MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Mulerider Men's and Women's Tennis programs will kick off their 2024-2025 fall season this Friday when they compete at the Tyler Invitational Tournament in Tyler, Texas.

Seventh-year Head Coach Greg Owen led last year's group of Muleriders to a successful year including the Mulerider Women taking a share of the Great American Conference Regular Season title and being ranked inside the ITA's Top 25 for a big part of the 2023-2024 season. The Mulerider Men and Coach Owen won the Central Region Championship and made an NCAA National Championship appearance where the squad battled a highly competitive match against University of Indianapolis and capped off the season with being ranked 30^th in the nation. Coach Owen was also tabbed as GAC Coach of the Year last spring and the Mulerider Women finished with a 20-5 record with the Mulerider Men finishing 14-8.

The Mulerider Women's tennis team is seeing six returners for their 2024-2025 campaign. Leading the squad this year will be the seniors Inna Serpukhova, a GAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete last spring, and Honoka Yoshimura. Sophomore Amelie Gindl returns as a Central Region Rookie of the Year and an All-GAC First Team member with an impressive record of 21-7 in singles play. Another returner within the All-GAC honors is Josie Holderbach who was tabbed All-GAC Second Team for her great run and impressive record of 20-6 in singles action. Other returners are junior Amber Young and sophomore Roksana Kokocha.

Joining the Mulerider Women this year are Camila Corrales (Bolivia), Maria Fiacan (Switzerland), and Ifigeneia Kafka (Greece).

On the men's side, Coach Owen returns five from last year's successful team. The seniors Tim Fischer and Lluc Pasqual are both returning after a highly victorious season. Fischer finished the 2023-2024 campaign being ranked 43rd in singles nationally and an All-MIAA/GAC Second Team member at No. 3 doubles. Pasqual returns as an All-MIAA/GAC Honorable Mention at No. 5 singles and No. 2 doubles, as well as being the Comeback Player of the Year at annual Mulerider Athletics Mulespy Awards after coming back from a wrist injury and recording an impressive 15-2 record in singles action, with a team-best 88% winning rate.

Frode Neumann was named Central Region Rookie of the Year after a great season on the singles court last spring. He recorded a 12-5 record in singles play, 7-1 against MIAA/GAC foes, and he was named All-MIAA/GAC Honorable Mention at No. 3 singles. Mathys Pinoit returns as the clincher of the Central Region Championship matchup as well as punching the program's ticket to the National Round of 16. Pinoit was also named All-MIAA/GAC Honorable Mention at No. 2 doubles. Another returner is William Von Pongracz.

The newcomers to the team are Jinsei Tajima (Japan), Lucas Ibanez (Spain), and Uwe Diehl (Germany).

Including Southern Arkansas there are six teams competing at the 2024 Tyler Invitational. The other teams competing this weekend is The University of Texas at Tyler (M/W), Tyler Junior College (M/W), Mississippi College (M/W), Ouachita Baptist (W), and Central Oklahoma (W).

The Muleriders are ready to set the tone for the 2024-2025 campaign as they start on Friday at the Tyler Invitational.