Recognizing the Minnesota State University Mankato Mavericks

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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.

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.

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