Back on Track
A pair of programs enjoyed successful turn-around seasons this past fall.
Mulerider Volleyball, under the direction of second-year head coach Alli O’Banion, who was honored as the Great American Conference’s Coach of the Year, produced the program’s first winning season since 2015, its first conference tournament berth in eight seasons, its overall wins in eight years, and its most home victories since 2012. That success came in large part as a result of several statistical improvements. SAU produced over 650 more attacks, over 250 more kills, and 32.0 more blocks than in 2022 and saw improvements in aces per set, digs per set, total digs, and opponent hitting percentage. Senior setter Morgan Schuster (HM), junior outside hitter Kayte Delong (Second Team), and junior middle hitter Lauryn Moultrie (HM) were named All-GAC, while Schuster and Delong were joined on the league’s distinguished scholar-athlete list by juniors Landry Rogers, Ava Tanner, and Carlin Whaley.
Mulerider Football produced a historic campaign behind the leadership of second-year head coach Brad Smiley. For the first time since 1952, Southern Arkansas reached ten wins in a season with a 43-27 win over (RV) Missouri Western in the tenth playing of the Farmers Bank & Trust Live United Bowl. The victory gave the Muleriders the program’s first postseason win in its NCAA Era (1995-96), its first postseason win since 1990 (Aztec Bowl), and its first postseason win on U.S. soil since 1948 (Papoose Bowl). Southern Arkansas finished the season ranked inside the top 15 nationally in first downs, defensive touchdowns, tackles for loss allowed, turnovers lost, turnover margin, rushing offense, and total offense. Nine players were named All-GAC. Juniors Colton Grier (OL), Jariq Scales (RB), and Melvin Smith Jr. (CB) were honored as first-team recipients, while junior Matthew Whitten (TE) earned second-team honors. Freshman Connor Hagerty (OL) was one of four freshmen named all-conference as he earned honorable mention. Juniors Cole Williams (UTL), Dawson Scott (DE), Elvin Calhoun (DT), and Hosea Singleton (SAF) were also named honorable mentions.
Muleriders in Magnolia
In what has become a staple of the department, “Muleriders in Magnolia” enjoyed one of its most successful semesters to date. Mulerider student-athletes saw over ninety percent of the department participate in community service initiatives on campus and around the community of Magnolia. The 400+ Muleriders that participated logged over 5,200 hours across 68 different opportunities which supported 16 organizations with a total economic impact of $166,377. The fall statistics in hours, opportunities, organizations and impact are all semester highs for the department since partnering with Helper Helper.
“I have been extremely proud of the willingness of our student-athletes to serve Magnolia and to give back to our community,” noted head men’s basketball coach and “Muleriders in Magnolia” director Logan Quinn. “As a result of their hard work we have seen an incredible amount of growth in our community service goals. When you have student athletes, as well as coaches, that understand the importance of serving, then it makes giving back very easy. It has been a joy to be able to help coordinate different events throughout the summer and the fall, and we will continue to reach new heights as we head into the spring semester!”
CSC Academic Honors + Academic Sucess
A dozen Mulerider student-athletes were named College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honorees this past fall. Mulerider Football placed eight players on the list, while Mulerider Volleyball saw four players honored. Half of the eight football student-athletes recognized advanced to the national academic All-American ballot. Juniors Jariq Scales (3.63 GPA – Kinesiology-Coaching (Grad), Matthew Whitten (3.91 GPA – K-12 Physical Education & Health), and Cole Williams (4.0 GPA – Business Administration: Management), and redshirt freshman Hayden Nitz (3.84 GPA – Exercise Science: Strength & Conditioning) moved to All-America voting, while senior Jacob Berry (3.63 GPA – Criminal Justice) and juniors Damon LeGrande (3.59 GPA – Agricultural Business), Tre’von Letts (3.66 GPA – K-12 Physical Education & Health), and Gavin Roe (3.54 GPA – Business Administration: Management) were CSC Academic All-District honorees.
SAU Volleyball outgoing senior Morgan Schuster (3.95 GPA – Biology/Pre-Health) advanced to the national ballot and was joined as an Academic All-District selection by juniors Lauryn Moultrie (3.77 GPA – Psychology), Isla Olivas (4.0 GPA – Business Administration: International Business), and Landry Rogers (3.94 GPA – Elementary Education STEM).
Southern Arkansas Baseball claimed the Great American Conference regular season championship outright, the program’s seventh as a league member, and then carried the top seed into the GAC Tournament where it took two of three from (8) Southeastern Oklahoma State in the opening round. SAU then went on to win three-straight games from inside Arvest Ballpark in Springdale to earn its seventh league tournament title and claim the GAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA postseason for the 15th time overall and for the third-consecutive season under head coach Justin Pettigrew.
As a department, the Muleriders enjoyed a successful semester in the classroom. Together, SAU student-athletes combined for a department-wide GPA of 3.19. Over half of the department’s student-athletes posted a 3.0 GPA or better with 82 registering a perfect report card with a 4.0 GPA. Two-thirds of the athletic programs recorded a cumulative semester GPA of 3.0 or better with no team posting less than a 2.9 GPA. Mulerider Football led with 61 3.0 GPAs or better with Mulerider Track & Field/Cross Country following with 55. SAU Men’s Tennis posted the highest team GPA of the fall semester at 3.84.
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- Tre’von Letts
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- Gavin Roe
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- Morgan Schuster
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- Lauryn Moultrie
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- Landry Rogers
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- Isla Olivas
A night of Champions
Women’s Tennis
Mulerider Women’s Tennis, under the leadership of fifth-year head coach Greg Owen, earned a share of its second Great American Conference regular season title. The Muleriders won 11 matches last spring, including four in league play. Southern Arkansas won its last four GAC matches, three of which were decided 4-3, in a span of just five days in mid-April. True freshman Annika Berrendorf was named the Great American Conference Women’s Tennis Freshman of the Year, and she was joined on the All-GAC First Team by unanimous selections Lena Milosevic and Sarah Roy. Greta Wallin received all-league plaudits as she was tabbed to the second team, in addition to being joined by Kalley Smith as GAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes.
Baseball
Southern Arkansas Baseball claimed the Great American Conference regular season championship outright, the program’s seventh as a league member, and then carried the top seed into the GAC Tournament where it took two of three from (8) Southeastern Oklahoma State in the opening round. SAU then went on to win three-straight games from inside Arvest Ballpark in Springdale to earn its seventh league tournament title and claim the GAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA postseason for the 15th time overall and for the third-consecutive season under head coach Justin Pettigrew.
Men’s Golf
Third-year head coach Neriah Brown’s Mulerider Men’s Golf team never blinked over the course of the final two and a half months of the season. Six shots back of the advancement line to the NCAA DII National Championship, the Muleriders shot 291 in its final regional round of golf to force a three-team playoff, and a two-under sent the program to its first-ever National Tournament in its NCAA Era. That performance followed a program-best finish of second place at the GAC Championships and was made possible by superb play from several Muleriders over the course of the final round of action, as SAU entered round three seven strokes back of second place.
