BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University women's swimming and diving team was selected to finish eighth in the annual 10-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' poll released on Thursday.
SMSU is in its eighth season of competition since reinstating the program in May of 2018. Eighth-year head coach
Marty Wahle has 28 individuals on the roster with four seniors, six juniors, 10 sophomores and eight freshmen.
SMSU finished eighth at the 2026 NSIC Championships with school record 296 points.
SMSU earned 26 points in the preseason poll, eight points behind seventh-place place MSU Moorhead. Minnesota State was the top pick in the poll earning 81 points and nine first-place votes. St. Cloud State was selected second with 67 points and one first-place, followed by Augustana (66), Sioux Falls (52), UMary (47) and Concordia-St. Paul (42). Following SMSU, Northern State was ninth (14) with Jamestown (12) rounding out the poll.
"Our team is a very cohesive group; buying into the belief of improving a little bit every single day," Wahle said. "Our first-year athletes have connected extremely well with one another, and returners have done a terrific job with setting the tone during these first couple weeks of the season. We will continue to focus on progress as we look toward our competition season and preparing for the NSIC meet."
SMSU junior swimmer
Lexi Weems, from Blue Springs, Mo., and freshman diver
Ella Roering, from Glenwood, Minn., were both named an NSIC "Athlete to Watch" this season.
"Lexi made a significant step forward last year, placing high in several events at the NSIC Championship meet, and achieved NCAA B qualifying times in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events," Wahle said. "Lexi continues to improve every day, and we are excited to see how she does in her last couple years as a Mustang."
"Ella has a high diving IQ and brings a lot of experience into her first year with our program," Wahle said. "She is excited to continue improving on both 1 and 3-meter boards and is eager to start competing against other divers and teams in the NSIC."
SMSU will host an Alumni Meet on Oct. 3 starting at 10 a.m. inside the Don Palm Natatorium.
SMSU will open the 2026-27 regular season on Oct. 9 with a dual at the University of Jamestown. SMSU's first regular season home meet will take place on Oct. 17 along with Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State.
The NSIC championships will be held on Feb. 10-13, 207, at the Hulbert Aquatic Center in West Fargo, N.D.
