Ekren Miller took the reins of the Bemidji State men's golf team on Aug. 21, 2010, and has been at the helm for 15 seasons (through 2023-24) at BSU.
The Bemidji State graduate and former member of the BSU men's golf team (1998-2001) led the Beavers to a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) championship in 2022-23, NSIC Coach of the Year, and trip to the NCAA Division II Central/Midwest Regional. The conference win was the 16th NSIC title in program history.
Other notable achievements include a second-place team finish at the 2020-21 NSIC Championships, a first-place individual medalist Chris Swenson at the NSIC tournament in 2021, an individual NCAA Regional selection and NSIC Newcomer of the Year with Ian Mackenzie-Olson in 2018 and a team appearance to the NCAA Division II Central/West Regional in 2012. As head coach, Miller has mentored All-NSIC selections every year, 20 and counting, most recently Brandon Bervig and Logan Schoepp. Two school records have also been set in Miller’s tenure with an 18 hole score to par seven under (-7) at the NCAA Regional Preview at Pearl Club in 2018 and a low one-day team score of 277 at Mules National in 2023. A program-first PING/Golf Coach Association of America (GCAA) NCAA Division II All-Central Region selection was earned by Rylin Petry in 2023.
Academically, the team has earned the GCAA Outstanding Academic Team Award over a 3.0 GPA in seven of the last nine years. Individually, Ben Skaar in 2016-17 and Logan Schoepp in 2023-24 earned the NSIC's prestigious Elite 18 Award, which goes to the highest cumulative GPA student-athlete in the championship field. Another program-first went to Seth Schricker with a Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar for Division II award in 2020-21 and 2021-22, followed by Jack Southard in 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and joining in that honor were Caden Lick, Brandon Bervig, and Logan Schoepp in 2023-24. Academic All-Conference selections are over 30 players.
Although this was Miller’s first head coaching position, he is no stranger to the game of golf, recruiting, leadership or instruction.
Miller came to Bemidji State after an eight-month stint as a recruitment coordinator for Pioneers, a non-profit overseas Christian organization. In addition to traveling to represent the organization at schools and conferences, he acted as an intercultural coach and was a mentor to those preparing to move overseas.
Miller also spent four years (2004-08) in the People’s Republic of China teaching oral English and business writing at Hengyang Normal University, Hunan Province. As a university instructor, he designed a curriculum for more than 200 Chinese students each semester, served as a tutor, implemented a personal fund-raising plan, and worked with Chinese administration.
Following his time in China, Miller returned to Bemidji and acted as the business manager for the Sen Lin Hu Chinese Immersion Camp at Concordia Language Village where he managed the village store and gift shop, coordinated transportation, taught Mandarin Chinese to children from the age of eight to 17 and oversaw the expenditures of the village.
In addition, Miller spent nearly eight years in golf course operations with seven years of service at the Bemidji Town and Country Club and various golf courses in Arizona.
Miller was a member of the Bemidji State men’s golf team from 1998-2001. During that span, the Beavers captured three NSIC Championships and had two individual conference champions. He was also a member of the Bemidji High School boy’s golf team that won the 1997 Minnesota State High School Class AA title.
The selection of Miller filled a coaching void left by Don Niskanen, who stepped away from the program at the conclusion of the 2010 spring season after 17 years. During Niskanen’s tenure, the BSU men’s golf team captured four conference titles, finished as the league’s runner-up six times, and had 35 players earn all-conference honors.
Miller graduated magna cum laude from BSU in 2003 with Bachelor of Art degrees in both philosophy and Spanish. He earned a Master of Arts degree in intercultural studies from Wheaton College in 2007 and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2024.
Miller and his wife Kari (Kantack), who also works within the MN State system as Associate Director of Financial Aid at BSU, reside in Bemidji.
