Ouachita’s Bullard, Tech’s Reasnor named GAC Scholars of the Year
GAC Communications
RUSSELLVILLE – A pair of Academic All-Americans, Ouachita’s Kori Bullard and Arkansas Tech’s Ty Reasnor received the 2017-18 Great American Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the conference office announced on Monday.
The league’s faculty athletic representatives or designees voted on the Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards. They could not vote for their own student-athletes.
2017-18 GAC FEMALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – KORI BULLARD, OUACHITA, VOLLEYBALL/BASKETBALL
Bullard became the first GAC female student-athlete, and just the second person in conference history to repeat as a Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The senior, who completed her time at Ouachita with a perfect 4.00 GPA in biology/pre-med, claimed the Crafton Tull Elite Scholar Athlete award in both volleyball and basketball. She added Google Cloud Academic All-America honors in both sports as she made the first team in volleyball and the third team in basketball.
As the starting middle blocker in volleyball, she finished her final season with 330 kills and averaged 3.03 kills per set average. She also finished the season with a .282 hitting percentage, 85 blocks, 89 digs and 24 service aces. She ranked eighth in the GAC by averaging 3.76 points per set. Upon transitioning to basketball, she averaged 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds and she capped her career as one of 15 players in league history with at least 900 points and 500 rebounds.
In addition to graduating Summa Cum Laude, and completing her Ouachita Baptist Honor Society Thesis, she represented the senior class at her commencement, as selected by the University President. She volunteered at the humane society throughout her four years in Arkadelphia as well as served on the Alpha Chi National Honor Society and the Tri Beta Biological Honor Society.
Other nominees for the 2017-18 GAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award included Arkansas-Monticello senior Ashton Currey (Softball) Arkansas Tech senior Madison Nagel (Volleyball), East Central senior Deanna Rudasill (Women’s Soccer), Harding junior Bethany Sutherland (Soccer/Track & Field), Henderson State senior Bethany Allen (Softball), Northwestern Oklahoma State senior Audrey Estes (Softball), Oklahoma Baptist junior Emily Sechrist (Cross Country/Track & Field), Southeastern Oklahoma State junior Destiny Riddle (Softball), Southern Arkansas senior Helle Leed (Golf), Southern Nazarene sophomore Bailee Turang (Volleyball) and Southwestern Oklahoma State junior Erica Brunet (Soccer).
2017-18 GAC MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – TY REASNOR, ARKANSAS TECH, FOOTBALL
Reasnor became the first student-athlete from Arkansas Tech to garner a GAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. The senior joined Southern Nazarene’s Amy Madden (2013, softball), Henderson State’s Kevin Rodgers (2014, football), Ouachita’s Haley Hatcher (2015, soccer), Harding’s Ewa Zaborowska (2015, track), and Southern Arkansas’ Maddie Dow (2017, softball) as GAC student-athletes to earn a Google Cloud Academic All-America® of the Year honor.
A mechanical engineering major with a spotless 4.00 GPA, Reasnor helped the Wonder Boys compile an 8-4 overall record and earn a spot in the 2017 Agent Barry Live United Bowl. Reasnor threw for 2,483 yards in 12 games. He ranked third in the GAC with 21 passing touchdowns. Reasnor rushed for 377 yards and eight touchdowns to rank fourth in total offense in the GAC.
Reasnor and his Arkansas Tech teammates led the GAC in scoring with 39.8 points per game. He set the Tech single-season record for completion percentage, 62.27 percent.
Away from the classroom and the gridiron, he gave his time to projects such as Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine, Arkansas Children’s Foundation Freezin 4 A Reason 5K and Mercy Hospital Fort Smith Marathon Volunteer. He served as a weekly volunteer at Eugene J. Towbin Veterans Hospital and on the search committee for the Engineering and Applied Science Dean.
Other nominees for the 2017-18 GAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award included Arkansas-Monticello junior Kinley Lee (Golf), East Central junior Larry Filer (Cross Country/Track & Field), Harding senior Lucas Goodspeed (Cross Country/Track & Field), Henderson State senior John Laubacher (Football), Northwestern Oklahoma State sophomore Daschal Johnson (Baseball), Oklahoma Baptist sophomore Michael Stewart (Soccer), Ouachita senior Chandler Blake (Baseball), Southeastern Oklahoma State senior Trevor Proctor (Golf), Southern Arkansas junior Kile Pletcher (Football), Southern Nazarene junior Jacob Spady (Football), Southwestern Oklahoma State junior Brandon Roe (Football).