MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas University Department of Athletics has announced that it has partnered with Farmers Bank & Trust for the ninth-annual Mulerider Club* Kickoff event. The event will take place inside the W.T. Watson Center on Tuesday, August 13 beginning at 6 p.m.
 
The annual event, which is sponsored by Farmers Bank & Trust, will serve as the official start to the 2024-25 athletic year at SAU and will feature a sit-down dinner that will include burgers, chips and dessert, season previews provided by fall coaches, and a meet-and-greet session with various members of the SAU athletic department and Mulerider Club Advisory Board members.
 
"We are excited to once again have Farmers Bank & Trust as our main sponsor for our annual Mulerider Club Kickoff event," remarked SAU Director of Athletics Steve Browning. "We are certainly looking forward to an evening of fellowship with so many of our proud supporters. One of the many things that our community provides is unwavering support for Mulerider Athletics and our department as we prepare to kickoff this new year with them.
 
Browning added, "We have seen continual growth as an athletic department and this overall upward trend would not be possible without the improvement and growth of our Mulerider Club as well. Our Mulerider Club is vital to assuring that we are able to continually provide the best possible experience for our student-athletes."
 
Shortly after the meal, those in attendance will have the chance to hear from the head coaches of the fall sports at SAU with Mulerider Football head coach Brad Smiley, Mulerider Volleyball head coach Alli Harrell, and first-year m/w cross country head coach James Bowlin, all participating in a Mulerider Athletics-led Q&A panel on behalf of their programs and in advance of their seasons.
 
The cost of the event is $15 per person and tickets can only be purchased in advance. You can purchase tickets online by visiting www.MuleriderAthletics.com/tickets or by contacting Director of Facilities and Events Eric White at ericwhite@saumag.edu or 870-235-5306.
 
Tickets may also be purchased in the Athletic Department by contacting Athletic Department Secretary Julie Walker at 870-235-4102 or by email at: jewalker@saumag.edu. Advanced tickets may also be purchased from the Mulerider Club Advisory Board members listed below:
 
Jeff Whitener, Chair
LeRoy Martin, Vice-Chair
Jeff White
Tera Cranford
Max Dyson
Gary Don Farrar
Steve Goodheart
Karlene Hooker
Jeff Venable
Clay Cheatham
Ryan Phillips
Victoria Kennedy
Andy Sharpe
 
Individuals interested in becoming a member of the Mulerider Club can do so at the following link: https://muleriderathletics.com/sports/2017/7/19/mulerider-club.aspx or by contacting Athletic Department Secretary Julie Walker
 
*The Mulerider Club is the fundraising arm of the SAU athletic department, and its members help contribute to the current and future success of Mulerider Athletics through their private investments and participation at athletic events. Through the contributions of its members, the Mulerider Club services the SAU athletic department by helping to provide funding for athletic equipment, apparel, and facility enhancements, and helping SAU athletics achieve its overall mission of assisting student-athletes as they succeed on and off the playing field or court.