NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Former men's soccer standout
Shea Bechtel '25 was selected as St. Olaf College's nominee for the Division III Commissioners Association (DIIICA) Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year.
After rewriting the program's record book during his four-year career, Bechtel will be under consideration for the national accolade after graduating this spring as a quantitative economics major. Bechtel and the other institutional nominees will be reviewed by the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) staff, which will submit the conference endorsements to the selection committee. DIIICA regional selections will be announced on Aug. 21 and the national awards will be announced on Sept. 4.
"My journey as a student-athlete at St. Olaf has been shaped by a deep commitment to growth athletically, academically, and personally," Bechtel said. "The Division III philosophy afforded me the balance I needed to thrive in all areas of life and empowered by to lead with purpose and perspective."
Bechtel was named an All-American in three of his four seasons at St. Olaf, earning second-team honors from the United Soccer Coaches in his final two seasons after being a D3soccer.com second-team choice as a sophomore. He was also a four-time United Soccer Coaches All-Region honoree, including landing first-team honors in each of his final three seasons, a four-time All-MIAC selection, a two-time MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, and the 2021 MIAC Rookie of the Year. Bechtel is one of three multi-time United Soccer Coaches All-Americans and two four-time All-MIAC selections in program history.
Over his four-year career, Bechtel set program records in goals (42), assists (45), points (129), game-winning goals (15), shots (260), shots on goal (tied, 129), games played (93), and games started (91) while becoming the 23rd NCAA Division III men's soccer student-athlete to compile at least 40 goals and 40 assists in his career. His career totals in goals (t-9th), assists (t-3rd), and points (4th) all rank in the top 10 in MIAC history. Bechtel tallied at least 30 points in all four of his seasons while helping St. Olaf to a 69-15-10 overall record, a 33-2-5 MIAC record, three MIAC regular-season titles, three MIAC Playoff titles, four NCAA Tournament appearances, and the program's first national title.
After compiling a 3.77 cumulative grade-point average during his time on The Hill, Bechtel was a two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America ® honoree, collecting first-team honors as a senior and second-team honors as a junior. He was also a three-time CSC Academic All-District ® selection, a three-time Academic All-MIAC honoree, and a 2023 United Soccer Coaches First Team Scholar All-North/Central Region honoree. Bechtel was also actively involved with his team's Team IMPACT member, Jordan, during his career, volunteered for the Special Olympics Minnesota Polar Plunge, was a three-year team captain, and volunteered over 60 hours teaching English while studying abroad in Italy as a junior.
"Looking back, I see how the Division III experience allowed me to pursue excellence in multiple areas without compromise," Bechtel added. "It gave me the space to grow as a leader, a learner, and a global citizen. I leave St. Olaf with a broader perspective, a deeper sense of purpose, and the confidence to face future challenges with the same passion and perseverance that defined my time as a student-athlete."
