Bethel (MN)

Location: Arden Hills, Minnesota Division: NCAA Division III Conference (football): Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Stadium: Royal Stadium Conference (basketball): Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Arena: Robertson Center

The Bethel University Royals compete as members of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in NCAA Division III football and basketball. Bethel is a private Baptist institution located in Arden Hills, Minnesota, about 10 minutes northeast of Minneapolis. The school has an undergraduate enrollment of around 3,000.

Bethel's campus, which also includes a seminary for ministry students, is centered around Valentine Lake, with Bethel Drive being the main road throughout the campus. Interstate-694 lies to the north and exit 42B (to MN 51/Hamline Avenue) serves the campus directly. For those coming from the east, most use exit 43A to Lexington Avenue to get to the campus. Bremer Field at Royal Stadium is located off Snelling Avenue. Robertson Center Gymnasium is in the east central part of campus on Bethel Drive. A small historical footnote: the original campus was located across the street from the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Abandoned by the university in 1972, it is now the site of the Hubert Humphrey Job Corps Training Center.

The Royals' main rivals are Saint John's (MN) and Saint Thomas (MN), but neither school considers Bethel its main rival. Northwestern (MN), just a mile down the road, is considered by Royals loyalists as a nuisance.

Though it has become a top-tier team in football in recent years, no one has made it yet to the NFL. The same can be said for the basketball team in relation to the NBA.