Photo by Jake McNeill: Southwest Minnesota State University guard Bri Stoltzman (2) sizes up a Northern State defender during the first half of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference womens basketball game on Jan. 17 at the R/A Facility in Marshall.

MARSHALL — From a childhood introduction to basketball to a senior year high school realization of her potential, Southwest Minnesota State University senior Bri Stoltzman finishes her collegiate basketball career as one the program’s most decorated guards. Along with the accolades collected, it’s the memories made on the court and friends earned along the way that she holds the closest.

“It’s been a journey … I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Stoltzman said. “It went by fast, and it was fun. I would do it all again if I could.”

The 5-foot-8 2021 graduate of Mankato West High School has sported jersey No. 2 the last four years for the SMSU women’s basketball team. What started as a pick-up hobby influenced by a her friend Calie Schumann turned into a college career that earned her a Division II Player of the Year award and a run to the 2025 NCAA Division II Tournament Sweet 16.

“One day, [Schumann’s] like, ‘Just come to tryouts. Every shot you miss, I’ll miss, so we’re on the same team,'” Stoltzman said about first getting into basketball competitively in the summer going into seventh grade. “That got me into the sport, and I just grew to love it because of the people in the sport.”

Stoltzman started making contributions as a freshman at SMSU and blossomed over the next three seasons. She appeared in all 26 games her first year, averaging 2.6 points over 11.7 minutes per game. Come sophomore year, she was named to the All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference [NSIC] Second Team after elevating her game to an average 13.8 points and 6.9 rebounds a night over 29.7 minutes.

Junior year, the Mankato native made the NSIC First Team after starting all 31 games, and led the Mustangs in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and free throws. Yet, Stoltzman’s best year was still to come.

Along with helping lead SMSU to a 28-5 record, a program record of wins, Stoltzman was named the 2025 NSIC Player of the Year, the Division II Conference Commissioners Associations [D2CCA] Central Region Player of the Year, the NSIC Player of the Week seven times and was named to the All-NSIC First Team. She also made the All-Tournament team for the NCAA Central Region alongside junior Audrey Swanson, and was named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-American first team.

Rounding out her senior year accolades and marking the first athlete in SMSU history to do so, Stoltzman was named the Division II D2CCA National Player of the Year on Tuesday, an award selected by college sports communicators from NCAA Division II schools.

“I’d say that I honestly don’t really look into accomplishments or accolades, because there are more important things. I’d just rather hang out with my teammates and cheer them on,” Stoltzman said. “I hope they get all the attention … They all deserve it.”

Stoltzman stands second on SMSU’s womens basketball all-time scoring list with 1,764 points, just behind Julie Thein’s 1,800 set during 1987-1991. She finished this season with 703 points, surpassing the previous mark of 579 points she set during her junior campaign.

“That’s not why she’s playing. She’s playing because she loves the game. She’s that 7-year-old kid that has the basketball in the driveway. That’s Bri,” SMSU women’s basketball head coach Tom Webb said. “It’s not about the awards she got last week or the week before. It really isn’t … I think that keeps you centered. It keeps you where you need to be, and you understand why you’re playing. She’s playing for the love of the game, and it’s a pretty cool thing to watch.”

Becoming a consistent playmaker for the Mustangs, Stoltzman led the team this season with an average 22 points while shooting a team-high 54%. She was the team’s best free-throw shooter at 82%, and led with 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals a game. She also ranked second in the NSIC in scoring and field goal percentage, while ranking third in assists.

“The best advice I’ve gotten — I’m stealing this from Webb because his words are just so good — is to just be you. Confidence is key, especially at a young age,” Stoltzman said. “You just have to be you, go out there and do your thing.”

Stoltzman didn’t get serious about pursuing college basketball until the summer going into her senior year of high school, as she was also heavily involved with softball. She switched between shortstop and second base for travel ball, and primarily played catcher for high school.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do ever. My AAU coach was on me in a good way like, ‘It’s time to pick whatever you love most. No one’s going to be mad at your decision, but you need to focus in on one right before your senior season if you want to get recruited,” Stoltzman said. “I listened to him … He got me recruited, and he got me to coach Webb.”

Remembering when he initially came across Stoltzman, Webb couldn’t help but smile while staring ahead.

“I remember the first time I saw Bri play AAU [Amateur Athletic Union]. She was super, super competitive … You could just tell she wanted to win, and those kids are tough to find,” Webb said. “Then, we went to a high school game … I watched her warm up, and I thought it was just a different warm-up. She had a different mentality, and you could just see that there was something special.”

Webb, in his ninth year as SMSU’s head coach, also attributed Stoltzman being a multi-sport athlete as another reason he wanted to recruit her.

“She’s a heck of a catcher in softball, and as a catcher, you have to lead. Those things all correlate to basketball,” Webb said.

Stoltzman knew she wanted to become a Mustang quickly after beginning conversations with Webb, noting his authenticity in the interview and the program’s potential for growth as key selling points.

Just as the program grew over her four years with the team, so did Stoltzman. She credited Webb as one of the main factors in that development.

“He [Webb] always has believed in me, and I really believe in him … I feel like throughout the years, we just have developed this relationship that’s so important to me,” Stoltzman said. “He always talks about leaving the jersey in a better place … I care so much about Webb.”

Stoltzman, who has three older sisters and a brother, also attributes her family as heavy influences.

“My family also inspires me. They never fail to text me ‘good job’ or ‘good game,’ even if I don’t play well. I really, truly do have a really good support system,” Stoltzman said. “Also, my teammates … They really push me to be a better player and person every day.”

Stoltzman’s ability to develop as a leader over her four years has also resulted in her leaving a lasting mark.

“She has an unbelievable feel for the game … But, she’s an unbelievable leader. I think her ability to get her team to enjoy tough times sometimes is such a tough thing to do,” Webb said. “What I mean by that is, if it’s in the middle of a tough run, she’ll get them together, and she’ll huddle them up and say something. Next thing you know, we go on a little run and that. That’s true leadership.”

Stoltzman has hopes to become an occupational therapist after graduating this summer.

With all of the points scored, the assists dished out, the injuries overcome, the awards achieved, relationships built, the heartbreaking losses and overtime thrillers, Stoltzman leaves the court knowing her younger self has been fulfilled for the career she’s upheld.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot throughout the years. I think, looking at me from a high school perspective, I would just be proud of myself,” Stoltzman said. “I would also look back and tell myself to keep working, too.”