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.