The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team was selected to finish eighth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division and 15th overall. NSIC league officials released the preseason polls Wednesday.
Winona State University was picked as the No. 1 team in the 2015-16 NSIC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 208 points and eight first place votes. St. Cloud State University was selected as the favorites for the North Division, gathering 43 points and thre first place votes. University of Minnesota, Crookston followed close behind in the North Division with 42 points and four first place votes with Minnesota State University Moorhead just behind in third with 40 points.
Sophomore center Sierra Senske was selected as the Beavers’ player to watch for 2015-16. Senske was voted the 2014-15 NSIC Freshman of the Year while playing in all 28 games and starting 24. She shot 47.1 percent from the field while also averaging 5.8 rebounds per game. Senske scored 10-plus points 23 times with three double-doubles.
Senske finished the 2014-15 season while averaging a team-high 14.3 points per game. She also lead the way on the defense while recording team-highs in defensive rebounds (123) and blocks (22). Senske recorded a career-high 25 points against Valley City State University on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and 11-of-13 from the free throw line.
The Beavers finished the 2014-15 season 6-22 overall and 3-19 in NSIC play to rank eighth in the North Division and 15th overall. Bemidji State returns eight contributors from a season ago while welcoming in five new faces.
Head Coach Chelsea DeVille begins her first season with the program after serving on the University of Sioux Fall women’s basketball coaching staff since 2009.
Bemidji State begins its 2015-16 campaign with two exhibition games against Lakehead University Friday, Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. in BSU Gymnasium. The regular season will tip off Saturday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. against Crown College at home.