BEMIDJI, Minn. -- Bemidji State University soccer debuts the 2022 season Sunday, August 28 with a road game against South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. The No. 9 Beavers and Jackrabbits are scheduled to start play at 1 p.m. from Fishback Soccer Park.
 
Sunday's game will be broadcast live HERE along with live stats HERE. Tickets for Sunday's game in Brookings are available HERE.
 
Bemidji State and South Dakota State have met just twice over the past 21 years as SDSU won both, 3-1 on September 7, 2014 in Brookings and 6-0 on September 1, 2001 in Bemidji.
 
Bemidji State began its fall camp August 8 ahead of two exhibitions against the University of Manitoba (Aug. 9) and the College of St. Benedict (Aug. 24). Sunday's game will be the earliest for BSU to start a season since 2009 when the team also opened on August 28.
 
South Dakota State enters the game 2-0-1 after beginning its season August 18 against Arizona State University. The Jackrabbits and Sun Devils finished in a 1-1 tie before SDSU went on to beat Grand Canyon University 1-0 (Aug. 21) and Northern Arizona University 3-2 (Aug. 23). The Jackrabbits are led by sixth-year head coach Brock Thompson.
 
The Beavers enter the 2022 season picked to finish second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, including a selection for the NSIC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in fifth-year defender Megan Dahl, her second such selection in as many years. Dahl was an All-American First Team honoree a season ago and was one of eight all-conference selections and seven all-region picks from the team. BSU's top two scorers also return from last season in forwards Allyson Smith and Sara Wendt. Wendt led the team with 19 goals, which ranks second in a single season all-time in program history, and added three assists while Smith led the team with eight assists and ranked second with six goals.
 
Head Coach Jim Stone enters his 21st season leading the Beavers and brings back nine starters from the NCAA Tournament team a year ago. BSU finished the 2021 season ranked ninth in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll after securing the NSIC regular-season title and making its furthest appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history. BSU capped its season with a 19-2-3 record behind the program's second conference title.
 
BSU currently holds a program record 23-game unbeaten streak in the regular season and have won seven straight season openers dating back to 2015.
 
South Dakota State associate head coach Andy Janssen coached seven years with Bemidji State from 2010-16 under Stone. BSU went 81-45-9 during that span with seven consecutive trips to the NSIC Tournament.

For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).
 
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 Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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