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Bemidji State University

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Rod Heisler

Baseball

Former BSU dual-sport athlete Rod Heisler to be inducted into Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

Bemidji State two-sport athlete Rod Heisler in class of 2024 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Musuem's class of 2024 will consist of six new inductees including a former standout dual-sport student-athlete from Bemidji State University. Bemidji State Athletics Hall of Fame member and baseball and men's hockey alumnus Rod Heisler is one of six new inductees into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
 
Heisler, a native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, was a graduate of Bemidji State in 1980 and inducted into the Beaver athletics Hall of Fame in 2006 after an illustrious collegiate career with the baseball and men's hockey programs. From 1975-79, he was a two-time All-Conference and All-District selection in baseball while also helping the Beavers men's hockey team to a NAIA National Championship in 1979. In hockey, Heisler is fifth all-time in the program's all-time scoring list with 190 career points and his 100 career goals are tied for the most in program history. Rod was named one of the top 50 Beaver Legends during the men's hockey 50-year celebration in 2006.
 
Heisler pitched in a record 14 international competitions for the Canadian Men's National team from 1975-1988 including pitching in the 1984 Olympics and was rostered in the 1988 Olympics. He also pitched in three Amateur World Series competitions in 1978, 1980 and 1982. On top of his strong performances at the Amateur World Series and Olympics, Heisler toed the rubber for Canada at three Pan Am Games (1979, 1983, 1987), three Intercontinental Cups (1981, 1983, 1985), in the Pacific Cup in 1986 and in the World Cup in 1988. For his efforts, he was recognized with Government of Saskatchewan Merit Awards in four consecutive years (1982 to 1985) and a Government of Canada Merit Award in 1988. 
 
Following his playing career, Heisler became a teacher and coached baseball at the Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Sask., and Little League Baseball in Moose Jaw. In 2000, he was honored with the Kinsmen Sports Lifetime Achievement Award. 
 
Heisler joins Russell Martin, Jimmy Key, Ashley Stephenson, Paul Godfrey and Howard Birnie as class of 2024 inductees and will inducted during a ceremony at the Hall of Fame ground in St. Marys, Ontario on June 15.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter/X (@BSUBeavers), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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