MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Head Coach Alli Harrell and her Muleriders are back on the road in the Sooner State, with the unit set to take on the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers and the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs on Thursday and Friday.
 
A Glance at Southern Arkansas
Since defeating the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms on September 24, the Blue and Gold are still in search of win number two in Great American Conference action, despite the multiple narrow losses to some of the top teams in the league.
 
This weekend marks the final trip to the Sooner State for the Muleriders during the regular season, as the unit looks to claim its first win against a group from Oklahoma this campaign.
 
Still leading the charge for the Muleriders on offense, after a record-setting weekend, Brinklee Dauenhauer sits atop the leaderboard for kills. The senior led the Blue and Gold in scoring all of last week, as the Springtown, Texas, local delivered a week with 54 kills, which included a 28-kill performance against the 24^th-ranked Oklahoma Baptist Bison, who continue to be the only undefeated team in the GAC. With those 28 kills, Dauenhauer once again tied the single-game record for kills in a game, but she also broke a record, tallying 34.0 total points with a block and five service aces, which broke her previous program record of 31.0 total points in a single match. Currently, Brinklee sits at 250.0 total points this season and has accounted for 30 service aces (3^rd GAC).
 
Coming off a huge week, Kate Schofield orchestrated the offense for Southern Arkansas with 120 assists, now putting her at 300 for the season, with Hayden Pinard still leading the way with 414 assists.
 
Continuing to lead the defense on the back line, senior Kendall Toliver leads SAU in total digs, recording 376 to this point (21^st DII | 3^rd GAC). Her 5.01 digs-per-set average currently ranks second in the conference and 28^th in the nation.
 
Remaining on the defensive side of the net, Courtnee Morgan continues to lead the Blue and Gold in total blocks, currently with 47.0 (16 solo | 31 assists). She is followed by Allie Cooper with 34.0 total blocks (10 solo | 24 assists).
 
SAU at NWOSU | Oct. 15 | 6:00 PM
14^th Meeting, NWOSU leads 7-6
First Meeting: 9/29/2012 – 3-1 SAU win (Alva, OK)
Last Meeting: 10/23/2025 - 3-0 NWOSU win (Magnolia, AR)
Streak: W1 SAU
 
Similar to the Muleriders, Northwestern Oklahoma State sits on the lower end of the GAC standings, as the Rangers currently have a 2-7 record in the league and are on a three-game losing streak in the conference. So far, the Rangers' only wins against GAC opponents are against Henderson State (3-1) and East Central (3-1).
 
NWOSU has two players so far with at least 200 kills or more, as the unit is led in scoring by Tess De Zanet with 226 kills and 279.0 total points. Behind her is Ivanny Blackwood with 218 kills and 257.0 total points. De Zanet, a native of Bordeaux, France, has accounted for 15 service aces, the second-most on the team, and is second on the team in total blocks with 58.0 (18 solo | 40 assists).
 
Primarily, the Rangers have gone to Ryann Eastes to set the ball on offense, as the sophomore from Pratt, Kansas, leads the team with 434 assists. Northwestern Oklahoma's second-most assists recorder this season has been Katie Wadas with 264 assists.
 
On defense, NWOSU is led in digs by Jadyn Padilla, a senior from Gardner, Kansas, totaling 335 digs. At the net, the unit, and the league, is led by Kemelly Baez Miecznikoski's 81.0 total blocks (26 solo | 55 assists), which ranks 19^th nationally.
 
SAU at SWOSU | Oct. 16 | 4:00 PM
18^th Meeting, SWOSU leads 13-4
First Meeting: 9/5/2009 – 3-1 SWOSU win (Denton, TX)
Last Meeting: 10/24/2025 - 3-0 SWOSU win (Magnolia, AR)
Streak: W2 SWOSU
 
The Bulldogs are currently tied for fourth in the league with Henderson State at 5-4 in conference action, as the unit is currently 1-3 following SWOSU's lone trip to the Natural State last week, in which they lost to Arkansas Tech and Harding in five sets each.
 
Southwestern Oklahoma State has two players thus far with 200+ kills this season, led by Layla Collins' 246 kills and 278.0 total points. Behind Collins, Jenna Houk has recorded 236 kills and 259.0 total points. Assisting Collins' total points has been her serving skills, with 15.0 service aces and 31.0 total blocks (3 solo | 28 assists).
 
The unit in Weatherford, Oklahoma has gone to one primary setter this season, as the Bulldogs are led in assists by Mackenzie Sims with 796 total assists, which ranks second in the league and seventh in Division II. Her 10.08 assists per set currently rank her second in the GAC and 23^rd nationally.
 
Leading the charge on the perimeter for the Bulldogs is Jada Permenter with 376 digs, tying with Toliver at third in the conference and 21^st nationally. Up on the net, the SWOSU has two individuals creating issues for attackers, as Sydnee Winfrey has tallied 79.0 total blocks this season (7 solo | 72 assists | 2^nd GAC | 22^nd DII) and Katja Blanchat has recorded 63.0 total blocks (8 solo | 55 assists).
 
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