MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State women's basketball head coach Emilee Thiesse is pleased to announce the signing of five players. Addison Hoof, Payton Morgan, Natalie Mueller, August Palmer, and Haylee Stokes will join the Mavericks for the 2025-26 season.
 
All signings are contingent upon admission to Minnesota State and compliance with NCAA rules, including certification by the NCAA Eligibility Center.
 
"We couldn't be more excited about the additions of Addison, Payton, Natalie, August, and Haylee to our Maverick family," said Thiesse.  "Each of them brings a unique set of qualities and talents that complement each other and our current team well.  We cannot wait to see the impact they will make on our program."

Addison Hoof, a 5'5" combo guard from Lester Prairie, Minn., averaged 27.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, two assists and 7.3 steals per game last season for the Bulldogs. She is a two-time MCAA All-Conference player, a 2,000-point scorer and was named MGBCA All-State Honorable Mention as a junior. Hoof has qualified 6 times for the state cross country meet and is a 2-time 400-meter dash Class A state champion. She is a National Honor Society member and an A-Honor Roll student. Addison plans to major in Accounting at Minnesota State. She is the daughter of Daryn and Melanie Hoof.

"Addison is an exciting addition to our program with her game-changing foot speed.  Her ability to create offense from defense makes her a natural fit in our system," said Thiesse. "It's not only her quickness, anticipation, and tenacity for the ball that will make her an asset in our full court defense, but her mental toughness and intensity will serve her well in all aspects of our program."

Payton Morgan is a 5'9" wing from Eldorado, Wis. As a junior at Laconia High School, she averaged 9.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, two assists and 1.1 steals per game. Morgan has helped lead the Spartans to three consecutive state tournament appearances with a runner-up finish in 2022 and state championships in 2023 and 2024. She is a 2-time WBCA D4 All-State selection and earned the team's defensive MVP award last season. Payton participates in volleyball and softball and is a National Honor Society member. She plans on majoring in Nursing at MSU and is the daughter of Chris and Lindsay Morgan.

"Payton is a coach's kid who has a great mind for the game and a genuine understanding for how to make an impact," said Thiesse. "She is a very talented shooter with great range and will really open things up for us with her ability to stretch the floor.  Payton's length and anticipation make her a great rebounder and give her the opportunity to make an impact in our full court defense."

Natalie Mueller is a 5'7" guard from Mequon, Wis. As a junior at Homestead High School, Natalie averaged 17 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.1 steals per game. Natalie is a 1,000-point scorer and a three-time All-Conference player in the North Shore Conference. She is also a track & field athlete and a member of the National Honor Society. Natalie plans on majoring in Nursing at Minnesota State. She is the daughter of Doug and Heidi Mueller and is the sister of Grace Mueller, 2024 Maverick Women's Basketball alum.

"We are beyond excited to welcome the Mueller family back to MSU with Natalie following in the footsteps of her older sister Grace," said Thiesse. "We have loved watching Natalie's game develop over the past several years. She is a scrappy, hardnosed guard who brings a great deal of grit and feistiness to the court. Natalie will be a great addition to our perimeter attack with her energy and spark on both ends of the floor."

August Palmer, a 5'10" guard from West Branch, Iowa has played the last two seasons at City High in Iowa City. Palmer averaged 14.5 points, five rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game as a junior. She earned 5A All-Region honors last season and has been named 1^st Team All-Conference and All-District for three consecutive years. She also participates in soccer. August plans to major in Environmental Science at Minnesota State and is the daughter of Ben and Miranda Palmer.

"We love August's versatility in the guard spot. Her unique skill set includes a nice mid-range game and an ability to slice through defenses to create scoring opportunities at the rim," said Thiesse. "She has great length on the perimeter and her experience in a variety of positions will help us capitalize with her in many different line-ups. We are especially excited about August's ability to create her own shot while bringing a great rebounding presence to our guard spot."

Haylee Stokes is a 5'6" point guard from Estherville, Iowa. As a junior at Estherville Lincoln Central HS, Haylee was named the Iowa Class 3A Player of the Year while averaging 24.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 5.3 steals, and 1 block per game. She became ELC's all-time leading scorer last season and is a three-time First Team All-State selection. Stokes has led ELC to three state tournament appearances with a state championship in 2022 and a runner-up finish last season. Haylee plans to major in Sport Management at Minnesota State. She is the daughter of Scott and Sarah Stokes.

"Haylee is a fierce competitor and a high-impact player. Her smooth athleticism and sneaky length at the point guard position allow her to influence the game in numerous ways," said Thiesse." She is a natural creator with the ball in her hands and her instinct and ability to see the court make her a true floor general. Haylee is an all-around player who can impact nearly every possession with her ability to score, rebound, deliver assists, and create steals." 
 
 

Name	Position	Height	Hometown/High School
Addison Hoof	Combo Guard	5'5"	Lester Prairie, Minn./ Lester Prairie High School
Payton Morgan	Wing	5'9"	Eldorado, Wis./Laconia High School
Natalie Mueller	Guard	5'7"	Mequon, Wis./Homestead High School
August Palmer	Guard	5'10"	West Branch, Iowa/ Iowa City High
Haylee Stokes	Point Guard	5'6"	Estherville, Iowa/Estherville Lincoln Central High School