With three national championship teams in the past 20 years – all women’s teams – and numerous conference titles, the athletic department at Minnesota State University-Mankato is making a case for itself as one of the best in the state.

The success as of late, which includes national titles in women’s basketball, softball, and indoor track field, is thanks in no small part to Georgene Brock. 

Brock was the face of MSU-Mankato – then Mankato State – women’s athletics for more than 30 years. She was the Director of Women’s Athletics from 1970 -1998, and in that time she also served as a head coach for bowling, tennis, and volleyball.. Her volleyball team won three Minnesota Athletic Intercollegiate Association for Women (MAIAW) state titles and went to nationals twice.

She led the Women’s Intramural Department in the late 1960s, and served as the chairperson and on committees in the MAIAW, Region 6 American Intercollegiate Association for Women, and the Northern Sun Conference for many years. While running the athletic department and making sure women had every athletic opportunity possible, Brock also served as an Assistant Professor of Physical Education from 1964 until her retirement in 1998.

In 1976, Brock became chair of the Conference Development Committee, which created the Northern Sun Conference. Under Brock’s guidance, the committee helped develop the conference rules, eligibility, operating codes, and constitution to become the well-respected conference it is today. She went on to become the NSC President in 1980-81.

Brock received many awards during her illustrious career, and her name will forever be synonymous with women’s athletics at MSU thanks to the Georgene Brock Award. Since 1978-79, the award has been presented to the strongest all-around female student-athlete at Mankato.

Along with having an award named after her, Brock received the Faculty Performance Award and the Claire Faust Public Service Award in 1990 and the Student Senate Student Friendly Award in 1993. She is a member of the MSU-Mankato Athletics Hall of Distinction, the North Central Conference and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference halls of fame, and the Tempe (Ariz.) Union High School Hall of Fame.

Brock fought for opportunities for female athletes to compete when there were none, and put in the work to make sure women at Mankato State - and across Minnesota - would have those opportunities for years to come. The impact of her work is still being seen today in the Mavericks’ athletic success, and will continue to grow as the next generation of athletes makes their way to Mankato.