MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Following the events taken place at the Mardi Gras Invitational in Youngsville, Louisiana, Southern Arkansas steps back up to the plate for their second early season tournament of the 2024 campaign. The Muleriders opened the regular season exiting the Bayou State with a 3-1 record with wins against Delta State (7-3), Augustana (SD) (8-0/5), and Union (Tenn.) (5-4). SAU's sole loss came to the Javelinas of Texas A&M-Kingsville by a final of 1-2.
 
Southern Arkansas now journeys to Northwest Arkansas for the Alvy Early Memorial Classic hosted by Arkansas-Monticello in Bentonville, Arkansas. The Muleriders have been set to contest against squads such as Drury (Feb. 9 | 11 AM), Wayne State (Feb. 9 | 1:30 PM), Truman State (Feb. 9 | 5:30 PM), Washburn (Feb. 10 | 11 AM), and No. 8 UT-Tyler (Feb. 10 | 1:30 PM).
 
Coming off of her inaugural Great American Conference Player of the Week honor is sophomore Regan Dillon after having been responsible for four bombs, five runs, six hits, seven RBIs, and 18 total bases. The Bryant, Arkansas native recorded a batting average of .429 after counting up those six hits off of her 14 at bats.
Brinson Rogers made her Mulerider debut in Louisiana after having pitched nine innings with two starts and one complete game as Southern Arkansas ran-ruled Augustana in five. The junior transfer allowed just eight hits and four runs. Rogers struck out nine batters of 35 total while giving up just four walks.
 
Drury (0-0 | 0-0 GLVC) (2023: 26-27 | 13-11 GLVC)
All-Time Series: SAU, 2-1, W1
Last Outing: 2/4/23, W in Youngsville, La., 2-1
The Drury Panthers look to open their season against the Muleriders in Bentonville as they enter 2024 as the seventh-highest vote receiver among the 14-team Great Lakes Valley Conference with 98 points (16 ahead of Rockhurst; 25 behind Illinois-Springfield). Drury begins a new era under first-year head coach Brooke Gajewski out of Milwaukee School of Engineering (DIII). Gajewski at MSE recorded a 32-11 record in her first season as head coach. The Panthers return Kristina Bettis, 2023 All-GLVC First Team member, due to her time in the circle last spring. DU also brings back All-GLVC Second Team selection Rylee Kolb to hold down the outfield.
 
Wayne State (0-0 | 0-0 NSIC) (2023: 13-39 | 8-21 NSIC)
All-Time Series: SAU, 1-0, W1
Last Outing: 2/12/16, W in Bentonville, Ark., 7-3
The Wayne State Wildcats open their new campaign up in Bentonville as well with UAM to start the season and then the Muleriders soon after on day one. The Wildcats were voted at 13 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference following the 2023 campaign. WSC received 59 points among the 15 head coaches in the conference preseason poll (31 ahead of Minnesota Crookston; three behind Northern State). Junior outfielder Lauren Laudick and junior pitcher Sami Felt were named among the list of players to watch in the NSIC.
 
Truman State (0-0 | 0-0 GLVC) 2023: 17-37 | 7-17 GLVC)
All-Time Series: Tied, 2-2, W2
Last Outing: 2/11/23, W in Bentonville, Ark., 12-0 (5)
Ron Ferrill opens his second season as the Truman State Bulldogs head coach in the Alvy Early Memorial Classic. Ferrill starts 2024 with his returning veterans in Breianna Klein and Cameryn Patterson as the Bulldogs will be provided with plenty of new faces around the dugout. Klein returns as a batter with a .324 batting average with three home runs and three runs batted in. Patterson makes her way back to the field after starting in 50 games last spring with a batting average of .292 and led the group in doubles with 11 and 26 runs batted in.
 
Washburn (3-2 | 0-0 MIAA) (2023: 37-16 | 15-11 MIAA)
All-Time Series: SAU, 3-1, W3
Last Outing: 2/3/17, W in Magnolia, 3-2
The Washburn Ichabods meet with the Muleriders for the fifth time as Southern Arkansas currently holds the lead at 3-1 over WU. Based off of their 2023 performance, Washburn was tabbed as the fourth overall team in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association behind RV Missouri Southern, No. 19 Rogers State, and No. 3 Central Oklahoma. The Ichabods kicked off their season at 3-2 following the DII First Pitch Invitational. Washburn recorded wins against MSU-Denver (4-1), Texas A&M International (1-0), and Central Washington (6-0). WU fell to the hands of No. 17 Wingate (1-3) and No. 8 UT-Tyler (0-1).
 
No. 8 UT-Tyler (4-1 | 0-0 LSC) (2023: 62-6 | 39-2 LSC; LSC Champions
All-Time Series: UTT, 0-1, L1
Last Outing: 2/9/20, L in Tyler, Texas, 8-11 (8)
UT-Tyler returns in 2024 as the reigning Lone Star Conference regular season and tournament champions. The Patriots make their way back into the softball scene following a world series appearance in which they were knocked out by the eventual national champion North Georgia. UT-Tyler was selected as the LSC favorites based off their merit from previous seasons. Courtney Plocheck returns in 2024 as the league's preseason player of the year. The Patriots were received 25 first-place votes and 591 total points (15 ahead of West Texas A&M). UTT began the season at the DII First Pitch Invitational last weekend where they dropped game one of the new campaign to MSU-Denver, but followed up by defeat No. 17 Wingate (6-2), Colorado Mesa (10-2/6), Washburn (1-0), and Regis (6-3).
 
For live coverage of the Alvy Early Memorial Classic, check out www.MuleriderAthletics.com/coverage for the link to the Facebook Live.