Bemidji State adds Moorhead defenseman Joe Gramer to blue line

Bemidji State added a defense-first piece to its blue line by bringing in Moorhead native Joe Gramer, a 6-foot, 196-pound left-shot defenseman whose game is built around blocks, reach and steady minutes. For a Beavers program that played its 70th season overall, its 26th at the Division I level and its fourth in the CCHA in 2025-26, Gramer gives the roster another experienced option as the team shapes what comes next at Sanford Center.

Gramer officially joined Bemidji State from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in a confirmed transfer transaction dated April 27. He arrived with 32 games of Division I experience from 2024-25, when he led Omaha freshmen in games played, recorded four assists, finished plus-1 and ranked second on the Mavericks with 35 blocked shots. His collegiate debut came Oct. 11, 2024, against then-No. 15 UMass, and he picked up an assist in a 3-2 win.

That profile fits the kind of problem Bemidji State is trying to solve on the back end. The Beavers have long valued defensemen who can absorb hard minutes, defend the house and keep the game simple, and Gramer’s straight-ahead, meat-and-potatoes style gives the program another blue-liner who can help stabilize the next defensive rotation. With roster building continuing for 2026-27, the Moorhead product looks like the type of player who can step into meaningful ice time rather than wait for it.

Gramer’s path to Bemidji State ran through familiar northern Minnesota territory. He played parts of two seasons at Moorhead High School and totaled 41 points in 53 games before moving on to three USHL seasons with the Des Moines Buccaneers, where he put up 16 points in 125 games. He also spent part of 2025-26 with the Seattle Thunderbirds, adding another layer of junior and major junior experience to a resume that already includes a national-team stop.

At the international level, Gramer skated for the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Red Deer, Alberta. He appeared in four games there and finished with one goal and one assist, another sign that Bemidji State is adding a defenseman who has been tested against older, faster competition. For a team that will need reliable minutes on the back end, the move gives the Beavers a local name and a proven shot-blocker who could help define the next version of their defensive identity.