BURNSVILLE, Minn. – Coming off a third-place finish in the NSIC and an NCAA Tournament appearance last season, the Minnesota State women's basketball team opens the 2025-26 campaign ranked first in the NSIC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll.
Minnesota State earned eight first-place votes and totaled 215 points in the poll.
The Mavericks posted an impressive 25-8 record in 2024-25, highlighted by a perfect 12-0 mark at home inside the Taylor Center. MSU went 18-4 in conference play and opened league competition with a 13-game winning streak. The Mavericks' postseason run ended with a loss to then-No. 11 Concordia-St. Paul, 92-73, in the NSIC Tournament Championship, before falling narrowly to then-No. 7 Pittsburg State, 94-91, in the second round of the NCAA Central Region Tournament.
Head Coach Emilee Thiesse returns a veteran roster with depth and experience.
"We are excited to return a strong core of 13 players from last year's NCAA Tournament team, including seven seniors who bring a wealth of high-level experience," said Thiesse. Coach Thiesse adds, "this group understands what it takes to compete at the highest level, and with so much parity in our league, we will lean heavily on that veteran leadership to guide us through the challenging conference season."
Among the returning standouts is senior Natalie Bremer, the Mavericks' Player to Watch and the NSIC Preseason South Division Player of the Year.
About Bremer, Thiesse said "as a three-time team captain, she is a proven leader who consistently makes an impact on both ends of the court. Natalie is not only a standout athlete, but also a great person with a relentless work ethic, competitive drive, and commitment to excellence in all areas of life."
In the NSIC poll, coaches rank teams 1–15 overall, awarding 15 points for a first-place vote and descending by one point per position. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own team or players. The NSIC regular-season champion will be determined based on a 22-game schedule, with each team facing divisional opponents twice (14 games) and the opposite division once (8 games).
Minnesota State will open play with an exhibition game against UW-La Crosse on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 4 p.m. in the Taylor Center. The Mavericks officially begin the season at the 2025 D2CCA Tip-Off Classic, facing Edinboro at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at McComb Fieldhouse in Edinboro, Pa.
