Harding wins second GAC All-Sports crown
Harding Athletics
Scott Goode, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
RUSSELLVILLE – Harding University captured the 2018-19 Great American Conference All-Sports Trophy after completing an academic calendar year that saw seven of its programs record top-three finishes in the final GAC standings.
After leading following the fall and winter, Harding padded its margin to a league-record 14.5 points. The Lady Bisons claimed the title at the GAC Track & Field Championships for the third time in four years. They added a tie for second in women’s tennis and a third-place showing in softball. The 95 points accumulated by Harding’s 13 teams also set a GAC all-sports record.
Southern Arkansas moved up from a tie for sixth after the winter into a program-best second-place finish. The Lady Muleriders picked up regular-season titles in tennis and softball. The baseball team took second and the men’s golf team earned their first trip to the NCAA Central/Midwest Regional.
For the second-straight year, Oklahoma Baptist finished in third, one half point behind SAU. The Lady Bison took second in women’s track and field, tied for second in women’s tennis, qualified for NCAA Regionals in women’s golf and claimed the GAC Championship title in baseball.
Arkansas Tech ascended up from 11th to fourth following the strongest spring season of all GAC schools. Tech won both the Men’s and Women’s Golf Championship crowns. The Golden Suns took second in the softball regular-season standings, and followed up by repeating at the GAC Championships. Women’s tennis tied for second and baseball finished in third.
Southwestern Oklahoma State also climbed up in the final standings. After entering the spring in ninth, the Bulldogs finished in fifth. Women’s golf took second while the men’s team placed third. Baseball shared fourth and softball earned six points after qualifying for the GAC Championships for the first time since 2013.
Southern Nazarene took sixth, one point behind SWOSU, followed by Henderson State, Southeastern Oklahoma State and East Central. The Crimson Storm’s men’s and women’s golf teams both placed fourth at the GAC Championships. Henderson State’s golf teams both registered top-three results.
Ouachita and Arkansas-Monticello and Northwestern Oklahoma State rounded out the standings. The Weevils closed the academic season by winning their second GAC baseball regular-season title.
