For Immediate Release
Friday, February 27, 2026
NSIC Media Relations

BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Natalie Bremer was voted by the league’s head coaches as the 2025-26 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Outstanding Senior of the Year for women’s basketball.

A native of Lake City, Minnesota, Bremer holds a 3.64 grade-point average while majoring in exercise science. She has earned NSIC All-Academic Team honors and has been named to the Dean’s List every semester of her collegiate career. Bremer is also a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection and a member of the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence.

The NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year Award is presented annually to a student-athlete who has competed at their institution for four years and has demonstrated excellence in both athletics and academics while making a positive contribution to their team, institution and community. The award honors seniors who exemplify the attributes of the model NSIC student-athlete.

Bremer concludes her career as one of the most decorated players in Minnesota State women’s basketball history. She is the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,275 career points and ranks first in field goals made (870), second in steals (324), and third in scoring average (17.8 points per game). She has helped lead the Mavericks to 110 career victories, including the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championship, the 2024 NSIC regular season and tournament championships, 2026 NSIC regular season championship, and multiple NCAA tournament appearances.

Nationally recognized for her performance, Bremer was named the 2024 NCAA Elite Eight Most Outstanding Player and earned Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American honorable mention honors in 2024-25. She was also named to the D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team and earned NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team honors. Bremer is a three-time first team All-NSIC selection, a second team All-NSIC honoree, and the 2025-26 NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year. During her career, she also earned multiple NSIC Player of the Week honors and was twice named Division II National Player of the Week.
Bremer played a key role in one of the most successful eras in program history, helping the Mavericks win an NCAA national championship, NSIC regular season and tournament titles, and establish a program-record winning streak of more than 27 games while tying the school record with 32 wins in a season.

Beyond her success on the court, Bremer has made a significant impact in the Mankato community. She has volunteered extensively with the Girls on the Run program, served as a mentor and coach at youth basketball camps and practices, read to elementary school students, and participated in community outreach events. She has also volunteered at the campus food shelf, assisted with the Mankato Kiwanis Holiday Lights event, connected with residents in senior living communities, and helped pack meals for children in need.

“Natalie’s impact on our program over the course of her career has been insurmountable,” said Minnesota State head coach Emilee Thiesse. “She has become our all-time leading scorer, is currently second all-time in steals and ranks in the top 10 all-time in several categories. While her on-the-court impact has been great, Natalie is more than just a great player; she is a driven student and a selfless leader. Despite reaching remarkable milestones this season, Natalie has remained focused on team success above all else and has brought such joy and energy to the court. Her passion for the game of basketball and her love for her teammates is truly inspiring.”

Past Winners
2020-21: Erin Norling - Wayne State     
2021-22: Tori Wortz - St. Cloud State 
2022-23: Peyton Boom - MSU Moorhead
2023-24: Joey Batt - Minnesota State
2024-25 - Bri Stoltzman - SMSU

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 122 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.