The return of No. 1 singles and doubles player Alex Skrypko couldn’t have come at a better time for the SMU men’s tennis team. The Mustangs are scheduled to face two Big Ten teams this weekend, No. 65 Iowa and No. 24 Minnesota. SMU is currently ranked No. 39 in the latest ITA polls and is 3-2 this season.

Skrypko missed the last two dual matches because of an injury, but has been cleared to play in Minneapolis. It will still be a match-time decision on his playing ability. Currently No. 43 in singles, Skrypko is 2-1 in dual matches this season and has a 1-1 doubles record when paired with partner Federico Murgier. In the last match he played, Skrypko defeated No. 46 Clement Reix of Clemson in SMU’s only singles victory that day.

The Mustangs meet Iowa on Friday at 10 a.m. The Hawkeyes are 4-0 this season with recent wins over No. 61 DePaul and Toledo. Bart van Monsjou leads Iowa at No. 1 singles. The junior has 3-0 record in singles this season and has gone 4-0 at doubles with partner J.P. Ritchie. This is the first-ever meeting between SMU and Iowa.

SMU hosts Minnesota on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the Baseline Tennis Center. The Gophers are 6-2 this season with wins over Denver and Michigan State. Minnesota fell to C-USA team Rice 1-6 earlier this month. Andres Osorio and Raoul Schwark lead the Gophers at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Osorio, a senior, is 3-3 in singles during dual matches while Schwark, a junior, has a 3-4 record.

Murgier and freshman Robin Faghen will round out the top of the lineup for SMU. Junior Oivind Alver, who typically plays in the top four, will be absent as he has returned home to deal with family matters.

The Mustangs return to Dallas Feb. 28 to host the Baylor Bears at the Bent Tree Country Club.