BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) has selected Bob Bjorklund as the 2021 recipient of the conference’s Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to their institution and the conference. It is the highest honor bestowed upon an individual from the MIAC.
Bjorklund will retire at the end of May after 23 years at Bethel University. Hired as the Royals’ men’s basketball coach in 1997, Bjorklund tallied 146 victories and a .621 winning percentage from 1997-2006 when he stepped down to serve as Bethel’s full-time athletics director, a role he first added to his plate in 2004. Over the last 17 years in that post, Bjorklund has spearheaded Bethel’s athletic development in and out of competition. He has hired 14 head coaches and created 16 additional full-time positions within the athletics department during his tenure. He has also overseen 12 MIAC regular-season championships and four MIAC playoff titles by BU programs. Bethel student-athletes have also excelled during his time, with 16 receiving the MIAC Elite 22 Award for combined excellence in competition and the classroom, and 16 more being selected for the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
“Bob prioritized the student-athlete experience and supported his coaching staff in the decision-making process,” Bethel head volleyball coach and Senior Woman Administrator, Gretchen Hunt said. “He was a proud member of the MIAC, in no small part because of the excellence he witnessed from the conference office and our competitors on a day-to-day basis. He loved being a part of the rich history of our league, and he has certainly carved out his own place in that history as a coach and Athletic Director. He will be deeply missed on our campus and in the MIAC governance structure.”
In addition to his service to Bethel, Bjorklund has chaired the MIAC Athletic Directors’ Council and lent his expertise to the MIAC Strategic Planning Committee for Identity and Branding. He also helped craft postseason protocols as a member of the MIAC Playoff Policy Committee and served as the MIAC AD Liason for both golf and men’s soccer coaches. On the national level, Bjorklund was the West Region Representative to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball National Committee. His coaching experience and administrative understanding made him a valuable asset and leader in both the MIAC and NCAA Division III as a whole.
“Bob has been such a huge part of the MIAC during my time in the conference,” MIAC Commissioner Dan McKane said. “Bob is a fabulous storyteller and I will certainly miss that, as well as his thoughtfulness during meetings. He’s been a leader in the MIAC and our conference is better for it.”
Bjorklund was announced as the recipient at the MIAC Athletic Directors’ Council’s spring meeting on May 11, 2021. Bjorklund is the second individual from Bethel to receive the award, joining his predecessor Dr. Dave Klostreich, who was recognized as the MIAC Distinguished Service recipient in 2004.
| Distinguished Service Award |
