The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference 2016-17 Preseason Coaches’ Poll was released today, selecting Bemidji State University women’s basketball to finish 14th overall and eighth in the North Division. Senior guard Aimee Pelzer was named the Beavers’ Player to Watch after leading the program in six categories last season.

2015-16 NSIC regular season champion Winona State University was chosen as the conference favorite with seven first-place votes and 201 points overall, followed by Northern State University with three first-place votes and 200 points. 2015-16 NSIC Tournament runner-up Augustana University garnered four first-place votes and 195 points for third while Wayne State College totaled 183 points for fourth. Minnesota State University Moorhead received the final two first-place votes with 163 points to rank fifth. Bemidji State earned 56 points to be slotted 14th in the overall poll.

The Beavers finished the 2015-16 season 7-20 overall and 3-19 in the NSIC. Bemidji State returns seven letterwinners from a season ago while bringing in seven new student-athletes.

Head Coach Chelsea DeVille begins her second season with the program in 2016-17 along with first-year assistant Jamie Majerowicz and second-year assistant Clint Neumann.

Bemidji State begins the 2016-17 season Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. with an exhibition at North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D. BSU hosts Mayville State University Saturday, Nov. 12 to tip-off the regular season.

Listen to the game Thursday at NDSU on 1300 The Legends and online at beaverradionetwork.com.