Photo by Jake McNeill: Southwest Minnesota State University's Audrey Swanson (left) works her way into the post during a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference womens basketball tournament game against Minnesota Crookston, Wednesday in Marshall.

BURNSVILLE — Southwest Minnesota State senior Audrey Swanson and Natalie Nielsen were announced to the All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference womens basketball team, as voted on by the league’s 16 head coaches, on Thursday.

Swanson, a forward, was also named to the All-NSIC first team last season. This year, she led SMSU with 17.9 points per game and ranks second with 7.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Swanson also shot 44% from the field and 38% from 3-point range.

Nielsen was a defensive anchor for the Mustangs. In her junior season with the team after transferring from South Dakota State University heading into her sophomore season, Nielsen averaged team-highs with 8.7 rebounds per game and 21 total blocks. She also averaged 13.2 points per game on a team-leading 54.5% from the field and 90% from the free-throw line.

Nielsen has been unavailable for the last two weeks of the season due to an injury.

Umary’s Bergan Kinnebrew and Minnesota State’s Natalie Bremer were named the North and South Division Player of the Year, respectively. The Mavericks also had Hannah Herzig named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and Emilee Thiesse as the Coach of the Year, while Sioux Falls’ Krista Langager was named the Freshman of the Year.

SMSU is 17-11 overall and 14-8 in conference play on the season, earning the fifth seed in the NSIC tournament. The Mustangs defeated Minnesota Crookston in the first round of the NSIC tournament on Wednesday and next take on No. 4 UMary in the NSIC quarterfinals on Sunday at 11 a.m.

ALL-NSIC FIRST TEAM

Lydia Haack, G, Sr., Concordia-St. Paul

Hailey Markworth, G, Sr., Winona State

SECOND TEAM

Isabella Sanneh, C, So., Augustana

Vivica Bretton, F, Jr., Winona State