MANKATO, Minn. --- Minnesota State women's basketball head coach Emilee Thiesse is pleased to announce the signing of three players - Emily Russo, Taylor Theusch, and Grace Mueller – who will join the Mavericks for the 2020-21 season.

All signings are contingent upon admission to Minnesota State and compliance with NCAA rules, including certification by the NCAA Eligibility Center. 

"We are excited to officially welcome Emily, Taylor, and Grace to our Maverick family. We are adding three great student-athletes and three great people," Thiesse Said.  "They bring a tremendous amount of versatility and athleticism and we can't wait to see the mark they will leave on our program."

Emily Russo is a 5'11 forward from New Prague, Minn. During her junior season, Russo passed the 1,000-point mark for her career while averaging 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game for New Prague High School. A three-time team captain and all-conference selection, Russo helped lead the Trojans to a conference championship in 2018-19. In addition, she participates in softball and tennis, has earned academic all-state recognition and is a National Honor Society member. Emily is the daughter of Pat and Sue Russo and plans to study nursing at Minnesota State.

Coach Thiesse's comments: "Emily brings a unique skill set to our post position with her strength and physicality, while also having a great perimeter scoring ability. Her relentless pursuit of rebounds will make an impact on both ends of the floor."

Taylor Theusch is a 5'7 guard from Fountain City, Wis. During a junior season that saw her finish 2nd in total number of three pointers made in the state, Theusch averaged 12.7 points per game while shooting .470 percent from the field and .440 percent from behind the arc. A two-time all-conference performer, Taylor has been a major contributor for an Aquinas Bluegolds team that has won two-consecutive state championships while compiling a 75-5 record over the last three seasons. In addition, Taylor was a setter for the Blugolds 2019 Division 3 state runner-up volleyball team. Taylor is the daughter of Jason and Carla Theusch and plans to pursue a career in healthcare.

Coach Thiesse's comments: "Taylor will be an important perimeter threat for us and will be a great asset to our back court with her ability to shoot the ball. She has had a great deal of success as a player and we look forward to adding her experience in the guard position."

Grace Mueller, a 5'11 wing from Mequon, Wis., has started every game for the Homestead Highlanders the last two seasons. As a junior, she averaged 12.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and was named to the North Shore Conference Second team. The three-time captain also earned honorable mention all-conference as a sophomore. In addition, Grace competes on the Highlander track team and is a member of the National Honor Society. Grace is the daughter of Doug and Heidi Mueller and plans to study nursing at Minnesota State.

Coach Thiesse's comments: "Grace adds good length on the perimeter and brings a great deal of versatility in the wing spot. She is a multi-dimensional player that can find an opportunity to score in a variety of ways and will be a difficult match-up in our system."

Name                     Pos.    Height    Hometown/High School
Emily Russo           F         5-11         New Prague, Minn. / New Prague
Taylor Theusch      G         5-7           Fountain City, Wis. / Aquinas
Grace Mueller        G/F      5-11         Mequon, Wis. / Homestead