MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Softball season is upon us once more at Southern Arkansas University swings back into motion for the 2024 campaign in which the Muleriders enter as the thirteenth-ranked team among Division II competition. Team 26 is set to open the season in the Bayou State down in Youngsville, Louisiana for SAU's second appearance in the Mardi Gras Invitational. Live coverage links will be provided via Facebook Live on www.MuleriderAthletics.com/coverage
 
The Muleriders return many key components from last year's squad including 2023 All-GAC First Team pitcher Sydney Ward, All-GAC Second Team outfielder Ariana Rolle, All-GAC Second Team designated player Regan Dillon, Kamryn Moctezuma, and Gracie King. The Muleriders begin 2024 being voted second among Great American Conference coaches behind 2023 regular season champions Oklahoma Baptist. SAU begins 2024 as the highest-ranked team among GAC competition and the second-highest in the Central Region behind No. 3 Central Oklahoma.
 
Southern Arkansas will start its second go-around at the MGI with Delta State on Thursday (Feb. 1) at 3:00 p.m. Following that, SAU faces off against the 2023 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Champion, Augustana (SD) at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Day two (Friday, Feb. 2) consists of a battle against Union (Tenn.) at 4:30 p.m. followed by Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7:00 p.m. To conclude weekend events, Southern Arkansas will take on Tuskegee on Saturday (Feb. 3) at 2:00 p.m.
 
DELTA STATE | 2023: (18-34 | 12-18 GSC)
The Lady Statesmen are 10-16 against the Muleriders all-time as they face-off for the third-consecutive season. Southern Arkansas currently holds a seven-game winning streak over Delta State. DSU was voted 11^th among the 13 softball programs in the Gulf South Conference with 41 points (five behind West Georgia, 20 ahead of Christian Brothers). For the 2024 GSC softball newcomers to watch, the Lady Statesmen see sophomore third-basemen Calli McConnell, freshman pitcher/UTL Audry Rumsey, and sophomore shortstop bailey Way.
 
AUGUSTANA (SD) | 2023: (39-15 | 23-5 NSIC)
The Vikings and the Muleriders are set for a fourth meeting as Augustana holds a 2-1 lead in the series. The Vikings have defeated Southern Arkansas the past two encounters with a 7-5 victory in 2022 and an eight inning 3-2 triumph in 2021. SAU overcame Augustana in 2018 with a 4-1 win. The Vikings were voted by Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference coaches as the favorite to win the league for fifth-consecutive season. Augustana returns the 2023 NSIC Player of the Year, Torri Chute, as the preseason favorite once more. Chute also returns as a 3x First Team All-NSIC, First D2CCA All-American and Second-Team NFCA All-American First Team All-Region (NFCA/D2CCA), and the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week (May 2, 2023) The reigning NSIC champions are tasked with facing the top-three teams in the Central Region (No. 22 Oklahoma Baptist, No. 13 Southern Arkansas, No. 3 Central Oklahoma) as their first three contests for the regular season.
 
UNION (Tenn.) | 2023: (24-26 | 13-15 GSC)
The Lady Bulldogs and the Muleriders meet for just the third time with a split all-time series (1-1). Southern Arkansas overcame Union last February by a final score of 6-3. Union's triumph against SAU came in 2015 as the Lady Bulldogs defeated the Muleriders 9-4. Union was tabbed seventh in the GSC preseason coaches' poll with 74 points (13 behind West Florida, three ahead of Montevallo). Senior shortstop/third-base Macey Neal was named on the league's preseason team along with the newcomers to watch in sophomore pitcher Lainey Baker and junior infielder Sarah Kate Thompson.
 
TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE | 2023: (24-26 | 21-20 LSC)
The Javelinas are set to make their 20 appearance against the Muleriders as they hold an 11-8 record over Southern Arkansas. A&M-Kingsville was slotted in the six spot of the 15-team Lone Star Conference with two first-place votes and 386 total points (26 behind Cameron, three ahead of Angelo State). Among the 2024 LSC players to watch, Kingsville's senior first/third-basemen Kayla Gonzales was spotted on the list. Senior right-handed pitcher Beth Montes claimed her spot among the 2024 LSC pitchers to watch list.
 
TUSKEGEE | 2023: (25-21 | 15-4 SIAC)
The Golden Tigers and the Muleriders make their first ever acquaintance in the 2024 season for Southern Arkansas' fifth-game of the MGI and campaign. Tuskegee enters 2024 as the reigning Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament champions that earned them a bid to the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The Golden Tigers return Deitrich Randle for his fifth season as head softball coach after capturing a conference title and the SIAC Coach of the Year title. The Golden Tiger place six players on the 2024 All-SIAC preseason team with sophomore catcher Nylah Strange-Lindley, senior first-basemen Jada Chadwick, GS third-basemen Kendra Gibbons, and sophomore UTL Kaeley Roldan making First Team. Roldan and Chadwick were both named on Second Team with Roldan as starting pitcher and Chadwick as UTL/non-pitcher