MARSHALL, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State University women's tennis team (1-4, 0-0 NSIC) opens Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this Saturday and Sunday with a pair matches in Sioux Falls, S.D.     
 
SMSU will take on Sioux Falls (1-1, 0-1 NSIC) at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Huether Family Match Pointe, before facing Augustana (5-1, 1-0 NSIC) at 9 a.m. at the GREATLIFE Woodlake Athletic Club.
 
HEAD COACH
•Jon Parker is in his fourth season as head coach with an overall record of 28-30, including 17-13 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. SIOUX FALLS
•SMSU and USF meet for the 18^th time with USF leading 12-5.
•SMSU has won the last two matches, including 6-1 last season and 5-2 in 2021.
•USF had won nine straight in the series from 2010-20.  
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. AUGUSTANA
•SMSU and AU meet for the 32^nd time with AU leading 26-5.
•AU has won the last 19 matches with SMSU's last win coming in 2002.
•AU won last season's lone match-up, 7-0 in Owatonna, Minn.  
 
            SMSU NOTES
•SMSU is 0-2 during the spring season suffering a pair of 7-0 losses to Division I opponents, Creighton and North Dakota.
 
            LOOKING TO KEEP ITS WINNING WAYS
•SMSU set a program single season win record at the Division II level in 2022 finishing 17-11 overall.
•SMSU also advanced to the NSIC Tournament for the second straight season and finished third in the NSIC regular season for the second straight season.
 
            PRESEASON NSIC POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish fifth in the preseason NSIC Coaches' poll. The top eight teams in the final regular season standings qualify for the NSIC Tournament in April 21-23 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
            MUSTANG HISTORY
•The 2023 season marks the 46^th 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.