Trending
All notes courtesy of SMSU athletics communications.
THIS WEEK
The Southwest Minnesota State University women’s soccer team (1-6-2, 1-4-1 NSIC) returns home this weekend for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matches.
The Mustangs host Northern State on Friday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m. at Mattke Field before welcoming Jamestown to Marshall on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. Sunday’s match will serve as Senior Day.
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS
The Mustangs went 0-2 on the road last weekend, falling 1-0 to St. Cloud State on Friday before dropping a 6-0 decision to No. 5 Minnesota State on Sunday.
SMSU battled St. Cloud State to a scoreless tie through the first 89 minutes before Izzy Halunen scored with 17 seconds remaining to give the Huskies a 1-0 victory. St. Cloud State held a 23-1 advantage in shots and 11-0 edge in shots on goal.
The Mustangs then faced No. 5 Minnesota State on Sunday, with the Mavericks earning a 6-0 victory in Mankato.
2026 OUTLOOK
SMSU head coach Clay Glasgow, entering his fifth season, returns 13 letter winners from 2025 and features seven seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and five freshmen.
SMSU senior defenders Illjana Arbaugh and Abigail Schmidt have scored two of the Mustangs’ four goals this season.
Junior forward Jada Backes has provided a spark offensively for the Mustangs, scoring twice in SMSU’s 2-0 victory over MSU Moorhead on Sept. 20. Backes also assisted Arbaugh’s goal against Upper Iowa.
The Mustangs’ backline of Arbaugh, Sophia Sonnet, Janae Kayser, and Jayna Benson have provided veteran leadership throughout the season. Sonnek and Kayser have started all nine matches for SMSU, while Benson and Arbaugh have started eight and seven matches.
Freshman goalkeeper Madelyn Cory and sophomore goalkeeper Kennady Krebs have split time in net, with Cory starting five matches and making 29 saves, and Krebs starting in four making 26 saves.
HEAD COACH CLAY GLASGOW
Clay Glasgow is in his fifth season as head coach and has a record of 15-53-12 overall, including 14-42-8 in NSIC play. He was hired as the sixth head coach in program history on Feb. 25, 2022.
Glasgow came to SMSU after spending eight seasons (2014-21) as head women’s soccer coach at Dakota Wesleyan University (S.D.), recording a mark of 49-86-5.
During his last two seasons at DWU, the Tigers amassed back-to-back winning seasons and qualified for the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament both seasons.
SERIES HISTORY -- NORTHERN STATE
The Mustangs will face Northern State for the 34th time in program history on Friday, with the Wolves holding a 16-14-3 advantage in the all-time series.
Northern State has won the last three meetings, including a 2-0 victory over SMSU in Aberdeen last season.
SMSU’s last victory over Northern State came in 2019, when the Mustangs earned a 1-0 victory in Aberdeen.
Coach Glasgow holds a 0-3-1 record against NSU as SMSU head coach.
SCOUTING NORTHERN STATE
Northern State enters the weekend with a 5-1-2 overall record and a 4-0-2 mark in NSIC play. The Wolves are unbeaten in their last six matches and currently sit near the top of the conference standings.
The Wolves were picked seventh in the 2026 NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 142 points. Senior defender Lauren Youngquist and junior forward Chloe Voss were named Northern State’s Players to Watch.
Youngquist was named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for her efforts in NSU’s wins over Minnesota State Moorhead and Minnesota Crookston last weekend.
Junior forward Jaylee Hofer has scored four goals and recorded four assists this season. Hofer scored in Northern State’s 2-0 victory over St. Cloud State and assisted both of the Wolves’ goals in their 3-1 victory over MSUM on Sept. 27.
Sophomore goalkeeper Audrey Burns has started all eight matches for Northern State and has recorded four shutouts. Burns earned NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week and D2CIDA Women’s Soccer Player of the Week honors after making 11 saves during a two-match stretch against SCSU and Minnesota State.
Head coach Bob Casper is in his sixth season leading the Wolves.
SERIES HISTORY -- JAMESTOWN
The Mustangs will face Jamestown for the second time in program history on Sunday.
Jamestown won the first meeting between the two programs, earning a 4-1 victory in Jamestown on Oct. 10, 2025.
SCOUTING JAMESTOWN
Jamestown enters the weekend with a 4-4-1 overall record and a 4-2 mark in NSIC play.
The Jimmies have won three straight matches, defeating St. Cloud State 2-1 on Sept. 20, Minnesota State Moorhead 2-0 on Sept. 25 and Minnesota Crookston 2-1 on Sept. 27.
Senior forward Julliet Lopez leads Jamestown with four goals this season. Lopez scored the game-winning goal in the Jimmies’ 2-1 victory over Minnesota Crookston on Sept. 27 and also scored against St. Cloud State earlier in the season.
Sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Musser has started eight matches and has made 45 saves with a .779 save percentage.
Jamestown was selected 14th in the 2026 NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll after finishing 2-13-1 overall and 2-11-1 in conference play in 2025.
Head coach Nick Becker is in his 15th season leading the Jimmies.
SMSU PICKED 13TH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
SMSU was selected 13th in the 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
NSIC regular season and tournament champion Minnesota State was selected as the favorite to win the conference again, receiving 13 first-place votes and 223 points.
Concordia-St. Paul finished second with 204 points and three first-place votes, followed by Bemidji State with 193 points, Augustana with 174 points and St. Cloud State with 164 points.
SMSU’s 13th-place selection came with 46 points.
Junior forward Jada Backes and senior defender Sophia Sonnek were both named Players to Watch in the preseason poll.
MUSTANG HISTORY
SMSU is in its 31st season of soccer in 2026 and 30th season of competition (2020 was canceled).
The Mustangs have compiled an all-time record of 169-331-41, including 123-197-27 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.