MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Mulerider Men's Tennis team has earned a spot in the 2025 NCAA Division II Central Region Championships as the No. 4 seed. They will travel to Topeka, Kansas, to face the top-seeded Washburn Ichabods for a chance to advance to the National Round of 16 at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida, scheduled for May 20-24.

This marks the second straight year, and fifth overall since joining NCAA competition in 2018-19, that the Mulerider Men have qualified for the regional tournament. Last season, Southern Arkansas edged out Ouachita Baptist in a dramatic 4-3 victory in Arkadelphia to punch their ticket to nationals.

The Muleriders posted an 11-9 record in the regular season and reached the semifinals of the MIAA/GAC Conference Tournament, earning an at-large bid to this year's Central Region event.

In their previous meeting with Washburn earlier this season, the Muleriders fell 5-2. Senior Jinsei Tajima secured a hard-fought three-set win on line five, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1.

Looking ahead to Friday's rematch, senior Tim Fischer enters ranked No. 54 nationally in singles.

Washburn, currently ranked No. 9 in the country, boasts three nationally-ranked singles players including Tim Hammes (#4), Vaclav Schneider (#8), and Pavlos Parson (#65). In doubles, Hammes and Matthew Earle form the nation's top-ranked duo, while Schneider and Tommaso Cecchetti sit at No. 23.

First serve is scheduled 12 p.m. Friday at the Washburn Tennis Complex.