MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The 2021 season begins on Tuesday morning for the Southern Arkansas Women's Tennis team as the Mulerider Women travel to Arkadelphia for a pair of nonconference matches against Great American Conference foes Ouachita (10 a.m.) and Henderson State (2 p.m.).
 
The SAU Women, under third-year head coach Greg Owen, own a 30-6 record overall over the past two seasons, which includes regular season-ending and league championship-clinching wins over Ouachita (7-0) and Henderson State (7-0) in the spring of 2019. A NCAA postseason berth in 2019, the program's first season of competition since 2011-12, highlighted a campaign that also saw the Muleriders claim the GAC Tournament Championship.
 
Last spring, Southern Arkansas won five of its six contests played which included winning their final three matches; one of which was a 6-1 victory over #22 Northwest Missouri State.
 
Southern Arkansas returns the services of five sophomores from the shortened season a year ago. The 2018-19 GAC Freshman of the Year and All-GAC First-Team selection Angela Vargas is back for year three in Magnolia as well as fellow 2018-19 All-GAC First-Team selection Simone Simas. 2018-19 All-GAC Second-Team honoree Lena Milosevic returns along with sophomores Serena Gill and Brenda Teixeira. Freshmen Sarah Roy and Kalley Smith return, while newcomers Finley Blair, Ashleigh Darnell, Haylie Hunger and Honoka Yoshimura were a part of Owen's latest recruiting class.
 
The Muleriders were picked to finish second with three first place votes in the league preseason coaches poll, while HSU ranked fifth and Ouachita placed seventh. HSU was 6-4 last season, while Ouachita finished 0-9.
 
Results will be made available following the conclusion of Tuesday's matches at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.