Southern Arkansas University Women's Softball

Anderson would win 26 games while also leading the Lady Muleriders to their fourth-straight GAC Tournament berth.   Last season, Andersons Lady Muleriders tied or set seven single-game or single-season team records including Highest Batting Average in a Season (.313 | 438-for-1401), Highest Slugging Percentage in a Season (.495), and Highest On-Base Percentage in a Season (.405).   Additionally, his 2015 squad would set or tie six individual single-game or single-season records. Of those six individual marks, 2015 all-region second-team slugger Maddie Dow laid claim to five, including Most Homeruns in a Game (3) and Highest On-Base Percentage (.548).   A proven winner in his seven previous seasons as a head coach before coming to SAU, Anderson, a native of Sheridan, Ark. has amassed an outstanding career coaching record of 333-97 (.774).   The first 226 of those career wins came during a five-year stint at Central Baptist College (Conway, Ark.).   In those five seasons at CBC, Anderson lost only 38 games against his 226 wins as he complied an eye-popping .856 winning percentage with the Mustangs. In each of his first three seasons at CBC, Anderson guided the Mustangs to a berth in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Tournament.   A five-time NCCAA Regional Coach of the Year, Andersons 2010 CBC team would go a remarkable 52-1 (.981) en route to a NCCAA National Championship. Anderson would later be named the NCCAA National Coach of the Year that season.   In the two seasons following the 2010 national championship, Andersons Mustangs would win 50+ games twice as they advanced to the NAIA National Tournament in 2011 and 2012. In each of those seasons, the Mustangs would end the season nationally-ranked in the top-five.   Following the 2012 season, Anderson left CBC and moved to the coaching ranks of NCAA Division II as he became the head coach at the University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.). In his lone season at UNA, Anderson led North Alabama to one of the best seasons in school history. That year, the Lions put together a 40-20 record and were ranked as high as No. 10 nationally in the NCAA Division II polls (NFCA).   Andersons UNA team in 2013 would set new single-season school records for wins (40), hits (572), RBIs (330), doubles (108), team batting average (.338) and games played (60), while qualifying for only the second NCAA Regional in UNA history.   A total of five players were named to the All-Gulf South Conference team at the end of the year, three of which also landed on the All-South Region squad.   After that one year at North Alabama, Anderson moved to the coaching ranks in the Great American Conference (GAC) as he was named head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Alva, Okla.).   While at NWOSU, Anderson would take a team that had not had a winning season since 2008 and turn them into a 41-15 club. Picked to finish ninth in the preseason GAC coaches poll, Anderson would have his team end up second in the GAC regular season standings after his Rangers club finished in a tie in the loss column, but one game back in the win column to regular season champs, Southeastern Oklahoma.   Statistically, Andersons 2014 Rangers would set numerous records including the school record for wins (41) and winning percentage (.732). Offensively, his team would set new school single-season marks in batting average (.325), slugging percentage (.535), runs scored (351), hits (516), doubles (92), homeruns (79), RBIs (322), total bases (853), and walks (174).   Along with the team records set, Anderson would coach four players who would go on to set or tie 12 single-season individual records.   In his career, Anderson has coached the National Pitcher of the Year (2011, 2010), the National Player of the Year (2011), 14 All-Americans, 30 All-Conference honorees, and five All-Region players.   Anderson is married to the former Renee Byford and the couple has two children, Addison and Kyler.   

Jason Anderson enters into his eleventh season as the head coach of the Southern Arkansas softball program and in his time at SAU, Anderson has helped the Mulerider softball program reach new heights. The 2025 season marked another milestone under Anderson’s leadership as the Muleriders finished 43-10 overall and 28-4 in GAC play, winning the outright Great American Conference regular season championship and capturing the GAC Tournament title. Southern Arkansas hosted one of two sites for the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Muleriders earned six All-GAC honors, highlighted by Brinson Rogers being named GAC Pitcher of the Year and Anderson earning GAC Coach of the Year recognition. Rogers added a historic postseason résumé, earning NFCA DII First Team All-Central Region, D2CCA First Team All-Central Region, NFCA DII First Team All-American, D2CCA First Team Pitcher of the Year, and NFCA DII Pitcher of the Year honors. Additionally, Regan Dillon was named D2CCA First Team All-Central Region, while Sophia Stoddard earned the NFCA DII Golden Glove Award at catcher. Southern Arkansas concluded the 2024 season with a 34-19 overall record and a 21-12 mark in conference play. The Muleriders remained firmly in the GAC postseason picture, leaning on veteran leadership and emerging contributors throughout the year. The 2023 season saw the Muleriders put together another strong year, finishing 45-15 overall and 25-8 in conference action. Southern Arkansas continued to thrive in a competitive GAC while building momentum toward postseason play behind a balanced and experienced roster. Southern Arkansas finished the 2022 campaign with a 37-18 overall record, including a 26-7 mark in GAC play. The Muleriders once again showcased their depth across the lineup and pitching staff, maintaining their place among the conference’s elite programs. Returning to full competition, the Muleriders captured a share of the GAC regular season title, posting a 29-10 overall record and a 20-5 conference mark. Southern Arkansas remained a fixture at the top of the league standings while continuing its tradition of postseason contention. The 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but not before Southern Arkansas established itself as the nation’s top team. The Muleriders finished the abbreviated campaign with a 22-2 record and were ranked No. 1 nationally in NCAA Division II at the time the season was halted. Southern Arkansas continued its rise under Anderson by earning its second straight Great American Conference regular season championship, finishing the year with a 46-13 overall record and a 34-7 mark in league play. The Muleriders once again asserted themselves as one of the premier programs in Division II, combining power at the plate with consistent pitching throughout the season. In 2018, Anderson and the Lady Muleriders authored another successful chapter in the program's continual rise to national prominence as a program-best 60-11 record saw Southern Arkansas finish third in the nation at the NCAA Division II Women's College World Series in Salem, Virginia. It was the program's second World Series appearance in three years and came on the heels of SAU claiming their second Central Region Championship which they did at home as the #2 seed in the tournament. Additionally, Southern Arkansas claimed the program's first outright regular season conference title with a 38-6 record in GAC play. SAU did not lose a league series and won 10 of the 11 four-game sets, including six series sweeps on their way to a new program standard of 49 regular season wins. In all, Anderson and the Lady Muleriders posted an unblemished 21-0 mark Dawson Field inside the Mulerider Softball Complex, which included a 5-0 mark in postseason play.  Under Anderson's direction, the SAU offense dominated opposing pitching as it finished the regular season with the league-lead in average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, RBI, home runs, total bases, walks, and owned the league's second-most hits. The Lady Muleriders finished the 2018 campaign ranked third in the nation in home runs per game (1.59) and seventh in slugging percentage (.551). Powering the Lady Muleriders on their historic run was a highly dangerous lineup that broke the Great American Conference's single-season team home run record for the second-straight year after his 2018 squad belted 98 home runs in the regular season to top the 95 that were hit by the club in 64 games last season. However, it wasn't all about offense in Anderson's fourth season as the Lady Mulerider pitching staff posted regular season league-bests in ERA, opponent batting average, strikeouts, strikeouts looking, wins, and the fewest hits, runs, earned runs and walks allowed. The club finished with a 3.80 strikeout-to-walk ratio that ranked seventh nationally and the staff's 1.76 ERA concluded the campaign as the seventh-lowest in the country. Individual accolades were plenty during and following the 2018 season as Anderson saw nine of his players combine to claim 13 GAC "of the Week" honors with five players, two pitchers and a pair of freshmen receiving the weekly recognition. Eight players were selected to All-GAC teams, highlighted by redshirt senior Brooke Goad and sophomore Victoria Taylor claiming GAC Player and Pitcher of the Year honors, respectively, while Anderson claimed the league's Coach of the Year award. The playing duo of Goad and Taylor became the first teammates in NCAA Division II history to record a 30-30 campaign as Goad, the GAC's Female Athlete of the Year, belted 32 home runs, while Taylor recorded 33 wins; both program records. Additionally, the duo was named as finalists for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year, while also securing All-America honors from the NFCA and D2CCA; while also being named the latter's Central Region Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively.  The Muleriders finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally by the NFCA and spent time in the organization's Top 25 throughout the regular season and postseason run. In 2018, Southern Arkansas finished 46-18 including the team's second-straight season with twenty or more wins in Magnolia. The Lady Muleriders finished second in the Great American Conference regular season with a 32-12 mark in league play. SAU made the GAC Tournament for the sixth year in a row, third under Anderson, where it finished as tournament Runner-Up and received an at-large bid (#5 seed) to its second-straight NCAA Central Region Tournament.    The Lady Muleriders finished the season with the GAC's second-best team batting average (.312) led by Maddie Dow's league-best average of .423. Dow concluded her season campaign as the GAC Female Athlete of the Year, consensus All-America honoree, and the CoSIDA Division II Softball Academic All-America of the Year. Southern Arkansas also boasted the third-lowest team ERA (1.91) behind strong seasons from Kaylee Garner and Victoria Taylor who combined for 38 wins, 20 complete games, 13 shutouts, and 294 strikeouts in 309.2 innings pitched. In 2016, Anderson guided the Lady Muleriders to their best season in program history as they captured a then school-record 53 wins en route to the program's second Great American Conference Tournament Championship, its first Central Region title, and first appearance in the NCAA Division Women's College Softball World Series.   The 53 victories in 2016 marked the fourth time in Anderson's nine-year head coaching career that his team has surpassed the 50-win mark, and the first time it has been accomplished in the 18-year history of the Lady Mulerider softball program.   During the course of that record-setting run, SAU became ranked nationally for the first time in program history in late March, and after seven weeks of being nationally ranked, the club ended the season tabbed fourth in the NFCA DII Top-25 Coaches Poll following a fourth-place finish at the College World Series. It was the sixth time in Anderson’s coaching career that his team finished with a top-5 national ranking at the conclusion of the season.   Statistically, Anderson's 2016 team finished the year ranked in the top-25 nationally in home runs per game (8th | 1.13), slugging percentage (11th | .501), win-loss percentage (13th | .828), on-base percentage (14th | .409), fielding percentage (16th | .971), and earned run average (22nd | 1.96).   The offensive-minded coach, Anderson has helped build a team that has re-written numerous offensive records. In his first season, Anderson’s Lady Muleriders established team single-season offensive records in Batting Average, Slugging Percentage, On-Base Percentage, and Walks. This past year, he helped surpass each of those records, while also establishing new team single-season marks in Wins (53), Runs Scored (381), Homeruns (72), Runs Batted In (343), and Total Bases (839).   In his first year as the head coach at SAU, Anderson would win 26 games while also leading the Lady Muleriders to their fourth-straight GAC Tournament berth.   A proven winner in his career, Anderson, a native of Sheridan, Ark. has amassed an outstanding career coaching record of 386-108 (.781).   The first 226 of those career wins came during a five-year stint at Central Baptist College (Conway, Ark.).   In those five seasons at CBC, Anderson lost only 38 games against his 226 wins as he complied an eye-popping .856 winning percentage with the Mustangs. In each of his first three seasons at CBC, Anderson guided the Mustangs to a berth in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Tournament.   A five-time NCCAA Regional Coach of the Year, Anderson’s 2010 CBC team would go a remarkable 52-1 (.981) en route to a NCCAA National Championship. Anderson would later be named the NCCAA National Coach of the Year that season.   In the two seasons following the 2010 national championship, Anderson’s Mustangs would win 50+ games twice as they advanced to the NAIA National Tournament in 2011 and 2012. In each of those seasons, the Mustangs would end the season nationally-ranked in the top-five.   Following the 2012 season, Anderson left CBC and moved to the coaching ranks of NCAA Division II as he became the head coach at the University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.). In his lone season at UNA, Anderson led North Alabama to one of the best seasons in school history. That year, the Lions put together a 40-20 record and were ranked as high as No. 10 nationally in the NCAA Division II polls (NFCA).   Anderson’s UNA team in 2013 would set new single-season school records for wins (40), hits (572), RBIs (330), doubles (108), team batting average (.338) and games played (60), while qualifying for only the second NCAA Regional in UNA history.   A total of five players were named to the All-Gulf South Conference team at the end of the year, three of which also landed on the All-South Region squad.   After that one year at North Alabama, Anderson moved to the coaching ranks in the Great American Conference (GAC) as he was named head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Alva, Okla.).   While at NWOSU, Anderson would take a team that had not had a winning season since 2008 and turn them into a 41-15 club. Picked to finish ninth in the preseason GAC coaches’ poll, Anderson would have his team end up second in the GAC regular season standings after his Rangers’ club finished in a tie in the loss column, but one game back in the win column to regular season champs, Southeastern Oklahoma.   Statistically, Anderson’s 2014 Rangers would set numerous records including the school record for wins (41) and winning percentage (.732). Offensively, his team would set new school single-season marks in batting average (.325), slugging percentage (.535), runs scored (351), hits (516), doubles (92), homeruns (79), RBIs (322), total bases (853), and walks (174).   Along with the team records set, Anderson coached four players who would go on to set or tie 12 single-season individual records.   In his career, Anderson has coached the National Pitcher of the Year (2011, 2010), the National Player of the Year (2011), the National Newcomer of the Year (2016), the CoSIDA Division II Softball Academic All-America of the Year (2017), the GAC Female Athlete of the Year (2018, 2017), 23 All-Americans, 50 All-Conference honorees, and 19 All-Region players among many other athletes that have received individual athletic and academic accolades.   Anderson is married to the former Renee Byford and the couple has two children, Addison and Kyler.   Year Overall Record (Conf.) Post-Season (Finish) Highest National Rankings (Final) Coach of the Year Awards University 2008 29-9 (Central Region, 1st) NCCAA National Tournament No. 3 NCCAA (3rd) NCCAA Central Region Central Baptist (NAIA) 2009 35-13 (Central Region, 1st) NCCAA National Tournament No. 2 NCCAA (2nd) NCCAA Central Region Central Baptist (NAIA) 2010 52-1 (Central Region, 1st) NCCAA National Tournament No. 1 NCCAA (1st) NCCAA National & Central Region Central Baptist (NAIA) 2011 57-7 (Central Region, 1st) NAIA National Tournament No. 4 NAIA (5th) NCCAA Central Region  Central Baptist (NAIA) 2012 53-8 (13-1 MCAC | T-1st) NAIA National Tournament (5th) No. 4 NAIA (4th) NCCAA Regional & MCAC Central Baptist (NAIA) 2013 40-20 (21-13 GSC | 4th) NCAA South Region Tournament No. 10 NCAA (N/R) North Alabama (NCAA) 2014 41-15 (27-11 GAC | 2nd) N/A - Provisional NCAA Member N/A - Provisional NCAA Member NW Oklahoma State (NCAA) 2015 26-24 (16-16 GAC | 8th) GAC Tournament Southern Arkansas (NCAA) 2016 53-11 (33-8 GAC | 2nd) NCAA College World Series (4th) No. 4 NCAA (4th) HERO Sports National & NFCA Central Region Southern Arkansas (NCAA) 2017   46-18 (32-12 GAC | 2nd) NCAA Central Region Tournament No. 2 NCAA (N/R) Southern Arkansas (NCAA) 2018 60-11 (38-6 GAC | 1st) NCAA College World Series (3rd) No. 3 NCAA (3rd) GAC & NFCA Central Region Southern Arkansas (NCAA) 2019 46-13 (34-7 | 1st) NCAA Central Region Tournament No. 1 NCAA (24th) Southern Arkansas (NCAA) 2020 22-2 (12-0 | 1st) No. 1 NCAA (1st) Southern Arkansas (NCAA) 2021 29-10 (22-5 | 1st) NCAA Central Region Tournament No. 1 NCAA (18th) Southern Arkansas (NCAA) Total OVR: 589-162 (.784) GAC: 214-65 (.767)  

Greg Owen is entering his fourth season at SAU, having been tabbed to be the head coach of the recently revitalized men’s and women’s tennis programs at Southern Arkansas University.    The appointment of Owen was made on December 12, 2017.   Owen comes to SAU from Seward County Community College (Liberal, Kan.) where he was into his third season as head men’s and women’s tennis coach. In his two full years at Seward, Owen guided the men’s and women’s tennis programs to new heights.   In just his first season at Seward, Owen led the Saints and Lady Saints to their best-ever finishes at the NJCAA National Tournaments with the men’s team finishing sixth and the women’s team seventh, respectively. That year, Owen posted a 33-11 (.750) combined record while his men’s team also captured their second-straight NJCAA Region VI Championship.   This past season, Owen’s Saints and Lady Saints teams improved two places nationally from his first season as the men finished the year fourth at the NJCAA National Tournament, while the women claimed a fifth-place finish. Collectively, both his men’s and women’s programs combined to go 31-11 (.738).   As he did in his first season, Owen’s guided his men’s tennis team to the NJCAA Region VI Championship once more, making it three-straight for the program. Owen also made history for his women’s team that year as they captured their first-ever NJCAA Region VI Championship.   Over his time at Seward, Owen coached several highly-ranked singles and doubles competitors among both teams. In his first season, both his men’s and women’s teams had two individuals ranked in that year’s final ITA Top-25 ranking, while both squads also had a pair of doubles teams ranked within the ITA Top-25 as well.   Last season, Owen had one men’s and one women’s individual player end the year ranked within the ITA Top-10, while a total of eight across both teams finished ranked in the ITA Top-50. In doubles play, Owen’s once more had a pair of doubles competitors on both his men’s and women’s teams finish the season ranked within the Top-20. Highlighted among that feat was the 2016 ITA Doubles National Championship won by the duo of Carlos Anez Diaz and Ondrej Nice.   Through his time at Seward this year, Owen had eight total individuals rank in the ITA Top-50 and four doubles teams rank in the ITA Top-25. Additionally, Owen had three individuals earn ITA All-America with two doing so as singles competitors.   Prior to his time at Seward, Owen was the head tennis coach at Midlothian High School (Midlothian, Texas) for six years from 2009-2015.   A native of Henryetta, Okla., Owen played collegiately for a season at Seminole State College (Seminole, Okla.) and then his final three seasons at GAC-rival Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Durant, Okla.).   Owen is married to his wife of 12 years, Carisa, and the couple have three children, Anna (9), Claire (7), and Joey (4). Owen and his family will reside in Magnolia.  

Morgan is entering her first season with the Muleriders softball program as an Assistant Coach and pitching coach. Hornback, a native of Oregon City, Oregon comes to Magnolia by way of Arizona State University where she served as a graduate assistant coach for the Sun Devils Softball team.   Morgan most recently spent time at Arizona State University with the softball program as a graduate assistant. The Sun Devils finished last season with a 35-21 record making it to the Los Angeles Regional.   Sun Devils Head Coach Megan Bartlett commented on the hire saying, "Morgan is hard working and knowledgeable. She understands what it takes to compete on the mound at a high-level. We are so proud of her and are excited to see what she does with a pitching staff of her own!"   Morgan comes to Magnolia after serving graduate assistant coaching stints at both Texas Tech University (2023-24) and Arizona State University (2024-25). Morgan also spent her collegiate playing career in Lubbock, Texas as a two-way player for the Red Raiders from 2019-2023.     Morgan is a former two-way player for the Red Raiders and contributed to Texas Tech's NCAA tournament appearance in 2019. Throughout her career, she logged multiple shutout pitching performances, including 30 strikeouts in 2021.   She earned her bachelor's degree in management and marketing from Texas Tech before earning her master's degree in organizational leadership from Arizona State. During her time with the Red Raiders, she was a multi time Academic All-Big 12 Second Team member (2021, 2023) as well as a Academic All-Big 12 Frist Team (2020) and Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team (2019).   In high school, Morgan was a four-year letterwinner at Oregon City High School as well as a three-time Class 6A First Team All-State selection, Mt. Hood Conference Pitcher of the Year (multiple seasons). She also led her team to the Oregon state semifinals in 2017 and 2018 as well as being nominated for Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year.   

Leo Queen is entering his third year as an assistant track and field coach for the Mulerider men’s and women’s track and field programs. He spearheads the sprints, hurdles, and relays groups. During his first two years in Magnolia, student-athletes under his direct guidance or assistance have achieved personal and program success. In two indoor seasons, a combined 11 student-athletes have set 12 school records. Two outdoor seasons have produced five school records – rewriting records book entries a total of 17 times across four campaigns. Alongside the school records, his men’s and women’s sprinters have garnered 20 All-GAC honors at the 2024 and 2025 Great American Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships (seven First-Team, 11 Second-Team, two Honorable Mention). Two individuals and one relay have met the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standard (indoor 60m; outdoor 400m; and 4x100m relay). Also, someone from his training group has been named outstanding track athlete of the year on three occasions. Prior to his arrival at SAU, Queen coached recreational and high school track in Conroe, Texas. Following the high school stint, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Sam Houston State. His professional certifications are listed as follows: · USA Track & Field Level 1 · USTFCCCA – Sprints, Hurdles, & Relays Specialist · USTFCCCA – Jumps Specialist · USTFCCCA – Strength & Conditioning Specialist · USTFCCCA – Technical Certification Queen, a native of Thibodaux, Louisiana, earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2015 and a master’s degree in sport administration from Mississippi State University in 2018. Aside from coaching, he enjoys reading and writing, listening to music, community service projects, and leadership studies. Queen credits his many mentors for his continued development as a professional, a mentor, and an academic.  

Southern Arkansas University head softball coach Jason Anderson announced the hiring of Molly Carter as an assistant coach starting the 2022-23 season. Carter's plethora of knowledge and experience to the program and her appointment to the staff continues to be of huge assistance to the Mulerider Softball program, as in her time at Southern Arkansas University, the Blue and Gold have won a regular season GAC title, GAC Tournament title, and have made it to the NCAA postseason in all three years of her time in Magnolia.    "I am very excited to add Molly to our coaching staff," remarked Anderson. "Molly is a proven winner as both a player and a coach and brings a wealth of knowledge to our program. She can help our team in so many ways as a result of her versatile playing career that placed her as one of the top players in the country during her time as a student-athlete. I know she will be a great asset for our players and will help us continue to compete at a very high level."   Carter comes to Magnolia from MSU Denver where she assisted the Roadrunners pitching staff this past spring. Metro State won 38 games and reached the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament Championship.   Prior to heading out west, Carter spent two seasons as an assistant at Columbia College (Mo.) which followed an outstanding four-year playing career for the Cougars. She led Columbia to two NAIA World Series appearances, where the Cougars finished as runner-up in 2018 after earning a fourth-place finish in 2017.   A three-time NAIA All-American and a two-time American Midwest Conference Player of the Year, as well as the 2016 AMC Freshman of the Year, Carter's collegiate numbers were gaudy. In 195 career games, the infielder and pitcher hit .435 with 45 home runs and 241 RBI. In 2017, she led NAIA in RBI with 87. In the circle she was just as dominant as she totaled 180.2 innings with a 1.94 ERA behind 35 appearances and a 21-6 record overall.   Carter received her undergraduate degree in sports management, marketing, and business administration from Columbia College in the spring of 2019 and two years later she earned a Master's of Art degree in teaching.   HC Annie Hurst at MSU Denver: "Southern Arkansas is getting a really good coach and even better person in Molly Carter. Having been a very versatile player herself, Molly is able to share her knowledge of softball in many ways to student-athletes. Though she can teach a lot about the game of softball, Molly's strength is her ability to connect and build relationships with student-athletes. She is a caring coach who will certainly continue to help those she works with at SAU."   HC Wendy Spratt at Columbia College: "Not only was Molly an outstanding player at Columbia College, she was also an exceptional leader on the field. Her leadership skills and knowledge of the game made the obvious choice for our graduate assistant. Molly's ability to meet athletes on their level is what makes her stand out as a coach. She will be a great addition to the coaching staff at Southern Arkansas."