MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The fall athletic calendar is now in full swing as six Mulerider Athletics programs opened up their respective campaigns last week highlighted by two team wins and four individual titles making it an overall successful weekend for Southern Arkansas in competition.
 
The Muleriders return to competition on Friday this week as SAU Men's Tennis opens up the home portion of the department's athletic year by hosting the two-day SAU Invitational, while Mulerider Volleyball heads to central Arkansas where three matches await at the Warrior Invite hosted by Hendrix. The weekend wraps up with the highly-anticipated home return of Mulerider Football who plays host to Southwestern Oklahoma State on the 20^th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
 
Before we take a look at this week in Mulerider Athletics (9/6 – 9/12), let's
 
RUN IT BACK…
 
MULERIDER FOOTBALL
9/2 | Southern Arkansas 32, Northwestern Oklahoma State 13 || Box Score || Recap
 
* First-year head coach Mike McCarty was very pleased with his players' execution of the game plan this past Thursday night in Alva, Oklahoma. Rightfully so. The Muleriders used a balanced attack offensively with 255 yards passing and 198 yards rushing, while tying the program record for sacks in a single game with eight as the SAU defense held the Rangers to just 68 yards rushing on the night. In their collegiate debuts, tailback Jariq Scales tallied 168 yards on 32 carries with a touchdown, while defensive end Dawson Scott recorded two sacks, forced a fumble and finished with three tackles.  
MULERIDER VOLLEYBALL || Combined Stats
9/3 | Kentucky Wesleyan 3, Southern Arkansas 1 || Box Score || Recap
9/3 | Southwest Baptist 3, Southern Arkansas 2 || Box Score || Recap
9/4 | Charleston 3, Southern Arkansas 0 || Box Score || Recap
9/4 | Southern Arkansas 3, Christian Brothers 1 || Box Score || Recap
 
* Southern Arkansas, under third-year head coach, showed much improvement in the squad's season-opening tournament. The Muleriders won the opening set of the season decisively over Kentucky Wesleyan, battled Southwest Baptist to five sets, and topped weekend-host Christian Brothers in four sets; holding the Bucs to under 15 points in each of the three set victories. Sophomore setter Morgan Schuster was named to the All-Tournament team after totaling 134 assists at 8.38 assists per set to go along with 44 digs, 14 kills, 10 total blocks and five service aces.  
MULERIDER TENNIS
9/3 – 9/4 | Southern Arkansas at UTT/TJC Invite || Weekend Results || Recap
 
Singles Flight Title Winners
Marko Nikoliuk (Flight 3)
Sofiane Bah (Flight 5)
Matthew Tennant (Flight 6)
Lena Milosevic (Flight 1 Consolation)
Serena Gill (Flight 6 Consolation)
 
Doubles Flight Title Winners
Ole Valkyser / Matthew Tennant (Flight 2)
  MULERIDER XC
9/4 | Southern Arkansas XC at City Auto Memphis Twilight Classic || Recap
            WXC || 14^th of 22 || Full Results
            MXC || 12^th of 20 || Full Results
 
* Run-M.X.C. saw each of their respective seasons get off to solid start on Saturday night under the lights in Memphis. The Mulerider Women placed 14^th overall in a deep and talented field of 22 teams and were led by true freshman Logan Warren who crossed first for SAU with a top-50 finish in a time of 19:18.75. The Southern Arkansas Men placed 12^th of 20 in a stacked field and saw a familiar face take the tape first as All-GAC performer Rob Kraus lead the way with a 4-mile time of 21:13.28. HIRING
* Southern Arkansas University Director of Athletic Communications Jacob Pumphrey announced the hiring of Stephen Featherston as the department's Assistant Director of Athletic Communications.  
COMING UP…
 
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Mulerider Men's Tennis vs. Southern Arkansas Invite || 8 a.m. || Live Oak Tennis Courts
 
* The Southern Arkansas Men are back in action this weekend as the program will host an individual singles/doubles fall event for the first time since being revived for action in November of 2017.
 
Mulerider Volleyball at Hendrix Warrior Invitation || Conway, Ark.
            at Hendrix College || 6 p.m.
            (Live coverage links available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com)
 
* Southern Arkansas looks to build off of last weekend's start as the Muleriders head to Conway for three matches at the Hendrix Warrior Invitation beginning first with the host in the nightcap. SAU saw three players record at least 25 kills through four matches in Memphis and were led by freshman Landry Rogers' 44 total kills at a set average of 2.75. She also led the team in service aces with 11 and totaled a team-best 57.5 points in 16 sets played. The Division III Warriors went 1-3 in their season-opening tournament in San Antonio last weekend.
 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Mulerider Men's Tennis vs. Southern Arkansas Invite || 8 a.m. || Live Oak Tennis Courts
 
Mulerider Volleyball at Hendrix Warrior Invitation || Conway, Ark.
            vs. University of Dallas || Noon
            vs. University of St. Thomas || 2 p.m.
            (Live coverage links available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com)
 
* For the first time this season, the Muleriders will play back-to-back matches. SAU opens with Dallas which posted a 4-1 showing at home in its season-opening weekend, while the final game of the weekend comes against St. Thomas, who received votes in the AVCA Division II Preseason Top 25. The Houston-based program enters the weekend 2-2. During their four-match stint in the Volunteer State, Southern Arkansas out-defended their opponents totaling nine more total blocks, while averaging almost two more digs per set than the opposition as four players tallied 30 or more digs on the weekend.
 
Mulerider Football vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State || 6 p.m. || Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field
            (Live coverage links available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com)
 
* After seeing a 633-day hiatus, the second-longest in program history, come to an end with the season-opener in Alva, the Muleriders will see another long drought flame out as McCarty's program is set for the long-awaited and highly-anticipated home opener against Southwestern Oklahoma State in a 6 p.m. kickoff on the 20^th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It has been a long 663 days between home football games for Southern Arkansas and the program enters its Week 2 matchup in Magnolia having won its last eight home openers. Southern Arkansas owns a 34-7 record at home and has enjoyed four unbeaten seasons at Wilkins Stadium since joining the Great American Conference as a charter member in 2011. Since 2015, the Muleriders have won 21 of their 23 home games and have not lost at home to an Oklahoma school during that span, including a 5-0 mark vs. SWOSU in Magnolia. SAU is 8-1 against the Bulldogs since 2011. Southwestern Oklahoma dropped its Week 1 opener at home to Henderson State 31-13.