Bemidji State's Sophie Groen recognized as NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year
Apr. 24—BURNSVILLE — Bemidji State women's tennis graduate senior Sophie Groen was voted by Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference league coaches as the 2025 recipient of the NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year in women's tennis.
A native of Uitgeest, Netherlands, Groen is majoring in sport management/psychology and holds a 3.48 cumulative grade point average.
Groen is the first from the BSU Women's Tennis program to receive the award since it was initiated in 2020-21. She is just the third Beaver to earn the award across all sports (Ryne Prigge and Mary Goodwin).
The award is presented to a NSIC women's tennis student-athlete who participates at their institution for four years and is academically superior while making a positive contribution to their team and the university. The NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year award was initiated in 2020-21 to honor an outstanding senior who exemplifies the attributes of the model NSIC student-athlete.
Groen has played in 14 matches at No. 1 singles and is 8-6 against opponents and 4-5 against conference opponents. She has played 15 matches at No. 1 doubles with Mia Leshem and is 11-4 and 5-4 against conference opponents. She finished sixth in the conference at No. 1 singles with a .538 winning percentage and third in No. 1 doubles with a winning percentage of .714. Groen holds a 25-15 career record at No. 1 singles and 31-11 at No. 1 doubles. She was honored as an All-NSIC First Team player in doubles and an All-NSIC Second Team All-Conference player in singles twice in her career.
Off the court, Groen is the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee leader for BSU. She has worked with the United Way Food Shelf Drive, BSU Blood Drive, Bemidji Veterans Home service, Jack & Jill Pre-School volunteer and has volunteered for the Special Olympics.
Academically, Groen has been on the President's Honor Roll and Dean's List. She is also a recipient of the Myrtie Hunt Scholarship and the Chet Anderson Scholarship and an NSIC All-Academic Team member.
"Sophie epitomizes the spirit of the Senior of the Year award," head coach Kyle Fodness said. "She has been an integral leader on the team from the moment she stepped on campus, and has remained a steady source of optimism, support and conscientious leadership for her teammates through the triumphs and adversities of her college career.
"She has been an excellent player and is an even more impressive person. She has become a leader in the Bemidji State athletic department and has made a tremendous positive impact in the campus community."
