MARSHALL, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State University women's tennis team (4-13, 3-5 NSIC) resumes Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this Saturday versus Minnesota State University (9-1, 6-1 NSIC) at the Owatonna West Tennis Center in Owatonna, Minn. The match is set to begin at 9 a.m.
 
SMSU is currently in eighth place in the NSIC standings with three matches remaining. The top eight teams qualify for the NSIC tournament on April 21-23 in Sioux Falls, S.D. SMSU will close the regular season next weekend taking on 10^th place Minnesota Crookston and 11^th place Bemidji State with both matches in Virginia, Minn.
 
MSU is second in the NSIC standings and is currently one of eight teams ranked in this week's NCAA Central Region rankings.
 
            HEAD COACH
•Jon Parker is in his fourth season as head coach with an overall record of 31-39, including 20-18 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 STATE
•SMSU and MSU meet for the 41^st time with MSU leading 27-13.
•MSU won 5-2 during the 2022 fall season snapping a three-match winning streak in the series for SMSU.
•SMSU has won the last three matches in NSIC play, including 5-2 last season in St. Peter, Minn.
 
            SMSU NOTES
•SMSU finished 1-1 last weekend in two matches played in Rogers, Minn., defeating Minnesota Duluth, 6-1, before suffering a 4-3 loss to St. Cloud State.
•Freshman Gabriela Almeida is 6-7 overall, including 6-2 in NSIC matches.
•Sophomore Joana Reis Indio has a 4-4 singles record and is 5-3 in doubles in NSIC play.
•Sophomore Faith Madikwe has won four singles matches and three doubles matches in conference play.
•Sophomore Camila Paccieri is 4-4 in NSIC play. 
•SMSU's lone senior, Courtenay Leonard, was honored last Saturday during Senior Day. She has played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles all season.
 
            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 2023 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.