THIS WEEK 

The Southwest Minnesota State University women's soccer team (0-2) hosts (RV) Washburn (Kan.) on Friday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. and then travels to Sioux Falls, S.D. to face off with Fort Hays State (Kan.) on Sunday, Sept. 15 with kickoff set for 12 p.m. 

LAST WEEK 

• The Mustangs opened their season taking on West Florida and No. 17 Emporia State (Kan.) last weekend in Mankato, Minn. 
• UWF took a 2-0 lead in the first half and the Mustangs were unable to respond to the Argonauts offense. UWF opened the second half with another goal to put the game out of reach. The UWF defense held the Mustangs to just two shots on net for the day. 
• ESU offense found the back of the net with time expiring to take a 1-0 lead going into halftime. The Hornets took the momentum into the second half to extend their lead to 2-0 after an unlucky deflection by the Mustangs resulted in an own goal. ESU continued its offensive push to add a third goal a minute later. 

ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE  

• The Mustangs are 0-2 after week one.  
• Selena Prolic led the team offensively with four shots and tallied three on net.  
• Emily Maciel has held down the defense recording 136 minutes in the backline and has started both games thus far.  
• Rachel Hicks and Stella Litzen have each started a game in net for SMSU, combining for 17 saves and six goals against. 

SERIES HISTORY 

• SMSU and Washburn meet for the eighth time in program history with WU holding a 5-1-1 advantage over the Mustangs.  
• The two teams last played on Sept. 8, 2023, with Washburn earning a 4-0 victory in Topeka, Kan. 
• SMSU's lone victory in the series happened in Marshall on Sept. 3, 2016, earning a 1-0 victory. 
• SMSU and Fort Hays State meet for the seventh time in program history with FHSU holding a 5-1 advantage.  
• The two teams last met on Sept. 1, 2018, with Fort Hays State securing a 4-1 victory in Fayette, Iowa.  
• SMSU's sole victory in the series happened on Sept. 6, 2013, in Hays, Kan., by a score of 1-0. 

SCOUTING WASHBURN 

• Davy Phillips enters his seventh season as the head coach of Washburn, which is a part of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). 
• The Ichabods are receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 NCAA Division II poll. 
• WU was picked as the favorite in the 12-team MIAA preseason poll after finishing 21-4-1 overall and 9-1-1 in conference play.  
• WU made it all the way to the NCAA Championship game last year but fell to Point Loma with a score of 1-0. 
• The Ichabods are 0-2 overall on the season after suffering losses against the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Maryville University.  

SCOUTING FORT HAYS STATE 

• Tyson John begins his third season as the head coach of Fort Hays State, which is a part of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). 
• The Tigers were picked third in the 12-team MIAA preseason poll, after finishing 13-5-3 overall and 8-2-1 in conference.  
• FHSU are 0-1-1 overall on the season after suffering a loss against Rockhurst on Monday. The Tigers will face off with Augustana on Friday before taking on SMSU on Sunday.  

2024 OUTLOOK  

• SMSU third-year head coach, Clay Glasgow, returns 21 letter winners from the 2023 squad that finished 6-10-1 overall, including 6-7-1 in conference play. The 2024 team features seven seniors, nine juniors, five sophomores, and six freshmen.   
• Senior Selena Prolic and Junior Haley Mason are the team's top returning scorers after both scoring three goals and recording one assist last season.  
• Junior Brooke Wetterstrom returns after leading the team last season in assists with five while also tallying two goals.  
• Senior goalkeeper Rachel Hicks returns after finishing 2-4-1 last season with a 1.64 GAA and recording one shutout.  

SMSU PICKED 10TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL  

• SMSU was selected 10th in the 15-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.  
• Mustang sophomore midfielder Trinity Reagan and sophomore defender Illjana Arbaugh were both named 'Players to Watch' in 2024.  

SEASON OPENERS  

• SMSU is 6-21-1 all-time in season openers following last Friday's loss versus West Florida.  
• SMSU's last season-opening victory came in 2021 with a 1-0 win at Black Hills State.  

MUSTANG HISTORY  

• SMSU is in its 29th season of soccer in 2024 and 28th season of competition (2020 was canceled).  
• SMSU has compiled an all-time record of 163-298-37, including 118-170-24 in NSIC games.  
• SMSU has made 14 NSIC tournaments and played in the region championship of the NCAA Tournament in 2013.  
• SMSU has recorded four winning seasons in program history with the last coming in 2019.