St. Joseph will host NCAA Division II National Championship; winning coaches share experiences

By Calvin Silvers

Downtown St. Joseph has been busy this week, as the 2024 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championships continue in the Civic Arena, as the Elite Eight was wrapped up on Monday, and the Final Four was played on Wednesday.

We’re now down to two remaining teams in the two-seeded Texas Woman’s University Pioneers from Denton, Texas, and the fifth-seeded Minnesota State Mavericks from Mankato, Minnesota, battling it out for a national championship on Friday.

“Been a great experience that we’ve been here,” head coach Emilee Thiesse said. “The community of St. Joe has been outstanding and everybody from the NCAA committees, but also just the community response and having some great fans at the game.”

While the Mavericks took some time to thank the city of St. Joseph for being a great host, and providing a fun experience for the student athletes, they weren’t the only team to feel the love.

Each Division II team competing was partnered with a school here in the area, and for Texas Woman’s University, they were partnered with Mid-Buchanan. Head coach Beth Jillson said she saw Dragon students arriving an hour before tip off to show their support.

“It is so special. I mean, we went to the school, I started off by just introducing them and before I knew it, they were just playing basketball games with them, getting to know them,” Jillson said.

“I think our players know their names. It’s really important that we just are great examples for the future generation and that we are empowering young girls.”

While the memories and experiences brought to them by the city will remain, the teams are hoping to make one more memorable moment, holding up the national championship trophy.

These two teams met once this season, in the second contest of the year, where the Pioneers won 76-71. Minnesota State didn’t have their All-American Joey Batt at the time, but for Texas Woman’s University in their first trip to a national championship, they don’t plan on changing who they are and what they do.

“We just don’t change a lot of things of who we are,” Jillson said. “We prepare the same way for each and every game. Really just enjoying the moments and enjoying each other.”

For the Mavericks, this season is the 15th anniversary from their last national championship. Coach Thiesse wants to not only make the community proud, but also that championship winning team from 15 years ago.”

“Since I stepped foot on campus, that national championship team has been so present just engaging our program. They come talk to our team almost yearly, so like they’re there, they’re soaking this in too,” Thiesse said, “I know a few of them have bought plane tickets and they’re coming in tomorrow for the game. You know, it just means so much. It’s part of our tradition. It’s part of rebuilding us back to a program.”