Women's Cross Country and Track and Field Head Coach

Bemidji State University (BSU) invites qualified applicants to join our team as the Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field Head Coach. BSU’s vision is to educate people to lead inspired lives. To accomplish BSU’s vision, the University prioritizes creating a culture in which diversity is embraced and all people are safe, welcome, and validated.  Centered between the three largest Tribal nations in Minnesota – Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth – BSU also prioritizes increasing engagement with American Indian communities to become a destination university.

Enrolling more than 5,000 students, BSU offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. BSU’s Shared Fundamental Values include civic engagement and leadership, international and multicultural understanding, belief in the power of the liberal arts, and environmental stewardship. BSU is located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota and occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji.  BSU balances rigorous academia with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, robust, outdoor culture.  The proximity to the lake and the surrounding north woods allows easy access to an assortment of recreation.

The BSU Intercollegiate Athletic Department sports programs are a member of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).  BSU sponsors the following NSIC sports teams:  football, men and women’s basketball, women’s soccer, volleyball, women’s cross country, women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, softball, baseball, men and women’s golf, and women’s tennis as a member of the NCAA Division II. The WCHA men and women’s ice hockey teams are a member of the NCAA Division I. The Athletic Department is fully committed to equity and diversity in our faculty and students.

Responsibilities of the Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field Head Coach include:

• The direction, supervision, and administration of the NCAA Division II women’s cross country and track and field programs.
• Teaching classes in the HPSH or other duties assigned by the Athletic Director.
• Demonstrating a commitment to adhering to all rules and regulations of the NCAA Division II.
• Recruiting students to participate in the program.
• Providing coaching to participants.
• Traveling extensively for the program.

Minimum qualifications for this position include:

• Master’s degree required. 
• A minimum of two (2) years coaching experience required.  

Preferred qualifications include:

• A minimum of two (2) years of NCAA coaching experience is preferred. 
• Demonstrated ability to manage, direct, and supervise a NCAA Division II women’s cross country and track and field program.
• Knowledge of NCAA Division II rules and regulations and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). 
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively.
• A demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

Apply online:  https://bemidjistate.peopleadmin.com/

Inquiries:

Brittany Lauritsen, Athletic Director

Phone: (218) 755-4022

Email: brittany.lauritsen@bemidjistate.edu

If you have general questions about this posting or submitting an application, contact Melanie Pakonen at melanie.pakonen@bemidjistate.edu

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

Bemidji State University is nestled among the pines along the shores of Lake Bemidji, just blocks from a thriving downtown community. In this Northwoods setting, students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities at their fingertips. Possessing all the charm and character of a college town, Bemidji remains a tight-knit community of good neighbors and engaged citizens who always come out to cheer for the Beavers. While the city of Bemidji — named after the Ojibwe Chief Shaynowishkung (nicknamed Bemidji) — is home to a diverse population of more than 15,000 people, it serves a regional population of more than 100,000.

Though quaint and historic, the city offers the urban conveniences upon which college students rely. Bemidji State is conveniently located minutes away from affordable restaurants, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores, city parks and more. Small, locally owned shops and art sculptures line the streets of downtown Bemidji, while national chains can be found in and around the Bemidji area, including an uptown selection of department stores and restaurants. students at Bemidji State University have the opportunity to experience a dynamic local culture and history. Bemidji also sits at the center of the legends of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The famous statues of Paul and Babe greet students as they drive in from the south along Lake Bemidji.

The thriving downtown community presents ample opportunities for engagement off-campus. Among other things, there are fine-dining restaurants, cafes, and a natural foods co-op in downtown Bemidji. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows; restaurants and lounges offer weekly live music performances; the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits; and annual events such as the Loop the Lake Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Blue Ox Marathon, Bemidji Winterfest, and The Minnesota Finlandia bring the community together.

For those who love the outdoors, there are wooded, multi-use trail systems within minutes of campus and community parks with walking trails, playgrounds and a skate park. Lake Bemidji State Park and its miles of navigable trails is located directly across the lake from BSU, and the Buena Vista Ski Area — just 12 miles north of campus — offers downhill skiing and BSU-sponsored student transportation in the winter months. Further, the Mississippi River Headwaters is a mere 45 minutes from Bemidji.

For further information About BSU visit our website at: http://www.bemidjistate.edu

Review a "special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise" at Bemidji 2.0

Other Resources:

• Visit Bemidji – https://www.visitbemidji.com/ 218 Relocate / Greater Bemidji – https://www.218relocate.com/ Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce – https://www.bemidji.org/  Explore Minnesota – https://www.exploreminnesota.com/article/top-things-to-do-bemidji

Statement of Notice

Bemidji State University prohibits discrimination and sexual violence of any kind. Contact the Center for Civil Rights Investigation Office if you have concerns regarding discrimination and/or sexual violence. Per Minnesota State System Procedure 1B.3.1, all universities and colleges must provide contact information of their Title IX Coordinator.

Steven D. Parker, Campus Diversity Officer & Title IX Coordinator

Email: TitleIX@bemidjistate.edu

Phone: (218) 755-4121

1500 Birchmont Drive NE, Deputy Hall, Room 211, Bemidji, MN 56601