Following along throughout the day today, Wednesday, February 7, as we announce the 2024 Beaver Football recruiting class.
 

Last updated: 10:45 AM

Recruits by position:

Offensive Line (6), Defensive Line (6), Wide Receiver (5), Defensive Back (5), Linebacker (4), Quarterback (2), Running Back (1), Tight End (1), Athlete (1)

Recruits by state:

Minnesota (21), Wisconsin (4), Illinois (2), North Dakota (2), Colorado (1), Texas (1)

Head coach Brent Bolte recaps the 2024 recruiting class for the Beavers on National Signing Day


 

Luke Owen, 6-0-208, LB/S, Cherry Creek, Colo./Cherry Creek High School

Owen helped lead his team to three State Championships and was named Second Team All-Conference this past season. He earned three letters throughout his prep career.

Kaden Westphal, 6-4-275, OL, McFarland, Wis./McFarland High School

Westphal was named a two-time First Team All-Conference offensive lineman, along with being an WFCA All-Star game nominee. In addition to the three letters earned in football, he also earned a letter in basketball.

Isaiah Tisdle, 5-11-190, RB, Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury High School

Tisdle won letters in football, basketball and track. He was a member of National Honors Society and was on Honor Roll. Tisdle was All-Conference at running back throughout his prep career. During his senior season, he had 1,242 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns.

Haden Katzenberger, 5-11-175, WR, Monticello, Minn./Monticello High School

Katzenberger broke the single season receiving touchdown record for Monticello (12) and overall for the season had 36 receptions for 778 yards. Katzenberger has strong ties to BSU with both of his parents attending Bemidji State. He was named to Honor Roll and Minnesota Honors Society.

Raymone Saffold, 6-1-210, DE, Saint Rita, Ill./St. Rita of Cascia High School

Saffold was named Defensive Player of the Year, First Team AL-Conference, varsity captain and First Team All-Academic his senior year. He posted 14 sacks in just 10 games. He earned letters in football, track and bowling.

Damarius Fletcher, 6-0-185, DB, St. Cloud, Minn./Tech High School

Fletcher made varsity as a freshman and was a three-year starter. He posted 99 career tackles. He earned letters in both football and track and field.

Kale Rich, 6-0-240, OL, Underwood, Minn./Underwood High School

Rich earned letters in football, wrestling and track. He earned several academic accolades including Presidential' s List, National Honors Society and A Honor Roll.

Ryan Kangas, 6-4-185, WR, Win-E-Mac, Minn./Win-E-Mac High School

Kangas was a three-time All-District running back and was also named All-State throughout his prep career. He lettered in football, basketball and golf. He was on Honor Roll.

Tyler Cruchet, 5-11-225, DL, Casselton, N.D./Central Cass High School

Cruchet was named three-time All-State and three-time All-Region throughout his prep career. He helped his team to a runner up finish at state and he leaves Central Cass as the all-time sack leader (19). In addition to earning four letters in football, he earned three in basketball and two in both golf and baseball. He was a member of National Honors Society.

Chase Matthias, 6-0-215, LB, Two Rivers, Wis./Two Rivers High School

Matthias is a multi-sport athlete from Two Rivers where he also competed in track and wrestling. During his freshman year, earned honorable mention (football), MVP and First Team All-Conference (wrestling) and First Team All-Conference 4x1 (track). As a sophomore, First Team All-Conference both linebacker and running back (football), MVP, First Team All-Conference and third-place at state (wrestling), MVP, placed third at state in 4x2 and school record in the 4x1 (track). Junior season he earned First-Team All-Conference as a linebacker and honorable mention as a running back (football), First Team All-Conference and second place at state (wrestling), eighth place at state in the 4x2 and school record in the 4x2 (track). This past season, he earned First Team All-Conference as a linebacker and running back and holds 13 school records. He earned four letters in football, wrestling and track. Was on honor roll.

Lucas Caron, 6-5-265, DE, Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji High School

Caron earned three letters while playing for Bemidji High School.

Tony Leal, 6-4-225, TE, West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo High School

Leal earned three letters in both football and basketball. He was a member of National Honors Society and A Honor Roll.

Parker Schultz, 6-3-175, WR, Eden Valley, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins

Schultz helped lead his team to the AA State Championship last year. He earned multiple accolades throughout his career including State Entrant for football (three seasons), Mid State District Honorable Mention (2022), All-Section 5AA (2022-23), Mid State All-District (2023), Conference champion in the long jump (2023), State Entrant for basketball (2022-23) and CMC All-Conference in basketball (2022-23). He earned letters in football, cross country, baseball, track and basketball. On the academic side, earned A and B Honor Roll.

Elijah Hagen, 6-6-230, DE/DL, Jordan, Minn./Jordan High School

Hagen earned District Defensive Lineman of the Year, All-District Defensive Lineman and was named the District Defensive Player of the Year. He also competed in track placing third in the discus at state and is Jordan High's school record holder in the discus with a throw of 169-0. He was on A Honor Roll.

Markeese Howard, 5-9-165, DB, Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville High School

Howard was named two-time First Team All-District throughout his prep career. He posted 140 total tackles, six interceptions, six touchdowns, 15 receptions for 268 yards and 391 kick return yards. He also competed in track. Howard was strong in the classroom holding a 3.5 GPA.

Caleb Thinesen, 6-2-200, QB, Cokato, Minn./Dassel-Cokato High School

Thinesen helped lead his team to a 18-4 record the past two seasons, including a 2023 State Entrant and earned two-time All-Conference Honorable Mention. He was a three-year starter for the basketball team as well. He earned three letters in both football and basketball. Thinesen was a member of National Honors Society and on A Honor Roll both as a freshman and senior.

Tarrell McCoy, 6-4-220, OL, Irondale, Minn./Irondale High School

McCoy was named the most improved offensive player and earned All-District honorable mention during his prep career.

Dominic Frost, 6-3-302, DL, Middleton, Wis./Middleton High School

Frost was named two-time All-Region, two-time First Team All-Conference and two-time Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Mitch Wind, 6-6-270, OL, Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd High School

Wind played in the all-star game this past season. He earned letters in both football and track.

Jaxsen Beck, 6-1-200, ATH/DB/P, Fort Worth, Texas/Fort Worth Christian

Beck is a versatile athlete from Texas who competed in soccer, track and field, football and clay target shooting. He earned All-District in soccer (four years), and special teams Player of the Year (4 years). He was a varsity starter since freshman season in both soccer and football and was a state qualifier in track and field. He was a member of National Honors Society and A Honor Roll.

Logan Stedman, 6-0-185, DB, Rockford, Minn./Rockford High School

Stedman was an All-Section honoree in 2021. During the 2022 season, he was named the Team Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-District. This past season he was a captain, while being named the Team Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-District. He set multiple school records including the longest rushing touchdown of 95 yards, single season rushing record of 1,371 yards and career rushing record of 2,232 yards. He earned letters in football and track and field. He was a four-time A Honor Roll and three-time B Honor Roll.

Grant Lower, 6-4-270, OL, Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna High School

Lower earned three letters in both football and wrestling. He also tallied two academic letters.

Koehler Kilty, 6-1-220, LB, Stratford, Wis./Stratford High School

Kilty put together a pair of strong seasons as a junior and senior. During his junior season, Kilty rushed for 1,877 yards and posted 71 total tackles. He was named First Team All-Conference as a running back and linebacker, while earning All-Region as a running back. As a senior, he rushed for 1,919 yards and posted 108 total tackles. He was a unanimous All-Conference selection as a running back and linebacker, while earning Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year accolades. He was named All-Region and All-State as both a running back and linebacker. Kilty was a regular on the honor roll and held above a 3.6 GPA four times.

Bart McAninch, 6-1-210, QB, Mankato, Minn./Mankato West High School

McAninch was named the District Offensive Player of the Year this past season. During his junior season, he was the District Offensive Player of the Year runner-up and helped the team to a state championship runner-up finish. He was voted the team MVP in back-to-back seasons. Throughout his career he threw for 4,461 yards and 49 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,145 yards and 26 touchdowns. McAninch posted an impressive 64 percent completion percentage and holds the school record for passing touchdowns in a game with seven. He was a Minnesota High School All Star game participant and won the Offensive MVP award for the south team at the All Star game. He was named Second Team All-State by SBLive. Posted an impressive 3.97 weighted GPA. McAninch has family ties to BSU with his dad having played defensive end for the Beavers.

Bryce Gapinski, 5-11-175, WR, Foley, Minn./Foley High School

Gapinski caught 107 receptions for 1,858 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was a two-time District MVP at wide receiver, two-time All-Section and three-time All-Conference. He earned three letters in both football and basketball. He was on Honor Roll all four years.

Lucas Peterson, 6-3-190, WR, Rochester, Minn./Rochester Mayo High School

Peterson was a two-time letterwinner in football, along with earning All-Academic. He helped lead his team to the state playoffs. He also lettered four times in wrestling, being named All-State and reaching the state tournament. In track, he also earned four letters and was named All-Conference and Academic All-State. Peterson excelled in the classroom holding a 4.0 GPA.

Tavon Rice, 6-0-265, DL, Mount Caramel, Ill./Mount Caramel High School

Rice helped his team win back-to-back State Championships while playing at Mount Caramel High School.

Nolan Radtke, 6-2-209, LB, Rochester, Minn./John Marshall High School

Radtke was named a three-time All-Area, two-time All-Conference and was named the Defensive Player of the Year throughout his prep career. In addition to earning four letters in football, he added two in wrestling.

Alex Dreher, 6-1-285, OL, St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Central High School

Dreher earned All-Conference, All-District, All-District Most Valuable Lineman and Central Offensive Player of the Year. He also competed in the Minnesota State all star game. He earned letters in both football and track.

Rory Wyatt, 5-10-175, DB, Minneapolis, Minn./Patrick Henry High School

Wyatt earned back-to-back Defensive MVP awards over his final two seasons. He was also named All-District and District Linebacker MVP both seasons as well. He also competed in the Minnesota All-Star game this past season. Wyatt earned A Honor Roll and B Honor Roll throughout his academic career.

Henry Bandah, 5-11/175, DB, Richfield, Minn./Fridley High School

Bandah was a two-time All-Conference selection, along with being named the Defensive Back of the Year in the conference. On the track, he was named All-District and All-Conference.