Northern Star: Aune Boben
Hibbing senior to play for Northern State in 2025
HIBBING, Minn.- In her five years of pitching for the Hibbing Bluejackets, Aune Boben has proven to be a problem for opposing batters.
“I’d say sometimes I like to mess with people. That sounds weird.” Boben smiled as she described her strategy on the mound. “I start it off something kind of strong, try to get a strike. And then kind of see…Each batter’s different, so I kind of go batter by batter and see what they do and see what I can do spin-wise or off-speed just to kind of mess them up. I think my speed has improved a lot as well. But I’ve also gotten a lot of spin on my ball.”
Boben has committed to play for Northern State in 2025. Hibbing Head Coach and former Division II pitcher Kadee Vesledahl knows Boben has what it takes to play at that level.
“Her speed on the bases and her bat will keep her in the game,” says Vesledahl, who’s in her third year coaching the Bluejackets. “And just her determination and her effort…Her giving 100% every day will make her a great student athlete.”
Before the start of every season, Coach Vesledahl gives her players the opportunity to apply to be a team captain, much like one would apply for a job. In Vesledahl’s first year as a coach, she was surprised to see Boben apply for a leadership position as a sophomore.
“I almost had tears in my eyes during her presentation,” says Vesledahl. “Because she goes ‘I’m ready to lead you, and I know that the level of grit and determination it takes from being a student athlete, and I am ready.’ And I’m like ‘Okay, here we go…’ It was awesome.”
Ultimately, Boben wasn’t named a team captain that season. However, seeing other presentations from her older teammates inspired Boben.
“It was nice to see people that actually cared about the team in a different way,” she said. “My junior year, I decided to not apply, and then my senior year, I really felt like it was my time to lead this group of girls.”
Boben’s leadership has evolved so much that she’s now helping younger Bluejackets create a winning work ethic.
“I want them to be better as people like in school and in sports, and just in general being a good human.” said Boben. “I guess I would want to be remembered as someone who showed those skills.”
“She’s matured, she’s put in the time she’s put in the effort,” says Vesledahl. “She’s put in the extra that what it takes to go to the next level.”
Boben recently struck out her 600th career batter during Hibbing’s senior night and will graduate at the top of her senior class.
