MINOT, N.D. – Minot State senior golfer Zoe Banack is off to a memorable start to her final season, while true freshman Kasen Rostad has started his collegiate career with a bang, as well.

With steadily improving performances over the first month of the season that include a 3rd-place finish earlier this week for Banack, and back-to-back Top 10s for Rostad, the pair of Minot State golfers earned the Pinnacle Employee Benefits Minot State Female and Male Athlete of the Month awards for September, respectively.

Pinnacle Employee Benefits became the title sponsor for Minot State's Athlete of the Month award during the 2021-22 academic year. The award recognizes the outstanding athletic achievements each month of one male and one female Beaver student-athlete.

Banack, a senior from Yellowhead County, Alberta, has been the low scorer in all four tournaments this fall for the Beavers, which includes her 3^rd-place finish at the 5^th annual Marauders Tournament held at Hawktree Golf Course on Monday and Tuesday.

Firing a 7-over 79 on Monday, one shot off her career best, Banack finished with an 8-over 80 on Tuesday to tie for 3rd, 2 shots back of the lead at 15-over 159.

Along with her 3rd-place this week, she has twice finished in the top 20 at tournaments to start the season and leads the Beavers with an 81.9 stroke per round average through the first four tournaments.

As for Rostad, a recent graduate of Minot North High School, his debut season has been equally spectacular as he finished tied for 9^th at The Jewel Invitational hosted by Winona State at the Jewel Golf Club on September 22-23, then tied for 10^th earlier this week at the Marauders Tournament.

At The Jewel, Rostad fired a collegiate-best 3-under 69, then followed that with a 1-under 71 to finish 5 shots back of the tournament lead at 4-under 140.

This week in Bismarck, he shot rounds of even-par 72 and 5-over 77 to finish 3 shots off the lead at 5-over 149.

Adding a Top 20 finish in his second collegiate tournament, as well, the true freshman has led the way for Minot State so far this fall with a 73.6 stroke per round average this season.

Banack, Rostad, and the rest of the Minot State golfers wrap up the fall season at the Sioux Falls Fall Invitational, October 13-14.
 
2025-26 Pinnacle Employee Benefits Athletes of the Month
September
Zoe Banack, women's golf
Kasen Rostad, men's golf