MARSHALL, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State University women's tennis team (6-1, 0-0 NSIC) opens Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this Saturday with a pair matches in Owatonna, Minn.     
 
SMSU will take on Bemidji State (4-1, 1-1 NSIC) at 10:30 a.m. before facing Minnesota Crookston (0-2, 0-2 NSIC) at 2:30 p.m. Both matches will be held at the West Hills Tennis & Fitness Center.
 
HEAD COACH
•Jon Parker is in his third season as head coach with an overall record of 16-16, including 9-10 in NSIC matches.
•The 10^th head coach in team history, Parker was named to the position on Jan. 9, 2020.
•Parker served two seasons (2017-18) as head coach at Northeastern State (Okla.), leading the Riverhawks to a 39-11 overall recording, including 18-0 in conference play, and a pair of NCAA Tournaments. He was named the 2018 MIAA Coach of the Year.
•Parker was also a successful girls' and boys' high school coach in Oklahoma and Texas.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
•SMSU and UMC meet for the 19^th time with SMSU leading 16-2.
•SMSU has won the last nine matches with UMC's last win coming in 2013.
•SMSU has won the last five matches via shutout, including 7-0 last season in Grand Forks, N.D.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. BEMIDJI STATE
•SMSU and BSU meet for the 41^st time with SMSU leading 28-12.
•SMSU's 4-3 victory last season in Grand Forks, N.D., snapped a seven-match losing streak in the series.
 
            SMSU NOTES
•SMSU opened the 2022 spring season last Saturday in Rogers, Minn., defeating Bethel 6-3 and Hamline 7-0.
•Cora Delich and Joana Reis Indio both finished the day with 4-0 records.
•Delich and Roz Oye combined to win two doubles matches, earning an 8-4 win at No. 3 versus Bethel and a 7-5 win at No. 1 versus Hamline.
•Reis Indio and Maja Louisa Harck earned an 8-6 win at No. 2 versus Bethel, before Reis Indio teamed with Marisol Palacio for a 6-1 win at No. 2 versus Hamline.
•Abbey Ara won both her singles matches, including No. 6 versus Bethel and No. 3 versus Hamline.
•Daniela Poulakidas won twice versus Hamline, earning a straight win at No. 4 singles and teaming with Arga for a victory at No. 3 doubles.
 
            LOOKING TO KEEP ITS WINNING WAYS
•SMSU had one of its most successful seasons in nearly 15 years in 2021, closing with a 9-8 overall record, including 8-3 in NSIC play.
•The third-place NSIC regular season finish was the program's highest since 2008, while the semifinal appearance in the league tournament was its first since the 2009 season.
•SMSU's winning record was just its third since the 1998 season.
 
            PRESEASON NSIC POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish fourth in the preseason NSIC Coaches' poll. The top eight teams in the final regular season standings qualify for the NSIC Tournament in April 23-24 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
            MUSTANG HISTORY
•The 2022 season marks the 45th year of intercollegiate tennis at SMSU. The program won nine straight conference championships from 1984-92 and also placed at the NAIA Championships each season from 1984-93.
•SMSU's highest finish at the NAIA Championships was 11^th in 1990. SMSU also finished 12^th in 1989, 13^th in 1988, 14^th in 1992, 16^th in 1991, 17^th in both 1984 and 1985 and 19^th in 1987.