INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - For the tenth consecutive full season, Mulerider Softball is NCAA Division II Regional-bound! Not counting 2020, due to Covid-19, the Blue and Gold will be competing in its tenth-straight regional tournament, as Southern Arkansas will travel to Joplin, Missouri, where the Central Region top-seeded Missouri Southern State Lions will host one of the two Central Regional brackets. The four-team, double-elimination tournament on the campus of Missouri Southern State will be held from May 14 -16.
 
The association announced the 64 teams vying for a chance to take a trip to Frost Stadium at Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee; the site of the 2026 NCAA Division II Softball Championship.
 
Joining the Muleriders in the Central Region 1 Tournament are (1) Missouri Southern State (48-7 | 20-4 MIAA), (5) St. Cloud State (46-13 | 26-4 NSIC), and (8) Augustana (30-26 | 19-11 NSIC).
 
SAU opens play on Thursday, May 14, at 5:30 PM against the Huskies of St. Cloud State, whom the Muleriders will be making their first-ever appearance against. Before the SAU takes on St. Cloud State, Missouri Southern State, the MIAA Regular Season and Tournament Champion, will face the Vikings of Augustana at 3:00 PM.
 
With Pittsburg State (45-9 | 17-7 MIAA) being the regional bracket's number two seed, the second half of the bracket will take place in Pittsburg, Kansas, as the Gorillas play host to fellow MIAA foes (3) Central Oklahoma (42-13 | 18-6 MIAA) and (6) Rogers State (36-19 | 14-10 MIAA) and NSIC opponent (7) Winona State (48-9 | 26-4 NSIC).
 
The last team standing in both the Joplin and Pittsburg regionals will meet at the site of the highest remaining seed for a best-of-3 Central Region Championship (Super Regional) on Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22.
 
Southern Arkansas enters the NCAA postseason coming off the team's second-straight Great American Conference Tournament title, and their fourth all-time. In the tournament, the Muleriders handled the field in front of them, as the unit only surrendered three runs in the tournament. To clinch the title, the Muleriders needed to defeat the GAC's Regular Season Champions, the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns. This season, Team 28 accounted for the program's seventh 40+ win season under 12^th-year head coach Jason Anderson. This season, the Muleriders have already had great success, as the unit houses the Great American Conference's Pitcher of the Year in Emma Duncan and the league's Newcomer of the Year in Sophia Luetticke. The squad also recorded eight All-GAC selections, with five Muleriders claiming First Team selections and three earning Second Team honors. Southern Arkansas boasts the best overall record against in-region foes this season, as the Muleriders are 45-7 against Central Region opponents. Against current NCAA regional teams, Southern Arkansas is 4-1 overall, with wins over Augustana, Central Oklahoma, Rogers State, and Missouri S&T. The last time the Muleriders ventured to Joplin, Missouri, for the Central Regional Tournament, Southern Arkansas won the bracket to advance to Super Regionals in Edmond, Oklahoma. This trip marks the program's second visit to Joplin for the Central Regional Tournament.

 
Mulerider Softball All-Time in NCAA Central Region Tournament
Italics denote Super Regional

All-time record in NCAA regional play: 19-16
All-time record in NCAA postseason play: 24-20


2025 | Magnolia, Arkansas
W, 3-1 vs. (7) Harding
L, 4-2 vs. (3) Augustana
L, 3-0 vs. (6) Missouri Southern State

2024 | Pittsburg, Kansas
L, 3-4 vs (1) Pittsburg St.
L, 4-8 vs (5) Oklahoma Baptist

2023 | Edmond, Oklahoma
L, 2-5 vs. (1) Central Oklahoma
L, 4-5 vs. (1) Central Oklahoma
W, 8-2 vs. (1) Central Oklahoma
 
2023 | Joplin, Missouri
W, 3-1 vs. (3) Rogers State
W, 5-2 vs. (2) Missouri Southern State
W, 5-0 vs. (3) Rogers State
 
2022 | Edmond, Oklahoma
L, 1-3 vs. (6) Arkansas Tech
L, 2-3 vs. (2) Central Oklahoma

2021 | Edmond, Oklahoma
L, 1-2 vs. (5) Central Missouri
W, 5-4 vs. (3) Central Oklahoma
L, 2-3 (8) vs. (1) Augustana
W, 1-0 vs. (5) Central Missouri

2019 | Edmond, Oklahoma
L, 3-4 vs. (4) Arkansas Tech
W, 3-1 vs. (8) Minnesota Duluth
L, 3-4 vs. (4) Arkansas Tech

2018 | Magnolia, Arkansas
W, 12-3 (5) vs. (4) Minnesota Duluth
W, 1-0 vs. (4) Minnesota Duluth
W, 4-3 vs. (7) Minnesota State
W, 4-1 vs. (3) Augustana
W, 9-1 (6) vs. (7) Minnesota State

2017 | Searcy, Arkansas
L, 3-4 vs. (4) Winona State
L, 2-7 vs. (1) Harding
W, 5-0 vs. (4) Winona State

2016 | Russellville, Arkansas
W, 4-1 vs. (1) Arkansas Tech
W, 2-1 (8) vs. (1) Arkansas Tech

2016 | Magnolia, Arkansas
W, 13-5 (5) vs. (3) Missouri Western
W, 6-0 vs. (3) Missouri Western
W, 2-0 vs. (7) Central Oklahoma

2014 | Winona, Minnesota
L, 0-5 vs. (5) Missouri Western
L, 2-3 vs. (1) Winona State