Southern Arkansas opens the 2016 season under first-year Head Coach Britney Davis at the South Central Classic hosted by GAC-foe Southeastern Oklahoma State. The Lady Muleriders finished 2015 with a record of 20-14 and reached the championship match of the Great American Conference Tournament.

    Expectations are high in 2016 as SAU returns seven players, including five seniors, while adding eight newcomers in the form of two junior college transfers and eight freshmen.
 
    Seniors Serena LeDuff and Hannah Rice and junior Alli O'Banion return for Southern Arkansas after being named All-GAC selections a season ago. LeDuff was also tabbed the league's Newcomer of the Year after registering a league-best 499 kills. Rice capped her regular season ranked second in digs with 668 and digs per set at 5.52, while O'Banion was a multi-faceted force in 2015 as she collected 265 kills, 61 total blocks, 49 digs and 36 assists. 
    
    Senior Kaitlyn Reiner returns after leading the team in attack percentage (.236) among players with 100+ sets played, blocks assists (71), total blocks (78.0), and blocks per set (0.78). Classmate Brittney Johnson saw action in 135 sets and recorded 252 digs last season as a key defensive specialist. Senior Paige Mays is back for Southern Arkansas after producing 384 digs and a team-leading 42 service aces. Junior Savannah Pillow saw valuable time as a defensvie specialist last season playing in 78 sets, while making 11 starts and will be relied upon as the team's setter in 2016.

    A pair of juco transfers join the program in middle hitter Brittany Lampkin and outside hitter Alexia Southern, while six freshmen in Jonna Biggs, Whitney Brown, Katy Cooper, Riley Marsh, Lauren Strader, and Seven Powers will provide added depth in Davis' first year. Davis will be assisted by graduate assistant coaches Sydni Schulz and Marcela Vasconcelos and student assistant coach Taylor Reaume.
    
    The two-day tournament gets underway on Friday with the Lady Muleriders opeing the season agaisnt Texas A&M International at noon, before returning to Bloomer Sullivan Arena for a 7 p.m. in-region nightcap with Cameron Univeristy. Saturday's action includes two more tilts for Southern Arkansas as they begin play at 10 a.m. against New Mexico Highlands, before concluding the Classic with a 2 p.m. first-serve against regional opponent and Gulf South Conference-member Union Univeristy.
 
    Fans can catch all of the action live through live video: http://gosoutheastern.com/sports/2015/8/31/GEN_0831155904.aspx?&tab=3 and live stats: http://gosoutheastern.com/sports/2015/9/9/WVB_0909150903.aspx?path=wvball.
 
    Be sure to check out the new muleriderathletics.com for all pregame and postgame updates and recaps of Lady Mulerider Volleyball.