MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University women's swimming & diving team opens its 2022-23 season on Friday in Aberdeen, S.D., for the Northern State Relay Meet with Northern State and Concordia-St. Paul. 
 
Competition is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m., with 18 Mustangs competing. Friday's meet begins the fourth season for the SMSU program at the Division II level since starting the program in May of 2018. Fourth-year head coach Marty Wahle has 24 individuals on the 2021-22 roster with two senior, four juniors, 11 sophomores and five freshmen.
 
SMSU returns 17 letter winners from last season's team that finished eighth in its second appearance at the NSIC Championship with 154 points. SMSU junior swimmer Natalie Bohnert earned All-NSIC accolades last season in the 200-yard backstroke for the third straight season in the 2022 NSIC Championships. She has also earned All-NSIC honors in the 100-yard backstroke in both 2020 and 2021. Bohnert and Sarah McDonald were both named an NSIC "Athlete to Watch" this season.
 
SMSU was selected to finish sixth in the nine-team NSIC preseason coaches' poll released last month. St. Cloud State and Minnesota State shared the top spot in the NSIC Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches Poll, with each program receiving 60 points. 
 
Following Friday's meet, SMSU will host its annual Brown & Gold Dual on Saturday, Oct. 1, with a 1 p.m. start time in the newly revamped Don Palm Natatorium.