The Mustangs compete as members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for all 14 varsity sports.

SMSU moved with the NSIC from the NAIA to NCAA Division II affiliation in 1992.

An annual basketball tradition is Hawaiian Night, which usually coincides with the Winter Meltdown festival held during the second week of the Spring Semester (which lasts from early January through early May).

Intramural sports include badminton, basketball, flag football, floor hockey, broomball, racquetball, softball, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball.

Recently the Mustangs Rugby Club won the Minnesota Division IIIB championship in 2010.