Sports and Recreation

Undergrad Undergraduate Student Life Student Activities

A college football team in navy blue uniforms huddles together on the field before a game, with empty bleachers and autumn-colored trees in the background.

From NCAA athletics to intramurals and outdoor trails, you’ll find countless ways to stay active at Bethel.

At Bethel, sports and recreation are a great way to build community. They bring students together to enjoy God’s creation, stay active, and have fun. Whether you’re competing on a varsity team, joining an intramural league with friends, or heading out on the lakeside trails, there’s something for everyone—and countless ways to connect and grow in every season. For many, that even includes a favorite Bethel tradition: broomball under the lights on an ice rink.

Royal athletics

If you’re serious about your sport, Bethel offers 18 NCAA Division III athletic programs within the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). 

Club sports

Bethel Student Government (BSG) sponsors club teams in sports like hockey, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball. These teams compete with other colleges and universities in the Twin Cities.

Intramurals (co-ed rec)

Led by students, Bethel intramurals provide a mix of one-day tournaments, short leagues, and semester-long seasons in a fun, community-focused setting. Sports range from pickleball and volleyball to basketball, spikeball, and winter broomball.

Interested in joining? Download the IMLeagues app and sign in with your Bethel email and password to sign up for teams, view schedules, and get updates. Follow @bethelintramurals on Instagram for highlights and announcements.

Questions? Email intramural-sports@bethel.edu.

Fall 2025 intramurals

  • Pickleball and futsal: Four-week season with evening games from 8:30-11:30 p.m. in the SRC. Signups open August 27-September 6.
  • Spikeball: One-week season with evening games from 8:30-11:30 p.m. in the SRC. Signups open October 6-18.
  • Volleyball and basketball: Five-week season with evening games from 8:30-11:30 p.m. in the SRC. Signups open October 13-25.
  • Cornhole tournament: One-night event from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the SRC. Signups open November 10-20.

Winter 2026 intramurals

  • Broomball: Seven-week season with evening games from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at the Bethel rink, Hazelnut Park, and Perry Park. Signups open December 8-January 3.

Spring 2026 intramurals

  • To be announced
A student sits on the grass with papers and a bag while others set up a hammock nearby on a sunny day.
Students walk along a wooded campus trail on a sunny day.

Disc golf and nature trail

Winding along Lake Valentine and through wooded hills, Bethel’s 18-hole disc golf course is one of the best in the Twin Cities—and one of the copy university courses in the country, 

The one-mile Russell W. Johnson Nature Trail circles campus, offering a peaceful place to walk, run, or recharge in creation. The trails also connect with numerous community trails and sidewalks near Bethel’s west entrance, making it easy to extend your walk, run, or ride beyond campus.

Facilities and Wellness Center

Bethel's sports and rec facilities offer numerous ways to stay active, including the Bethel Wellness Center. It features numerous fitness and class opportunities, 11,000 square feet of fitness area with a variety of training equipment, 40+ cardio machines, 30 yards of indoor turf, and more.

Other recreation facilities include:

  • Indoor and outdoor tennis courts
  • Racquetball courts
  • Indoor basketball courts
  • Weight room
  • Indoor and outdoor track