Bemidji athletes ink collegiate commitments during early signing period

Nov. 21—BEMIDJI — Nine Bemidji High School athletes have signed on to play at the next level.

On Wednesday, Nov. 19, Nick Strand, Gabe Morin, Austin Riewer, Liv Thompson, Megan Berg, Cash Knutson, Olivia Birt, Anysia Pink and Gunner Ganske all signed to continue their athletic careers in their respective collegiate divisions.

Strand was the lone Lumberjack to ink a Division-I commitment. He will wrestle at Northern Illinois next year. After securing his 100th career win in December last year as a junior, he helped the Jacks reclaim the Section 8-3A team title. He also took fourth place in the individual state tournament at 139 pounds.

Strand is a four-time state participant as an individual. He competed at 106 pounds in 2022 and at 113 pounds in 2023. As a sophomore, Strand made the jump to 145 pounds and qualified for state a third time.

His teammate, Morin, will also wrestle collegiately. Morin signed on with Augsburg in Division III. Morin qualified for state individually in 2023 at 106 pounds, then again in 2024 at 121. He took fifth place at state as a junior last winter at 127 pounds.

One BHS athlete chose to stay local. Riewer, a 6-foot-7 forward on the boys basketball team, signed with Bemidji State. Riewer is a three-sport athlete, playing forward in soccer and kicker in football.

Riewer is the second BHS boys basketball player to commit to Bemidji State in the last three seasons, joining 2023 graduate Isaac Severts. The Beavers are coached by Mike Boschee, whose son, Jaxon, is a teammate of Riewer's and is also expected to play collegiately next season.

Thompson will also play Division-II athletics at Minnesota State Moorhead. The senior girls soccer midfielder and defender will play for the Dragons in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference next fall.

Thompson had a four-year soccer career, scoring 14 goals and 13 assists in 68 games, according to MN Soccer Hub. Thompson is also a three-sport athlete, playing guard on the girls basketball team and becoming a two-time state-qualifying track and field runner in distance events.

Ganske, also headed to the NSIC, will take the diamond for Sioux Falls next spring. The two-way senior baseball player, primarily playing catcher and closing pitcher during his junior season, had staggering numbers during the Bemidji American Legion baseball season.

Ganske hit .304 with a .794 OPS in 18 games. He also threw 7 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run. Ganske also played football at BHS.

His gridiron teammate, Knutson, is headed to Wisconsin-Eau Claire next fall to begin his D-III career. Knutson played on the offensive line for the Jacks and helped lead a rushing attack to 2,920 yards in 10 games. Knutson was also a senior captain.

Berg will continue her hockey career at St. Scholastica. The senior forward will play D-III. She's currently in her fifth varsity season with the Jacks. Berg has scored 48 goals and 61 assists in 109 games, according to Elite Prospects.

Pink is also headed to the D-III ranks to play women's basketball at Bethel. The 5-foot-9 senior became a regular factor for the Lumberjacks as a junior, emerging into the starting lineup.

Birt signed on to play softball at North Dakota State College of Science, a junior college. Birt is a three-sport athlete, also competing in cross country and girls basketball.