Adam Biewen is perpetually running the numbers.
“I’ve always been that way, looking at trends and percentages. I like thinking about the numbers side of sports,” he says. It’s nearly impossible to separate what this two-sport athlete and Statistics major learns in the classroom from his achievements on the court and field.
Of course, his success at Gustavus isn’t just a game of chance. His coaches, teammates, and community are there to support him along the way. Being a part of DIII athletics at Gustavus provided Biewen with opportunities he wouldn’t normally have at a bigger school. “People often ask me ‘how do you do it all?’ But I think ‘doing it all’ is highly doable at Gustavus.” Biewen says he’s the kind of guy who loves to busy, whether with sports, his on-campus job driving for SafeRides, or meeting new people.
His last four years have been filled with more than winning teams and strides in the classroom; he’s also made connections. “Being at a small liberal arts school, you get to be closer to the community.” Biewen’s professors check in on him after a game, mentioning the score and letting him know they were cheering him on. “I know a lot of people say this, but Gustavus really does feel like home.” (It helps that he’s from a long line of Gustie athletes, including his uncles John Biewen ’83 and Paul Biewen ’80, and his cousin, Ben Biewen ’13, who all played Gustavus Men’s Basketball.)
He often thinks about what lessons he’ll carry with him after he’s left Gustavus. One that comes to mind is how his coaches put growth in terms of numbers by encouraging him and his team to make incremental changes every day. “Being able to put it in terms of my progress and growth helps me work harder and be a better athlete,” says Biewen. “If I can be one percent better each day, that’s what I’m going for.” As a senior, Biewen is excited for what’s next, but he’s not quite ready to leave his teams and plans to come back for one last year of eligibility.
Sports have always been a part of his life, but he came to Gustavus to prepare himself for what comes after sports.
He’ll be ready for that season too.
Excellence is a core value of Gustavus. The 2023–2024 athletic season was a very good one for Biewen. Highlights: In basketball, the forward was “Captain Clutch” in a double-overtime win against Carleton to advance to the MIAC Championship (which the team went on to win for the first time since 2005). In baseball, the lefty’s best pitching performance of the year was a complete game shutout—including no walks—against Bethel.
