The 2017-18 Bemidji State University women’s basketball season started with the first official practice Sunday, Oct. 15th. Beaver Women’s Hoops will begin to fill the void of six departing seniors.

Head Coach Chelsea DeVille begins her third season leading Beaver Women’s Basketball after a 7-20 finish overall last season with a 4-18 mark in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. BSU saw improvements from the field while shooting over 40 percent from the floor for the first time since the 2009-10 season and totaling the most assists since 2007-08.

After departing six seniors from last season’s squad, the Beavers return two starters and six letter winners. Senior center Sierra Senske leads the returners with 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last season. She became the 20th Beaver to reach at least 1,000 career points, doing so Feb. 10 at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Senior Sam Adamich returns for her second season with the program after scoring 3.8 points per game and grabbing 3.5 rebounds per game.

New bodies will start on the court in the backcourt with the departure of three guards from last season. Senior Mikayla Larson is the senior-most guard entering the season after completing the 2016-17 season shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from 3-pointers. Sophomore Erica Gartner holds the most experience at the point guard position after playing in all 27 games and shooting 42.0 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from beyond the arc. The underclassmen guards, including four true freshmen, will likely see playing time to find their roles within the team.

BSU hosts Valley City State University (Nov. 11) to begin the season followed by another home contest against Mayville State University (Nov. 18). Bemidji State then travels to face Metro State University (Nov. 24) and Colorado Christian College (Nov. 25) at the Auraria Event Center in Denver, Colo.