Natalie Bremer, a senior guard from Minnesota State, has been named a finalist in basketball for the DII Honda Athlete of the Year, as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

The announcement comes during a landmark moment for the organization, as the CWSA celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2025–26 collegiate athletics season. Bremer is now among 11 elite finalists for this prestigious award, which recognizes the top NCAA Division II athletes across various sports. The DII Honda Athlete of the Year will be selected by senior women administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools and will be honored during a live broadcast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, July 27th, at 7:00 pm ET, in New York City.

“I am so grateful and blessed to have been named a finalist for this award,”, said Bremer. “There are so many great athletes within Division II and I’m extremely honored to be a finalist!”

Bremer, a native of Lake City, Minnesota, was named the 2026 WBCA NCAA Division II Player of the Year, the first national player of the year in program history and earned WBCA First Team All-America honors after receiving honorable mention in 2025.

She led her program to a 29-3 overall record, including a 21-1 mark in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play, while helping set a program-record 27-game winning streak. Bremer was also named the NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year for women’s basketball.

In a career-best season, she averaged 21.8 points per game on .486 percent shooting, including .371 percent from three-point range, while adding 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. She ranked sixth nationally in scoring and became Minnesota State’s all-time leading scorer, across both men’s and women’s programs, with 2,371 career points.

Off the court, Bremer has been a consistent academic standout, earning NSIC All-Academic Team honors, a spot on the Dean’s List every semester, and recognition as a three-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection, in addition to NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honors.

“Natalie has cemented herself as one of the very best in all of Division II Women’s Basketball,” stated head coach Emilee Thiesse. “She is a proven leader and performer who has made a profound impact on our program. Natalie fully embodies the values of Maverick Women’s Basketball, committing herself to excellence not only on the court, but also in the classroom and within the community. She has elevated our program while continually pushing herself to reach new heights. We are extremely proud of Natalie for being named a finalist for the DII Honda Athlete of the Year—an honor she has truly earned.”

Now in its 50th year, the CWSA continues to honor the nation’s top female collegiate athletes for excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since partnering with Honda in 1986, the program has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants, strengthening and advancing women’s athletics programs nationwide.

About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility and the Honda USA Foundation 

For more than 65 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. The company’s mission is to create products and services that help people fulfill their life’s potential, while conducting business in a sustainable manner and fostering an inclusive workplace. Advancing its corporate social responsibility, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation support this direction through giving focused on education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety, and community.  

Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.