eagerly await the start of their new season and look to build upon a successful 2023 season that achieved the most wins (10) since 2010.

Bemidji State was voted to finish 11th in the 2024 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll earlier this season. It is the highest ranking in the preseason poll for the Beavers since also earning the 11th ranking in 2009.

Senior outside hitter Ashley Crowl was tabbed the Beavers’ Player to Watch after she led the team in points (303.5), kills (249), kills per set (2.54) and was second with 42 service aces and 231 digs. She finished seventh in the NSIC in service aces and 19th in points. The Lino Lakes, Minn. Native appeared in all 26 matches last season and 98 of the team’s 99 sets.

Head coach Kevin Ulmer returns a total of nine letterwinners from the 2023 squad and has recruited nine freshmen to join the program. Fifth-year seniors Rylie Bjerklie and Hallie Mertz remained with the program for their fifth and final seasons and look to bolster the Beavers’ attack after the pair finished second and third, respectively, on the team with 300 and 292.5 points. Bjerklie led the Beavers’ middle with 63 blocks (21s-42a) and was an All-NSIC Second Team selection while senior Lauren Sitter joins her and finished third on the team with 35 blocks (6s-29a).

Senior Emily Wade leads the Beavers’ returning setters after compiling a career-high 833 sets last season, the most by a BSU setter since 2019. Her 8.41 assists/set average was the 10th best in the NSIC.

In the backcourt, Crowl paces the team returning 231 digs from last year averaging 2.36 digs per set while Mertz (194) and Wade (186) were close behind.