Southern Arkansas Muleriders baseball

The Southern Arkansas Mulerider baseball team represents Southern Arkansas University in NCAA Division II college baseball. SAU has competed in the Great American Conference (GAC) since 2011. Prior to joining the GAC, SAU competed in the NAIA's Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference from 1950 until moving to the NCAA in 1996. Upon moving to the NCAA, SAU competed in the Western Division of the Gulf South Conference from 1996–2011. The Muleriders play their home games on campus at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. Justin Pettigrew is the current head coach. History Southern Arkansas was founded in 1909 as the Third District Agricultural School and fielded its first baseball team as early as 1911. After sporadic success of the first 60 years of the programs, Coach Steve Goodheart was named head coach in 1981 and quickly took SAU to new heights. Not only did he lead SAU to nine Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference championships, he oversaw SAU's transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II ranks. SAU has won 23 conference regular seasons championships (17 – AIC, 2 – GSC, 4 – GAC), seven conference tournament championships (3 – GSC, 4 – GAC), made three NAIA world series appearances including a third-place finish in 1987, and 11 NCAA Division II Regional appearances. Pre-NCAA years For many years SAU fielded a two-year baseball program before joining the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference. The now defunct Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference featured NAIA schools in Arkansas from the 1940s through 1995. Conference members included Arkansas Tech University, Harding University, Henderson State University, Hendrix College, Lyon College (Arkansas College), Ouachita Baptist University, Southern Arkansas University (Southern State College), University of Arkansas at Monticello (Arkansas A&M), University of Central Arkansas, and the University of the Ozarks (College of the Ozarks). At least three Southern Arkansas University Sports Hall of Fame members severed as coach of the Mulerider baseball team in this era. Coach Sam Bailey coached the Muleriders to a 41–36 record from 1951–1956. Dr. Delwin T. Ross was the coach from 1957–1967. The Seventies Monroe Ingram coached baseball and basketball at SAU. Ingram's baseball teams produced a record of 107–86 and won AIC Championships in 1974, 1975, and 1977. Following Ingram as Head Coach of the Muleriders was Dr. Jack Harrington.