Complete Release (PDF)

This week:  The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (3-2, 0-1 NSIC) will host Northern State (3-4, 0-2 NSIC) and the University of Mary (1-5, 0-2 NSIC) this weekend, kicking of home conference play.  SMSU and NSU will meet at 6 p.m. on Friday, while the Mustangs and Marauders are scheduled for a 6 p.m. contest on Saturday.

SMSU basketball online:  Live statistics for home games and live audio and video streaming for all women's basketball games are available at www.smsumustangs.com.

Tune it in:  SMSU women's basketball can be heard all season long on 105.1 KARL FM.  Aaron Ziemer, the voice of the Mustangs, will again handle play-by-play.

Television: Saturday night's game versus the University of Mary will be televised live by Midcontinent Communications from Sioux Falls, S.D.  Midcontinent is available on cable systems throughout the states of Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota.  Al Bahe and Tom Neiman will handle the play-by-play.

The series:  Friday will mark the 54th meeting between SMSU and NSU in a series that dates back to the 1969-70 season.  The Wolves hold a large advantage in the series, having won 39 of those 54 contests.  Saturday will be the the seventh contest between SMSU and U-Mary in the four-year old series.  The Mustangs are 1-5 all-time against the Marauders.

Last weekend:  SMSU gave up a nine-point lead in the second half and hit just one field goal in the final 5:43 of the game to fall to No. 12 Minnesota State, Mankato 74-62 last Saturday afternoon in both teams' conference openers in Mankato, Minn.  The Mustangs were led by a season-high 15 points and career-high nine rebounds from Heather Smith. Miley Hunziker added a career-high 11 points, while Megan Stadler and Tori Fink also reached double figures with 10 points each.

The coaches:  Mike Jewett is in his fourth year at the helm of the SMSU women's basketball program.  Jewett owns a 36-55 record at SMSU.  Under his direction, the Mustangs have charted improved records each season, going from seven wins in 2006-07 to twice that in 2008-09. The sixth head coach in the program's 40-year history, Jewett is in seventh overall season as a head coach at the collegiate level, where he has an overall record of 98-75.
    Fred Fridley begins his seventh season as the University of Mary head women's basketball coach in 2009-10.  During his tenure, he has led the Marauders to back-to-back conference titles and two consecutive trips to the national tournament and has a combined record of 128-53.  In the school's first year of NCAA Division II post-season eligibility in 2008-09, the Marauders advanced to the semifinals of the Northern Sun tournament after placing third in the regular season. On the cusp of making the NCAA regional tournament, U-Mary was 10th in the final regional poll of the season. The Marauders finished 17-11 overall and 11-7 in the NSIC.
    Curt Fredrickson enters his 31st season as the head coach of Northern State in 2009-10 and currently has a career record of 659-227. With 659 wins, Fredrickson is the second winningest active NCAA II women's basketball coach. He is also one of just four DII women's coaches to surpass 600 wins.  During Fredrickson's tenure, the Wolves have played in five NAIA national tournaments, winning the NAIA II national title in 1991-92 and 1993-94. Fredrickson's Wolves have also collected two district basketball championships and two regional crowns. In the NSIC, the Wolves have had six first-place and six second-place finishes under Fredrickson. Fredrickson was named the NAIA II National Coach of the Year in 1992 and again in 1994.

Mustang Notes:
• Tori Fink drilled her 14th three-pointer of the season on Saturday against Minnesota State--a total that is tops on the team. Fink has now hit a three-pointer in four consecutive games.
• Miley Hunziker dropped a career-high 11 points on the Mavericks on Saturday, shooting 3-of-7 from the floor and hitting her first three-pointer of the season.

About SMSU:  The Mustangs enter this weekend with a 3-2 record and 0-1 mark in the NSIC.  Tori Fink leads the Mustang offensive effort and is averaging 15.2 points per game.  The junior has drilled 14 three-pointers and is shooting 35.9 perfect from behind the arc.  Abby Kenealy is also in double figures with an 11.0 points per game average.  Kenealy also averages 7.0 rebound per contest--second on the team to Laura Kramer's 8.4 boards per game.

About Northern State:  The Wolves enter Friday's tilt with SMSU sporting a 3-4 record and 0-2 in the NSIC.  Emily Becken leads NSU with 14.4 points per game.  Mikayla Barondeau is averaging a double-double, putting up 10.0 points and pulling down 10.6 rebounds per game.  Barandeau has led her squad in scoring the last five games, peaking with a 22-point performance against Minnesota State on Nov. 28.

About Mary:  The Marauders enter the weekend with a 1-5 record and 0-2 in conference play.  Rachel Zillmer leads U-Mary in the scoring column, averaging 13.0 points per game.  Liz Sipma leads her squad with 6.3 rebounds per game to go along with 11.2 point per outing.  The Marauders are looking to get out of a four-game losing skid; their lone win came against Minnesota-Morris  back on Nov. 21.

Historically speaking:  SMSU enters its 41st season of women's basketball this season.  SMSU has played 992 games, compiling an all time record of 533-459.  SMSU has racked up 25 winning seasons with 10 coming in the last 15 years.  The 2000-01 squad won a school record 25 games and made an appearance at the NCAA Tournament.

All by herself:  Guard Megan Stadler (Sioux Falls, S.D.) holds the distinction of being the lone senior on this year's squad.  Stadler is in her fifth year with the program and has been a mainstay in the SMSU backcourt. 

Preseason coaches' poll:  The NSIC's 14 head coaches tabbed SMSU 11th in their annual preseason poll.  The Mustangs received 66 points in the poll.  Defending NCAA Division II national champion Minnesota State, Mankato received nine first-place votes and 176 points to take the top spot in the poll.  Concordia- St. Paul, Augustana and Winona State also received first-place votes and checked in at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5, respectively.
    1.     Minnesota State (9)    176
    2.     Concordia-St. Paul (2)    154
    3.    Augustana (2)    145
    4.     MSU Moorhead    142
    5.     Winona State (1)    140
    6.     Minnesota Duluth    131
    7.     Wayne State    111
    8.     St. Cloud State    99
    9.     Mary    96
    10.     Northern State    73
    11.     Southwest Minnesota State    66
    12.     Minnesota, Crookston    55
    13.     Bemidji State    37
    14.     Upper Iowa    32
    ( ) First Place Votes

Stadler in the record book:  Senior Megan Stadler (Sioux Falls, S.D.) began the season ranked ninth in career assists at SMSU, but the guard has quickly jumped a few spots throughout the beginning of the season.  With a four-assist performance last Saturday, Stadler passed former teammate Abby Oakland and now holds the No. 6 spot in school history.
    1. 493    Michelle Bruns - 2001-05
    2. 425    Mary Roddel - 2000-04
    3. 401    Dani Coleman - 1996-00
    4. 366    Erin Frye - 1997-01
    5. 341    Lillie Brown - 1992-96
    6. 331    Megan Stadler - 2005-10
    7. 330    Abby Oakland - 2005-09
    8. 321    Shelli Schoeneck - 1999-03
    9. 317    Darcy Peterka - 1988-92
    10. 305    Judy Schreifels - 1979-83

Home, sweet home:  The R/A Facility, the home of SMSU basketball, has been a tough place to play for opponents since opening its doors for the 1996-97 season.   In 13 seasons of playing in the Mustang home arena, SMSU women's basketball has compiled a record of 104-65.
    Year    Overall    NSIC    Non-Conf.
    1996-97    6-5    2-4    4-1
    1997-98    5-6    3-3    2-3
    1998-99    11-2    6-0    5-2     
    1999-00    11-3    7-2    4-1     
    2000-01    12-0    9-0    3-0
    2001-02    11-2    8-1    3-1
    2002-03    11-3    7-2    4-1
    2003-04    3-7    2-6    1-1     
    2004-05    10-4    5-2    5-2
    2005-06    5-9    3-4    2-5
    2006-07    5-8    3-6    2-2
    2007-08    4-8    2-5    2-2
    2008-09    9-6    3-6    5-0
    2009-10    1-1    -    1-1   
       Totals:    104-65    60-41    44-22

Mustangs add five during early signing period:  Head  coach Mike Jewett announced on Nov. 11 the signing of four student athletes for the 2010-11 season.  Breanna Holleman from Hancock, Minn., Hannah Beeler from Indianola, Iowa, Jessie Watts from Omaha, Neb., Ellen Degler from Chaska, Minn., and Samantha Abens from Knoxville, Iowa, have all signed letters of intent to continue their academic and athletic careers at SMSU.