OFFICIAL RELEASE

AUSTIN, Texas – As the 2015 season rapidly nears more preseason national and regional accolades have been given to the Southern Arkansas baseball team as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its 2015 preseason national and regional rankings as well as preseason all-region teams on Wednesday evening.
 
In the NCBWA's preseason national poll for Division II, the Muleriders were slated as the No. 10 team. The top-10 preseason ranking for the Muleriders going into the 2015 season is their highest in the NCBWA preseason poll since the 2011 season when SAU opened up as the No. 9 team.
 
As the No. 10-ranked team nationally, the Muleriders were also chosen as one of the top teams in the daunting Central Region as SAU was tabbed as the No. 2 team in the region, just behind Minnesota State-Mankato, who received four of the six first-place regional votes.
 
Individually, the Muleriders had four players receive preseason All-Central Region honors with all four appearing on the second-team. Among those honored are Timothy Buchanan (SP), Jon Phillips (3B), Trevor Rucker (OF) and William Townsend (OF). All four were also named All-GAC performers last season with Phillips being a first-team selection and Rucker being named the GAC Freshman of the Year.
 
The Muleriders are set to open their season at home on Friday, January 30 with a doubleheader against Lindenwood University. First-pitch is slated for 1 p.m. inside Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field.