The Minnesota State Mavericks are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Minnesota State University, Mankato. The school's athletic program includes 21 varsity sports teams. More than 600 students participate each year in athletics for the university. Most of the university's athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division II level in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete at the Division I level, respectively in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). Minnesota State began competition in the NSIC in 2008–09, due to the dissolution of the North Central Conference. It was also one of the seven WCHA men's hockey members that left that league after the 2020–21 season to reestablish the CCHA, a move that led to the demise of the men's side of the WCHA.

As of the 2023-24 athletic season, the university has won 10 team and 78 individual national championships. The combined teams have won the NSIC US Bank All-Sports Award 4 times. Since 1993, the Mavericks have been awarded the most National Championships out of all the colleges and universities in the Northern Sun Conference. The Mavericks also participate in the Division II Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup national competition.

The Minnesota State Mavericks athletics program fields 8 men's sports and 10 women's sports teams. The men's sports teams include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, track and field and wrestling. The women's teams include basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. In addition, the athletics program includes the athletic marching band called the Maverick Machine, competitive dance and noncompetitive cheerleading.

The men's baseball team has had considerable success in recent years, reaching the College World Series in 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014. The baseball team has finished the 2011–2014 seasons with average winning percentages points at 0.750 or above. Top players who helped lead the Mavericks to a second-place at the Division II Baseball World Series in 2013 in included righthanded pitcher Jason Hoppe who set the NCAA single-season record with 55 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings streak and righthanded pitcher Harvey Martin who was named national pitcher of the year by Rawlings/ABCA, Daktronics and the NCBWA and was named First Team All-American by those three organizations. Martin went 9–1 and had a 2.06 earned run average as a senior. In 2013 they finished as runners-up to the University of Tampa. The team is currently coached by Matt Magers.

The Minnesota State football team plays in NCAA Division II and is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Since 1962, they have played in Blakeslee Stadium, with a natural grass field and a capacity of 7,000.

The current head coach is Todd Hoffner, who has led Minnesota State to NCAA playoff appearances (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 & 2019) including an appearance at the NCAA National Championship game in 2014 and 2019.

Minnesota State alumni who have gone on to the NFL include wide receiver Adam Thielen, offensive lineman Chris Reed, and tight end Bob Bruer.

The Mavericks notably lost in the finals of the 1947 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament to Marshall University by a score of 73 to 59.