BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Bemidji State University senior offensive lineman Bill Ketola has been named the 2025 recipient of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's Glen Galligan Award. Ketola becomes the 11^th Beaver in program history to receive the award and the second offensive lineman to receive it under Head Coach Brent Bolte. 
 
The award is presented to a student-athlete who has participated at their institution for four years and is academically superior while making a positive contribution to the institution. The Galligan Award was initiated in 1948 to honor an outstanding senior football player in the NSIC. Galligan was the director of athletics at Winona State University from 1929-47 and head football coach from 1927-33 and 1935.
 
On the field, Ketola played in nine games on the offensive line for the Beavers in 2025.  He was part of a rushing offense that averaged 179.8 rushing yards per game, taking 44th in the NCAA and sixth in the NSIC.  He played on two NSIC Championship teams in his career and was a member of four NCAA Playoff teams, starting in three of the five BSU playoff wins. 
 
Ketola is majoring in Biology (Cellular and Molecular Biology Emphasis) and Spanish and holds a 4.00 grade point average.  He is a two-time D2ADA Academic Achievement Award winner and a College Sports Communicator Academic All-American.  He is an NSIC Academic Team of Excellence member and an NSIC Myles Brand with Distinction Award winner.  
Ketola completed a research project on mycobacteriophages where he discovered and isolated a novel virus that has potential to be used in the treatment of tuberculosis. He presented his research at the American Society for Microbiology Conference in Los Angeles, California this past June and plans to publish a paper on his research.

In the community, Ketola has been a volunteer at the local food shelf, is a tuba player in the BSU Symphonic Community Band and is a member of the BSU Pep Band. He is currently teaching a Spanish class at Bemidji Senior Center.  Ketola also earned Eagle Scout of the Year for Northern Star Council and has volunteered at the United Way of the Bemidji Area. 
 
"Bill has done anything and everything the staff has asked of him," said BSU Head Football Coach Brent Bolte.  "Spot starting when injuries occurred, backed up the Rimington Award winner for two years at center and now as a senior he is continuing to do whatever is need positionally and leadership wise to help this team win games. Off the field, Bill is simply amazing. He is a 4.0 bio-chemistry and Molecular Biology, along with a major in Spanish. During his time in the classroom he discovered a new bacteria-targeting virus, which he was able to present this past summer In Los Angeles at the American Society for Microbiology's ASM Microbe conference. Bill has always been one of the first to volunteer and be a part of civic engagement. Ranging from working with the United Way, Special Olympics, local disaster relief efforts, FCA and local elementary partnerships."
 
Full list of Bemidji State Glen Galligan recipients:
2025     Bill Ketola           OL
2017     Jake Krause       OL
2005     Nathan Sannes   QB
2004     Blaine Thomas    OL
1993     Matt Juhl            LB
1992     Marty Follis         QB
1986     Matt Wellumson  DL
1964     Don Thompson   HB
1956     Harold Drescher  T
1951     Jack Buckley      RB
1949     Jim Richmire       RB
 
For more information on the Bemidji State Football program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversFB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversFB).
 
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).