BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University Director of Athletics Britt Lauritsen announced Friday afternoon that Erika Bute has been named the 15^th head coach of the Bemidji State Volleyball program.
 
"It is an incredible privilege to be named the head coach of the BSU Volleyball program," said Bute. "I want to sincerely thank President Hoffman and Britt for their unwavering support and confidence in me to lead this team. I am beyond excited to work with our student-athletes, to help them grow both on and off the court, and to continue building a program that makes our university and community proud. The future is bright, and I can't wait to get started!"
 
Bute earns her first head coaching position after serving as an assistant coach on the Beaver Volleyball staff during the 2024 season. As an assistant, Bute oversaw recruiting for the Beaver Volleyball program, organized team travel and provided in-game coaching support to the Beaver Volleyball staff.
 
"The BSU family is excited to welcome Erika Bute as the next head coach of Beaver volleyball," said Lauritsen. "Through an incredibly competitive applicant pool, Erika consistently demonstrated the composure, the empathy and the passion to lead the next generation of Beaver volleyball. Her accolades as a student-athlete, her connections in our region, and her incredible volleyball mind will allow her to hit the ground running."
 
A native of Alden, Minn., Bute had a decorated collegiate career as a student-athlete at Augustana University where she was named American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention, Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Libero of the Year (2x), NSIC All-Conference (4x), NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year and College Sports Communicators Academic All-America.
 
She also served on Augustana's Student Athlete Advisory Committee as its Vice President where she coordinated an all-athlete awards banquet, raised money for Make-A-Wish and attended multiple NCAA Leadership forums. Bute also served as the head coach of the Kairos Volleyball AAU team from 2020-2023.
 
Bute earned two master's degrees while at Augustana in Business Administration and Sports Administration and Leadership. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors with the Vikings.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State volleyball program tickets or schedules visit BSUBeavers.com. Be sure to follow the Beavers on their social media channels on X, Instagram or like them on Facebook.
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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