Hello Mustang Fans!

This week, the Southwest Minnesota State University Department of Athletics and sponsors, Aramark, Hy-Vee and Pepsi, are excited to announce a new way for fans to interact with the Mustangs on their mobile devices.

The new Mustang app, which is now available for download, will not only allow you to keep updated with SMSU athletics, but will also allow you to earn rewards for attending Mustang events and receive great offers from Aramark Dining Services, Hy-Vee, and Pepsi.

The app, which is compatible with Apple devices and Android-based platforms, can be downloaded by searching, “Mustang app” in the Apple App Store, Google Play Store or any other app stores.

Another way you can download the Mustang app is to follow these instructions: Step 1, text Mustangs to 80802; Step 2, click the link in the text message you received; Step 3, download it from Application Store; Step 4, register for the application; Step 5, start earning rewards.

Dick Bragg Invitational

The SMSU volleyball team will host its annual Dick Bragg Spring Volleyball Invitational on Saturday at the P. E. Gym and R/A Facility. The event is free and open to the public.

Along with the Mustangs, other teams competing in the tournament include Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota State, Sioux Falls and South Dakota State.

Matches begin at 10:00 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. Each team will play four rounds, facing all of the other teams in the tournament once. Each match will play two sets to 25 points.

Vs. Cancer Foundation

The SMSU baseball program, along with the Vs. Cancer Foundation, has joined forces to help the fight against cancer. The Mustangs have set a goal to raise $5,000 by April 19 to help cure childhood cancer. SMSU?players will be shaving their heads after their game against Augustana on April 19 at Alumni Field in support of the cause.

The Mustangs are looking for donations and/or support on or before April 19 to help raise awareness to childhood cancer.

Childhood cancer is becoming a bigger threat every year. Each year in the United States, approximately 13,500 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer. It’s more than a classroom of kids a day. Many SMSU players and members of the Mustang coaching staff have been or know of someone that has been affected by this terrible disease.

Once individuals visit the SMSU Vs. Cancer team page online, they’ll be able to choose an amount to donate to this cause. Any amount, small or large, will help. Individuals can either choose to make a one-time donation or set up a monthly donation to the fund-raiser. Either way you choose, a donation helps a great cause!

After entering an amount, individuals will be taken to a page that will ask you to enter payment information. At this point you will be able to write a message and tell us why you are donating to this fund. You can also opt to make an anonymous payment. Once you have filled out everything, you click “Send Gift.”

Individual gifts will be split two ways. One-half of the donations collected will go the Mayo Clinic in Rochester which will aid in funding new research for childhood cancer. The other half will go to the Vs. Cancer Foundation.

SMSU is one of numerous teams from across the country participating in the fundraiser for childhood cancer research.

Drown SMSU Golf Classic

Save the date!

The 29th annual David and Carol Drown SMSU Golf Classic will be held June 20 at the Marshall Golf Club.

The Golf Classic is the next Mustang Booster Club fund-raising event, and the Golf Classic Committee will be convening in the next couple of weeks to begin the planning for this great event.

Online

For all your information on the Dick Bragg Spring Volleyball Invitational, the Mustang app and SMSU athletics, visit our website: www.smsumustangs.com.

Upcoming SMSU athletic events

Women’s Tennis

The SMSU women’s tennis team (3-12 overall, 1-6 NSIC) lost a league match to Minnesota-Duluth 5-4 in NSIC on Saturday in Minnewaska.

The Mustangs took all three doubles matches and won the No. 1 singles match behind Crystal Overbaugh’s 6-2, 6-4 victory over Kara Saemann. The Bulldogs won close matches at No. 3 and No. 4 singles with Bailey Kolles and Kaitlin Wohnoutka both winning in the tiebreaking set. Kolles defeated Lindsey Brace 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8), while Wohnoutka edged Shelby Monahan 6-3, 6-7, 1-0 (14-12).

SMSU won all three doubles matches for the first time this season. Katie Kienitz and Overbaugh teamed up to defeat Saemann and Drew DeCorsey 8-6 to improve their record at No. 1 doubles to 2-3. Overbaugh improved her record 2-9 overall, and picked up her first win of the season at No. 1 singles.

The Mustangs will look for its second NSIC match win Saturday, when the Mustangs travel to Fargo, N.D., to battle Sioux Falls. The match will be played at Courts Plus in Fargo at 5:30 p.m.

Baseball

The SMSU baseball team (10-10, 1/3 NSIC) had its doubleheader against St. Cloud State, scheduled for today, canceled due to poor field conditions in both St. Cloud and Marshall. Per NSIC rules, the games will not be made up.

The Mustangs are scheduled to play at Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday and Sunday but, more than likely, will be moved to another location.

Softball

The Mustang softball team (6-16, 3-3 NSIC) went 3-1 at home last weekend, splitting with Minot State on Saturday and earning two victories over the University of Mary on Sunday.

SMSU lost a league doubleheader to Minnesota State, 9-3 and 2-0, on Wednesday at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. The twin-bill was moved due to poor field conditions in Mankato.

The Mustangs are scheduled to be at home this weekend, hosting St. Cloud State at 1 p.m. Saturday in an NSIC doubleheader. On Sunday, Minnesota-Duluth comes to Marshall for a league twin-bill at 12 p.m.

Women’s Golf

The SMSU women’s golf team is idle this week and will return to action April 12-13 at the Augustana Invite at Prairie Green Golf Club in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Track and Field

The Mustang men’s and women’s track and field teams will next compete in the Gustavus Invite on April 12 in St. Peter.

Good luck to all of our SMSU teams competing this weekend!

Go Mustangs!

Trivia Contest

Congratulation to Josh Scholten who provided the correct answer to last week’s Mustang Hoofprint’s Trivia Question: How many SMSU women’s golfers have won the NSIC Championship?

The Mustangs have won the NSIC Championship five different times with three different golfers. Laura Lundbohm did it in 2001, 2002 and 2003, followed by Jackie Schultz in 2004 and Erin Oakland in 2005.

Trivia Question

What SMSU women’s tennis player holds the record for the most career singles wins?

The first person to email me at MustangHoofPrints@SMSU.edu with the correct answer to this question will receive an SMSU T-shirt.