Everybody in the Northern Sun conference–men and women–except one open their seasons on Saturday November 10. But, that one is not just anybody. It’s the #1 rated women’s team in the 2023-2024 coaches’ poll, the Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks (who, in the interest of brevity, will be referred to as Mankato from here on out). They open this weekend with 3 games at Billings, MT, against Florida Tech, Texas A&M-Kingsville and #24 Texas Women’s University.
Make no mistake–Mankato is loaded. They are not just #1, they are expected to dominate the NSIC women and to be a national contender. Almost everybody is back from a 26-5 team. They were 2nd to UMD’s national runner-up, losing in the conference tournament final 80-74 and the NCAA regional final 86-70. UMD is rated #2 but lost a bundle of talent and will be a serious underdog to Mankato until they might happen to prove otherwise.
Mankato returns its top 7 including starters Joey Batt (5-5 sr G New Ulm), Destinee Bursch (5-7 jr G Eden Prairie), EmilyRusso (5-11 jr. F New Prague), Emily Herzberg (6-0 sr G WI) and Taylor Theusch (5-7 sr. G, WI), plus 6th player Natalie Bremer (5-11 soph F Lake City). Batt, a 5-5 whirlwind who scored 16 ppg on 45% shooting, was named pre-season player of the year, while Bursch and Bremer are pre-season all-conference picks. The top 7 represent 67 returning points per game.
Meanwhile, UMD returns starters Taytum Rhoades (5-9 grad G Minnehaha) and Taya Hakamaki (5-9 sr G Cromwell) plus Ella Gilbertson (6-0 sr F IL) and 6-2 Lexi Karge (soph C Mankato East). Their top 5 returnees represent 36 ppg, while newcomers Grace Counts, Maria Counts and Drew Johnston are expected to contribute.
Behind #1 Mankato and #2 UMD, the coaches’ poll has Minnesota teams at #4 (Southwest State), #5 (St. Cloud State), #7 (Concordia St. Paul), #9 (Minnesota State Moorhead) and #12-13-14 (Winona State, MN Crookston and Bemidji). The non-Minnesota teams are Mary (#3), Augustana (#6), Sioux Falls (#8), Wayne and Northern State (#10 and #11) and Minot State (#15). The 9 Minnesota teams average at #6 while the 6 non-Minnesota teams average #9. Since realignment–that is, the departure of the 4 North and South Dakota teams from the old NCC and the merger of the remainder of the NCC into the NSIC–Minnesota teams have become stronger and stronger, and it looks like they’re continuing to do that with 4 of the top 5 teams this season.
Along with Mankato and UMD, Southwest State and St. Cloud State will also contend. Southwest State returns Bri Stoltzman (5-8 sr. G Mankato West), Madi Gehloff (5-9 sr G Waseca) and Peyton Blandin (5-9 jr G Farmington), who scored 31 ppg among them last year. The other top returnees to Minnesota schools include Emma Miller (5-1 soph G St. M-A) at MN Crookston ;Sam Pogatchnik (5-9 sr G Proctor) at Bemidi State; and Lindsey Becher (6-1 jr C Mounds View) at CSP.
Minnesota Top 5
Joey Batt, Mankato State 5-5 sr G New Ulm 16 ppg-3 reb-4 asts-3 stls 45% FG last year
Bri Stoltzman, Southwest State 5-8 jr G Mankato W 14 ppg-7 reb-3 asts-2 stls
Natalie Bremer, Mankato State 5-11 sop F Lake City 15-3-1-2 48%
Destinee Bursch, Mankato State 5-7 jr G Eden Prairie 15-3-2-3 49%
Emma Miller, MN Crookston 5-1 soph G St. Michael-Alb. 18-4-3
Second 5
Ella Gilbertson, UMD 6-0 sr F IL 10-3-2-1
Taya Hakamaki, UMD 5-9 sr G Cromwell 9-3-2-2
Ally Gietzel, CSP 6-0 jr G WI 15-8-2
Natalie Jens, Minnesota-Moorhead 5-8 jr G WI 13-5-3
Lindsay Becher, CSP 6-1 jr C Mounds View 9-5
The Coaches’ Poll
1. Minnesota-Mankato–don’t be surprised to see Mankato and UMD playing for the NSIC and NCAA regional title again, though Southwest State is also a strong contender. And don’t be surprised if you see an NSIC team again playing in the national D2 final.
2. UMD
3. Mary
4. Southwest State
5. St. Cloud State
6. Augustana
7. Concordia-St. Paul
8. Sioux Falls
9. Minnesota-Moorhead
10. Wayne State
11. Northern State
12. Winona State
13. MN Crookston
14. Bemidji
15. Minot