SMSU Athletics

Derek Klinkner is in his 13th full season as head coach at SMSU in 2025-26. He started the 2012-13 season as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach in February of 2013. He begins the 2025-26 season with a career record of 153-153.

In 2024-25, the Mustangs finished 15-9 overall and placed third at the national tournament in Champaign, Ill. The third place national finish is the program's highest since placing third in 2007. Emmanuel Fuentes Cervantes earned All-American first team honors for the second straight season. 

Klinkner led SMSU to a 19-9 overall record in 2023-24, a season in which SMSU hosted the national tournament. Fuentes Cervantes put together an outstanding season under Klinkner's tutelage earning 2023-24 NWBA National Player of the Year accolades. SMSU finished 2-2 at the national tournament to place seventh overall. Fuentes Cervantes was named NWBA first team All-American, while Fermin Wingerter was tabbed NWBA second team All-American.

The Mustangs finished the 2022-23 season with a 12-7 record and finished fifth at the 11-team national tournament. SMSU had three players, Joshua Brown, Emmanuel Fuentes Cervantes and Mackenley Laguerre all named to the NWBA All-Rookie team.  

SMSU racked up 14 victories and earned the No. 4 seed at the 2020 national tournament being the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.

SMSU earned 12 victories during the 2018-19 season which included a fifth place finish at the national tournament, while in 2021-22, the Mustangs won 13 games and finished sixth at the national tournament.

During his tenure as head coach, the program has had several players earn numerous national awards. Fuentes Cervantes is the second Mustang to earn NWBA Player of the Year accolades during Klinkner's time as head coach. Following the 2021-22 season, Walter Johnson was named a first team All-American, while in 2019-20, Jesus Villa was named the NWBA National Player of the Year and Ryan Kile was named to the NWBA All-Academic team for the second straight season.

In 2016-17, Johnson was named second team NWBA All-American honors, while Jon Fagre and Matthew Talbot in 2018 and Joel Adams in 2016, were all named to the NWBA All-Rookie Team. David Nelson (2015) and Jon Herndon (2017) both were awarded the NWBA Frank Basile Sportsmanship Award during Klinkner's time as head coach. SMSU has also had several athletes invited to tryout for the Team USA U23 team in recent seasons, including Steve Eischens, who was selected for the 2017 squad.
 
Klinkner was also a member of the wheelchair basketball team from 2010-14 and earned the NWBA Frank Basile Sportsmanship Award in 2014.
 
A native of Artesian, S.D., Klinkner played for the SMSU football program for three seasons, earning all-conference honorable mention honors as a sophomore in 2009. He is a 2012 graduate of SMSU and also received his master's degree from SMSU.   

Derek and his wife Audra, live in Marshall with children, Kami, Evelynn, Angela, Daniel and Courtney.