Highly skilled, extremely competitive, hard worker, honor student,leader, state champ – definite descriptions of the two seniors honored as the best athletes in their class. Olivia Olson received the 2024 Athena Award and Caleb Koskie was honored with the Al Blasing Award.

Miss Basketball 2024, Olivia is a highly decorated basketball player who led the Red Knights to back-to-back state championships in ’23 and ’24. Her list of high school honors includes multiple All-Conference, All-Metro, All-State, All-Tournament, and MVP selections. But Olivia is much more than all of her accolades. Coach Tim Ellefson said, “Olivia showed daily that the desire to be the best version of herself is what led to her success. She took every weakness and made it a strength.”

Ranked in the top 15 nationally, Olivia was the Gatorade State Girls Basketball winner and a McDonald’s All-American, a gold medalist with the USA basketball u16 team. In June, she was named the All-Metro Sports Awards Female Athlete for 2024.

A multi-sport athlete, Olivia began her role as the starting goalkeeper on the soccer team in 8th grade. This past fall the Red Knights won the state championship with a 1-0 victory. She holds the BSM record for the best career save percentage and she has earned multiple honors from her play on the pitch.

Olivia and her mother, Rachel Kuzma Olson ’93, are the first mother/daughter Athena winners at BSM and believed to be one of only a few in the entire state. Basketball was the only sport they had in common. Rachel made her mark in volleyball, basketball, and softball.

Olivia will continue her academic and athletic career at the University of Michigan.

In the spring, you can find Caleb Koskie on the mound or in center field, and very often on base. A wily baserunner, Caleb considers his knowledge of the game one of his strongest assets. He adds that another plus is that he definitely does not like to lose. That knowledge and determination to win are evident in all aspects of his game.

As a sophomore, Caleb pitched in all three state tournament games, striking out 12 in the final contest, on the way to the state championship, BSM’s first in baseball. Multiple honors highlight his abilities: All-Conference, All-Section, All-State, All-Tournament, and three-time Section Champ. He was recently named to the Star Tribune’s All-Metro First Team and he was a finalist for the Mr. Baseball title.

According to coach Andy Judkins, “Caleb is a one-of-a-kind player both in our program and for high school baseball. He has the ability to change the game both in the box and on the mound. He is a true competitor and leader who makes others around him better. The Red Knight community and baseball program are very fortunate to have Caleb as a part of it.”

Caleb takes to the ice in the winter where he also collects multiple honors. His Canadian roots might contribute to his passion for hockey. Coach Ken Pauly added, “Caleb is an outstanding athlete but what makes him truly stand out is that he is such a fierce and determined competitor. When you combine these attributes with his leadership and genuine care for others you have something very special.”

Caleb will be wearing a baseball uniform for the Indiana Hoosiers and continuing his education in Bloomington.