​Jun. 30 — MANKATO — The list of accolades for Natalie Bremer keeps growing, and the latest honor is the highest yet. The Lake City graduate and Minnesota State University, Mankato basketball star has racked up a remarkable collection of awards this season, with the pinnacle announced today: Bremer, a 5-foot-11 guard, has been named the DII Women’s Honda Athlete of the Year. The win was decided by senior women administrators from more than 1,000 NCAA member schools, and Bremer will be formally recognized in a live CBS Sports Network broadcast at 7 p.m. on July 27.
A four-time All-NSIC selection, Bremer earned the WBCA NCAA Division II Player of the Year this season after averaging 21.8 points on 48% shooting, including 37% from three, plus 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. She finished as MSU 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’s impact extended beyond the court. In the classroom, she graduated in exercise science and plans to pursue a master’s in occupational therapy, earning Dean’s List honors every semester. Off the court, she volunteered regularly at Mankato elementary schools, inspiring and engaging with local kids. “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.”
This season, Bremer led Minnesota State, Mankato to a 29-3 overall record and a 21-1 mark in NSIC play, helping the Mavericks to a program-record 27-game winning streak. However, injuries sidelined MSU late in the season, and they were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Central Regional by Minnesota Duluth. As a sophomore in 2023-24, Bremer helped guide the Mavericks to the program’s first women’s basketball national championship, earning the NCAA Elite Eight Most Outstanding Player honors after averaging 23.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 steals over that stretch. She scored 29 points against Cal State-San Marcos in the Final Four and 27 in the NCAA championship game against Texas Woman’s University.