Jun. 30—MANKATO — The list is long and it just keeps becoming more illustrious.
Lake City graduate and Minnesota State University, Mankato basketball star Natalie Bremer has hauled in a boatload of awards this season. But the one that was announced today tops them all.
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Bremer, a 5-foot-11 guard, was named the DII Women’s Honda Athlete of the Year. She was selected by senior women administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools and will be honored in a live broadcast on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. July 27.
Bremer was a four-time All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference choice, and this year, the WBCA NCAA Division II Player of the Year after averaging 21.8 points on 48% shooting, including 37% on 3-pointers, as well as 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. Bremer finished as Minnesota State, Mankato’s all-time leading scorer with 2,371 points.
“This award is a really big honor,” Bremer said. “It feels special to cap my four years at Mankato with this. I feel blessed and honored just to be a nominee for the award, much less the one who won it. I never would have believed that I would have come this far. But in the recruiting process, (Mavericks coach Emilee Thiesse) was adamant that I could make a big statement at Mankato.”
Bremer did that, and not just on the basketball floor, which was factored into the award. The winner represents the best in academics, athletics and volunteering.
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Bremer, who graduated in exercise science and will next pursue a master’s degree in occupational therapy, earned a spot on the Dean’s List every semester.
In her spare time, Bremer was a frequent volunteer at Mankato elementary schools, visiting with and inspiring kids as she went.
“We are extremely proud of Natalie for being named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year,” Mavericks coach Emilee Thiesse said. “This is an incredible honor and a testament to the impact she has made as one of the very best student-athletes in Division II. Natalie is a proven leader, an exceptional teammate and a dedicated student. She embodies the values of Maverick women’s basketball in everything she does while continually challenging herself to reach new heights. We could not be happier to see her recognized with an award that is so well deserved.”
Bremer led Minnesota State, Mankato to a 29-3 overall record this season, including 21-1 in NSIC play. She helped set a program-record 27-game winning streak. Injuries caught up with the Mavericks late in the season, and they were ousted in the first round of the NCAA Central Regional by Minnesota Duluth.
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As a sophomore in 2023-24, Bremer helped lead the Mavericks to the school’s first women’s basketball national championship. She won the NCAA Elite Eight Most Outstanding Player award that season when she averaged 23.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 steals during that stretch.
She led the team in scoring against Cal State-Sam Marcos with 29 points in the Final Four and with 27 against Texas Women’s University in the NCAA championship game.
