BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Women's Soccer team officially gets its 2025 season underway and travels to Missouri for a pair of regional, non-conference matches over the weekend. The Beavers kick-off the fresh season Friday, Sept. 5 against (RV) Missouri Western State University before ending the road trip Sunday at Northwest Missouri State University.
 
The Beavers take on the Griffons Friday at 7 p.m. from Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo., followed by the Bearcats Sunday at 11 a.m. from Bearcat Pitch in Maryville, Mo.
 
Both matches will be streamed online on the MIAA Network here, with live stats available.
 
The Beavers are looking to bounce-back from a 9-7-3 season in 2024 where they were eliminated from postseason play in the first round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament. Head coach Jim Stone returns 24 letterwinners from last season including reigning NSIC Offensive Player of the Year and 2025 NSIC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, senior Katrina Barthelt. Barthelt is a two-time D2CCA All-Region selection and All-NSIC honoree after pacing the conference in regular season scoring 11 goals and produced a league-high 25 points. She has scored the ninth most goals in program history.
 
Stone returns two-of-four All-NSIC selections from last season in Barthelt and junior defender Megan Ko who is a two-time All-NSIC selection and logged the sixth-most minutes on the pitch last season with 1,108. BSU also returns redshirt senior defender Emma Huelsnitz who was an all-conference selection in 2021 and led the team with 1,541 minutes. She has logged 4,018 minutes on the pitch in her collegiate career, most by any returner this season. The trio will serve as team captains during the 2025 season.
 
Bemidji State returns 24-of-27 goals scored last year, 89-percent, while eight-of-11 starters return to the pitch. The Beavers also return all three goalkeepers from a year ago including starter Sonia Alfieri who started 18-of-19 matches in her first season with the green and white. She posted a 0.89 goals against average, the ninth best GAA average for a season in program history. She went 9-7-3 during the season and collected six shutouts, tied for sixth most in the NSIC.
 
Bemidji State was voted by league coaches to finish third in the 2025 NSIC Preseason Women's Soccer Coaches' Poll. Head coach Jim Stone has led the Beavers for 23 of the program's 30 seasons and boasts a .631 winning percentage with the program. He has guided the Beavers in 95.2-percent of the program's victories and ranks 21^st among active coaches in DII with 257 career wins.
 
2025 will be the 30^th season of Bemidji State Women's Soccer celebrated with the unveiling of a "30^th Anniversary Team". In 29 seasons, the BSU Women's Soccer program has compiled 270 victories in 542 matches boasting a .547 program winning percentage (270-219-53). The Beavers have won two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles, one NCAA Central Region title and has made four NCAA Division II Women's Soccer tournaments. The program boasts six All-Americans, 15 scholar All-Americans and 110 All-NSIC selections.
 
Head coach Jim Stone has led the Beavers for 23 of the program's 30 seasons and boasts a .631 winning percentage with the program. He has guided the Beavers in 95.2-percent of the program's victories and ranks 21^st among active coaches in DII with 257 career wins. Stone and the Beavers aim to qualify for the NSIC Tournament for the 16^th consecutive season in 2025.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State soccer program, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaverSoccer), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversSoccer)
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership 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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