MANKATO, Minn. – Bemidji State University's Katrina Barthelt was selected by the league coaches as the NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year for women's soccer. Barthelt was presented the award during the pregame of the Bemidji State semifinal match at the NSIC Tournament, which is taking place at The Pitch in Mankato, Minnesota. Barthelt is a senior from Bartlett, Illinois and a graduate of South Elgin High School. She owns a 4.0 grade point average while majoring in exercise science: medical fitness.  
 
The NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year Award is presented to a women's soccer student-athlete who participates at their institution for four years and is academically superior while making a positive contribution to their team and the University. The NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year award was initiated in 2020-21 to honor an outstanding senior that exemplifies the attributes of the model NSIC student-athlete.

On the pitch, Barthelt is just the fourth student-athlete in NSIC history to be named NSIC Player of the Year in two consecutive seasons after she led the NSIC in points in conference games totaling 25 in 15 conference matches. She scored 10 goals in conference play, second most in the league and added five assists to tie for the fourth most. She earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors twice during the season and finished the regular season leading the league with 32 points and tied for the league lead with 13 goals. She finished the regular season tied for 12th in Division II in goals and total points and ranks sixth in program history in career points (87) and fourth in career goals (38). Barthelt is a three-time All-NSIC selection, including two first team honors. 

Barthelt was named the Bemidji State Female Student-Athlete of the Year, a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-North/Central Region honoree, a NSIC Honor Student-Athlete, a NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award winner and to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team as well as the NSIC Fall All-Academic Team of Excellence. 

"In addition to carrying a 4.0 GPA, already being accepted into PT school (North Central) & being named the 2024 & 2025 NSIC Offensive Player of the Year, Katrina is an incredible person of character. If you met Katrina you would be impacted by her kindness, humility & genuineness. The care that she shows for others around her & the positive attitude that she lives with is contagious. It has made us all better and challenged us to be our best in our program," said Bemidji State Head Coach Jim Stone.  

In the community, Barthelt has volunteered with United Way and at the local food shelf in Bemidji.