BEMIDJI — With the start of the college season a month away, the Bemidji State football team is set to return to campus Aug. 12 to kick off its fall preseason training camp.

And now the Beavers will have some idea of what to expect this season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference — and what the rest of the league’s coaches expect of them.

The NSIC released its 2015 coaches poll on Wednesday, and according to the coaches the Beavers should be a much-improved team.

BSU was picked to finish fourth out of eight teams in the NSIC North Division and ninth out of 16 teams overall.

Last season the Beavers, who went 3-8 overall and 3-4 in their division, were sixth in the North Division and 14th overall.

Minnesota State Mankato, which finished last season as the national Division II runner up, was once again picked to finish first overall in the conference while Minnesota Duluth, who also went a perfect 11-0 in the regular season, were picked to finish second overall and first in the NSIC North Division.

Northern State and St. Cloud State were the two teams picked to finish ahead of BSU in the division.

The NSIC coaches also selected BSU’s Blake Holder and Colton Blascyk as their offense and defensive players to watch, respectively, on the season.

Holder, a sophomore transfer from Northern Illinois, was an All-NSIC first-team wide receiver last season and led the team with 764 yards receiving on 42 receptions along with a team high six receiving touchdowns.

Blascyk, a senior linebacker, was All-NSIC second team on defense and was second on the team with 79 total tackles (32 solo, 47 assisted) — which was eighth in the conference.

The Beavers are set to report back to campus Wednesday, Aug. 12, with their first official practice taking place Thursday, Aug. 13.

BSU opens the season at home against Augustana on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Chet Anderson Stadium.

NSIC Coaches Poll

North Division

1. Minnesota Duluth

2. Northern State

3. St. Cloud State

4. Bemidji State

5. MSU Moorhead

6. U-Mary

7. Minot State

8. Minn.-Crookston

South Division

1. Minnesota State

2. Sioux Falls

T-3. Augustana

T-3. Winona State

5. Concordia-St. Paul

6. Southwest Minn. St.

7. Wayne State

8. Upper Iowa

Overall

1. Minnesota State

2. Minnesota Duluth

3. Sioux Falls

4. Augustana

5. St. Cloud State

6. Winona State

7. Northern State

8. Concordia-St. Paul

9. Bemidji State

10. MSU Moorhead

11. Southwest Minn. St.

12. U-Mary

T-13. Wayne State

T-13. Upper Iowa

15. Minot State

16. Minn.-Crookston