MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University women's tennis team opens its 2021-22 season on Saturday with a pair of matches in River Falls, Wis. SMSU will face Wisconsin-River Falls at 10 a.m. before taking on the College of St. Benedict at 1 p.m.
 
SMSU head coach Jon Parker, beginning his third season, has nine players on the fall roster including four returning letter winners.
 
Cora Delich is the one senior on the squad and last season earned seven victories in singles play and six more in doubles. Sophomore Maja Louisa Harck finished second on the team last spring with nine victories in singles action and also earned seven wins in doubles play. Junior Courtenay Leonard recorded eight wins, including six at No. 2 singles last season and led the team with nine victories in doubles play. Sophomore Daniela Poulakidas also returns after picking up six wins in singles play and four in doubles play.  
 
Saturday's matches are two of six events SMSU will compete in during the fall season. SMSU will play at the Gustavus Invite on Sept. 18-19, before taking on St. Olaf and Carleton on Sept. 25 in Northfield, Minn. The Mustangs will have one home dual during the fall season on Oct. 16 versus Doane (Neb.). The spring season begins on Feb. 4, 2022, with the conference dual season beginning on Feb. 12.
 
SMSU is coming off one of its most successful seasons in nearly 15 years last spring, closing with a 9-8 overall record, including 8-3 in NSIC play. The third-place regular season finish was the program's highest since 2008, while the semifinal appearance in the NSIC Tournament was its first since the 2009 season. SMSU's winning record was just its third since the 1998 season.