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All notes courtesy of SMSU athletics communications.
THIS WEEK
The Southwest Minnesota State University women’s soccer team (1-7-3, 1-5-2 NSIC) returns to action this weekend for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matches.
The Mustangs host Wayne State on Friday, Oct. 9, at 4 p.m. at Mattke Field at the before traveling to Sioux Falls on Sunday, Oct. 11, to face Augustana at 1 p.m.
Friday’s match against Wayne State will serve as SMSU’s Breast Cancer Awareness & Pink Out match.
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS
The Mustangs went 0-1-1 last weekend, falling 2-0 to Northern State on Friday, before settling for a 2-2 tie against Jamestown on Sunday.
In Friday’s match, Northern State scored twice in the opening 18 minutes to take an early lead.
Freshman goalkeeper Madelyn Cory kept the Mustangs within reach throughout the match, recording five saves. SMSU finished with five shots, including four on goal.
On Senior Day Sunday, Karla Paredes-Nino scored both goals for the Mustangs. Jada Backes provided her second assists of the season for the first goal of the match.
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’ six 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 has two assists on the season.
Senior forward Karla Paredes-Nino scored twice against Jamestown in a 2-2 draw on Oct. 4.
The Mustangs’ backline of Arbaugh, Sophia Sonnek, Janae Kayser, and Jayna Benson have provided veteran leadership throughout the season. Kayser has started all 11 games, while Benson and Sonnek have started 10, and Arbaugh has started nine.
Freshman goalkeeper Madelyn Cory has started five matches and has made 28 saves with a .800 save percentage. Sophomore goalkeeper Kennady Krebs has started two matches and has made 14 saves.
HEAD COACH CLAY GLASGOW
Clay Glasgow is in his fifth season as head coach and has a record of 15-54-13 overall, including 14-43-9 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 -- WAYNE STATE
The Mustangs will face Wayne State for the 35th time in program history on Friday. SMSU holds a 16-14-4 advantage in the series.
Wayne State won the most recent meeting between the two teams, earning a 4-0 victory in Wayne on Oct. 17, 2025. The Wildcats have won the last three meetings in the series.
Coach Glasgow holds an 0-3-1 record against WSC as SMSU head coach.
SCOUTING WAYNE STATE
Wayne State enters the weekend with a 4-5-2 overall record and a 3-3-2 mark in NSIC play. The Wildcats played to a 1-1 draw against the UMary on Oct. 4.
Wayne State was picked 11th in the 2026 NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Senior defender Tyler Donaldson and junior forward Morgan Mancuso were named the Wildcats’ Players to Watch.
Sophomore forward Briella Thompsen currently leads the Wildcats with four goals. Thompsen scored Wayne State’s goal in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against UMary.
Junior goalkeeper Alexa Hofstetter has started eight matches and has recorded 34 saves. She made seven saves in Wayne State’s draw with UMary.
Head coach Emily Hester is in her sixth season leading the Wildcats.
SERIES HISTORY -- AUGUSTANA
The Mustangs will face Augustana for the 29th time in program history on Sunday. AU leads the series 22-5-1.
Augustana won the most recent meeting between the two programs, earning a 3-0 victory in Marshall on Oct. 19, 2025.
The Mustangs have only beaten the Vikings once in Sioux Falls. Glasgow holds a 1-3-0 record against Augustana, defeating the Vikings 3-1 in 2023.
SCOUTING AUGUSTANA
Augustana enters the weekend with a 5-2-3 overall record and a 3-2-2 mark in NSIC play.
Augustana was picked fourth in the 2026 NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Senior forward Madelyn White and junior defender Ashlyn Kelliher were named the Vikings’ Players to Watch.
White earned All-NSIC First Team and D2CCA All-Central Region First Team honors in 2025 after recording 13 goals. She currently leads Augustana with three goals and three assists.
Sophomore midfielder/forward Delaney Awe has scored two goals and added three assists this season.
Sophomore goalkeeper Linnea Larson has started 11 matches and has recorded 32 saves with a .780 save percentage.
Head coach Brandon Barkus is in his 21st season leading the Vikings.
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 169-332-412, including 123-198-28 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.