[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 22, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E548-E549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MANKATO MAVERICKS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRAD FINSTAD

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 22, 2024

  Mr. FINSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize this year's NCAA 
Division Two Men's and Women's Basketball Champions: the Minnesota 
State University Mankato Mavericks.
  Both Mankato's men's team and women's team took home this year's 
championship trophy--making the Mavericks the first school in forty 
years to win a double national championship. In fact, it's only the 
third time in history that any school won both the men's and women's 
championships in the same season.
  Under the leadership of Coach Matt Mergenthaler, Mankato's men's team 
earned their first national title by defeating Nova Southeastern 88 to 
85, finishing with a 35 and 2 record, while Coach Emilee Thiesse's 
women's team defeated Texas Woman's University 89 to 73, securing their 
second-ever national title and ending the season with a record of 32 to 
5.

[[Page E549]]

  Thanks to the tireless leadership and encouragement from the teams' 
coaches, staff, families, classmates, and community--these talented 
young men and women earned a state championship title and all of us 
across southern Minnesota are incredibly proud to call them our own.
  Congratulations to the Mavericks on an unbelievable season.

                          ____________________