Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Hayden Simpson enters into his second season as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater where he was a two-time All-America pitcher for the Muleriders.

In his first season on the Mulerider staff, Simpson assisted SAU Pitching coach Adam Anderson with a unit that led the conference in earned run average (4.35), increase their previous season's strikeout total by 97 with a league-leading 508, and post a league-low opponent batting average of .245, while making a run to the championship game of the Central Region Tournament. 
 
A native of Magnolia, Simpson was a two-sport athlete in high school, earning All-State honors in football and baseball. As a quarterback. After High School, Simpson remained in his hometown and played baseball collegiately the Muleriders from 2008-2010.
 
During his sensational three-year career at SAU, the Muleriders compiled a 145-32 record and competed in the NCAA DII regionals each year, reaching the finals in 2010. As a starting pitcher, Simpson posted a 35-2 career record with a 2.39 ERA in 271 innings pitched with 323 strikeouts and 7 shutouts. Simpson’s stellar career also saw him throw a no-hitter vs. Culver Stockton, notch a 15-strikeout performance against West Alabama, and log a program-record 42.2 scoreless inning streak in 2010.
 
In terms of accolades, Simpson was a three-time All-Gulf South Conference West Division First-Team pitcher and was named as the GSC West Division Freshman of the Year in 2008 and the Player of the Year in 2010. Regionally, Simpson was a two-time consensus All-Region First-Team selection while also being the consensus Regional Pitcher of the Year in 2009 and 2010.
 
On the national level, Simpson was runner-up for the Tino Martinez National DII Player of the Year in 2010 and was a consensus National DII Pitcher of the Year as well as an All-America First-Team selection that year. The year prior, Simpson earned his first consensus All-America First-Team honor.
 
Following his junior year at SAU, Hayden was the 16^th pick in the 1^st round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago Cubs. Simpson would go on to play in the Cubs’ minor league system with stops in Peoria, Daytona and Boise.
 
Named to the GSC’s All-Decade Team as well as the Pitcher of the Decade for the 2000s, Simpson was recently inducted to the SAU Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 class.
 
Simpson, who earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science in 2016 presently lives in Magnolia and is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology-Coaching.