INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Field of 35 was announced on Tuesday evening and claiming the top seed in the Central Region are the Southern Arkansas Men (12-5) who are headed to Edmond, Oklahoma, for a first round matchup with Harding (8-7) on Friday, May 7 at 9 a.m. The winner advances to the regional final to face the winner of the other semifinal match: an all-MIAA affair between No. 3 Washburn (11-4) and No. 4 Northwest Missouri (14-4).
 
The NCAA berth is the second for the program in as many seasons with a postseason tournament. Southern Arkansas, then in its first year as an NCAA program and in its first year of collegiate tennis since 1992-93, claimed the No. 2 seed in the Central Region and hosted the second preliminary round in 2019. A 4-1 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State in Arkadelphia sent the Muleriders to the NCAA Championship Round of 16.
 
The Muleriders have complied a 12-5 overall record this season which includes a 3-1 mark in MIAA/GAC South Division play that earned SAU the No. 2 seed in last week's conference tournament. The Muleriders suffered a 4-2 loss in the semifinal round to MIAA/GAC North Division No. 1 Washburn, but entered the postseason as the region's top ranked team which helped secure the program's trip to the NCAA postseason.
 
The Muleriders recorded an 8-2 record against MIAA/GAC opponents, including a 3-2 record against the three other teams in the Central Regional. Friday's match will make it a trilogy between the Muleriders and Bisons as SAU won 6-1 on February 27, while Harding won a league match 4-0 on April 1.

Of SAU's 17 matches played this spring, ten saw the Muleriders compete against teams that earned berths into the NCAA postseason. Five of those matches came against Harding, Northwest Missouri and Washburn; all of which spent time nationally ranked or receiving votes this season. Southern Arkansas opened the season with a 6-1 win over Southwest Baptist on January 29 and then claimed a 4-2 victory against SBU on March 5. The Bearcats are the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region. Delta State, the No. 4 seed in the South Region, edged SAU 4-3 on January 31. Moreso, the Muleriders matched up with Cameron, the South Central Region's No. 1 seed, and Midwestern State, the South Central Region's No. 2 seed on the same day in early March.

Additionally, the Muleriders topped the Lone Star Conference Champion UT-Tyler 4-1 on March 5. The Patriots are ineligible for the NCAA postseason due to the transitioning process. 
 
Led by an entire top six that earned All-MIAA/GAC recognition in both singles and doubles play, the Muleriders have relied on consistent top to bottom singles and doubles play throughout the spring which has third-year head coach Greg Owen two wins away from advancing to the national championship tournament which will be played in Surprise, Arizona, on May 18-20 at the Surprise Tennis & Racket Complex.