The Minnesota State Mankato athletic department will play host to a welcome-home celebration for its national champion men’s and women’s basketball teams on Monday.
The school became the first Division II program in 40 years to win both the men’s and women’s championships in the same season over the weekend. On Friday, the women routed Texas Woman’s 89-73 in St. Joseph, Mo., for the school’s second title, and on Saturday, the men beat Nova Southeastern 88-85 in Evansville, Ind., on a last-second three-pointer by Kyreese Willingham.
Monday’s ceremony at the Taylor Center is free and open to the public. Doors open at 4 p.m., with the program beginning at 4:30. Afterwards, fans will be able to get autographs from both teams.
Both coaches acknowledged the support of the community over the weekend.
“We say all the time that MSU is such a big part of the community of Mankato, but Mankato is such a big part of the Minnesota State community as well,” women’s coach Emilee Thiesse said after Friday’s victory.
Said men’s coach Matt Margenthaler on Saturday: “It’s been unbelievable, really the last month and a half or so of the season, it sort of blew up. ... Coming here [to Evansville], people continued to follow. It got bigger from Tuesday to Thursday to Saturday. We had a bunch of people come over last night from the women’s championship game.”
