Howe-Welle Women’s Athletics Golf Tournament Raises $29,000 for Women’s Athletics

After a year hiatus, and despite cool, rainy weather at the Bemidji Town & Country Club, the Bemidji State University Alumni & Foundation and Beavers Athletics welcomed over 100 current and former BSU athletes, coaches and supporters for the Howe-Welle Women's Athletics Golf & Cornhole Tournament on Friday, August 27.

A reboot of the long-running Lady Beaver golf tournament that supported women’s athletics at BSU from 1983-2010, the Howe-Welle tournament was named in honor of two of the founders of the Lady Beaver tournament – former BSU women’s basketball (1964-76), tennis coach (1976-86) and pioneer of women’s athletics at the university, Dr. Ruth Howe, and longtime BSU athletics supporter Jeanette Welle.

The Howe-Welle was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns.

The four-person scramble began with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start, with participants hitting the course to raise scholarship support for BSU's nine women's athletics programs. Lunch was provided on the course by Stittsworth Meats and grilled by Ace on the Lake, both of Bemidji. A number of on-course games raised additional funds for the event, and athletes and coaches from Bemidji State’s women’s athletic teams played an important role by selling raffle tickets, staffing the on-course games and helping with the silent auction and dinner. Three teams competed for prizes in the cornhole tournament.

Alumni and current and former coaches and athletic staff representing every decade of BSU women's athletics attended the event. The tournament raised over $29,000 gross to support scholarships.