Beavers raise record amount at 26th annual Galen Nagle Memorial Golf Tournament

The annual Galen Nagle Memorial Golf Tournament returned to the Bemidji Town and Country Club on Friday, July 14, bringing back the Bemidji State men’s hockey alumni of yesterday and yesteryear, plus all sorts of supporters. 

In total, 209 golfers across 43 teams took part in the 26th annual iteration and raised an event-record $41,000 through the tournament, on-course games and a silent auction.

For the first time ever, the Beavers also had two Stanley Cup champions on the course. In addition to 1989 Cup winner Joel Otto, new champ Zach Whitecloud – who won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in June – returned to Bemidji for the Nagle. He filled his weekend with golf, a visit to the American Indian Resource Center on campus and a packed autograph signing for the public at The Tavern on South Shore.

“It’s really cool to see,” Whitecloud said of the community’s support. “Obviously this town loves its hockey, and the Beavers are a big part of that. To be able to be a hockey player and a part of the school is something I take a lot of pride in. Coming back and giving back in some sort of way to the fans that supported us a team throughout the years, it’s something I’m always excited to do.”

Team Security Bank – consisting of Tiffany Paine, Bob Paine, Curt Howard, John Baer and Tim Dondelinger – took home the overall championship with a first-place net score of 64.8. Team Baumgartner – comprised of Billy Baumgartner, Troy Dunlap, Auston Zetah, Joe Welle and Andrew Israelson – had a gross score of 51 to claim the low gross title.

The Galen Nagle Memorial Tournament raises funds to support the BSU’s men’s hockey program and an endowment fund set up in honor of the late Galen Nagle, a standout goaltender for the Beaver hockey team who helped the 1983-84 team to a perfect 31-0-0 record and the program’s first Division II national championship. Nagle lost his battle with cancer in 1996.