A total of 123 golfers descended upon the Bemidji Town & Country Club on Aug. 22, taking part in the annual tradition and banding together to raise an event-record $48,000 at the Howe-Welle Women's Athletics Golf Tournament.

Jesse Katz, the Alumni & Foundation's director of athletic giving and sponsorships and the event organizer for the Howe-Welle, said the funds raised at the event will go a long way in supporting BSU's nine women's athletics programs.

"This event creates accessible opportunities for female student-athletes to grow and succeed during their time at Bemidji State," Katz said. "The support from this event helps us become a true destination university for women's athletics in the region, offering experiences and resources that set our programs apart. By investing in these athletes, supporters directly enhance their college journey and open doors to opportunities they may not otherwise have."

The picture-perfect morning on the golf course featured 29 teams competing for top honors. After a three-way tie for first place, the team of Clint Cornell, Greg Cornell, Krisi Fenner, and Kurt Fenner landed atop the leaderboard.

The Ladies of the '80s team won the Ruth Howe Spirit Award behind their golf carts covered in green decorations and giant-sized headshots of women's athletics pioneers at Bemidji State.

A reboot of the long-running Lady Beaver Golf Tournament that supported women's athletics at Bemidji State from 1983-2010, the Howe-Welle Tournament is named in honor of two of the Lady Beaver Tournament founders: Ruth Howe, who coached women's basketball (1964-77), softball (1969) and women's tennis (1976-86) at BSU and is an official founder of Bemidji State women's athletics; and Jeanette Welle, a longtime Beaver Athletics supporter.

The Howe-Welle began in 2019 and has now raised over $240,000 all-time in support of BSU women's athletics.

To view more photos from the event, visit bsualumni.org/photos.