A 2009 All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference First Team Defense selection, former Bemidji State University football defensive tackle Bryan Wick has been keeping his professional football dream alive since graduating from BSU in 2009. Halfway through his fifth season of arena football, Wick earned an invitation to attend Rookie Mini-Camp with the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Montreal Alouettes.

Wick (2005-09) concludes the three-day mini-camp Friday and will learn his future with the organization following the tryout. The Montreal Alouettes, an organization since 1946 and winners of seven Grey Cups, conducts rookie mini-camp on the campus of Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.

Wick, a Duluth, Minn. native, has been an arena football journeyman since leaving BSU. He started the 2010 season on the practice squad with the Green Bay Blizzard of the Indoor Football League (IFL) before signing with the IFL’s Colorado Ice and starting nine games. He stayed in the IFL for the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Fairbanks Grizzlies and Reading Express, respectfully. In 2013 he started with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) before a stint with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League (AFL). He signed a contract with the Cleveland Gladiators of the AFL in 2014, but was released in training camp. He signed with the PIFL’s Harrisburg Stampede and had played four games before receiving the call from Montreal.

If Wick isn’t signed by the Montreal Alouettes, he will return to Harrisburg to conclude the season. In four games with the Stampede, Wick owns 7.5 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss (-17 yards) and 4.0 sacks (-17 yards).

A two-year starter, Wick anchored the 2009 ‘Gang Green’ defensive front with 18 tackles (five solo), as he started all 11 games as the Beavers’ defensive tackle. Wick posted 3.0 tackles for loss (-11 yards) and 1.5 quarterback sacks (-8 yards) and was a key to BSU allowing just 81 rushing yards per game to consistently rank among the NCAA’s top 10 defenses. He also recovered a fumble.

Under the guidance of head coach Jeff Tesch, the Beavers (3-8 overall, 1-6 NSIC North in 2013) have posted a winning record in 14 of the last 16 seasons, which includes a conference championship and appearance in the Mineral Water Bowl in 2006 and a share of the NSIC North Division Championship in 2012. Nine student-athletes were named All-NSIC in 2013, three of which are returning in 2014.

The 2014 season officially begins August 13 when players report for camp. The first official practice is slated to take place August 14.

Bemidji State will host six games in 2014, which includes two home contests under the lights at Chet Anderson Stadium. All 11 contests will serve as Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games, starting with a battle at Wayne State College Sept. 6. The home opener is scheduled for Sept. 13 with University of Sioux Falls visiting Bemidji, Minn. for the first time as members of the NSIC.