HOT SPRINGS – Ouachita Baptist capped its historic run at the 2024 Great American Conference Volleyball Championships with a three-set victory against second-seeded Harding on Saturday from Bank OZK Arena.

The Tigers (22-9) became the lowest seed, five, to win the league’s volleyball title. They became the first to defeat three higher seeds en route to the title. Additionally, they joined Arkansas Tech, in 2021, as just the second team to defeat both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in one year. The became the first first-time champion of the event since Oklahoma Baptist won for the first time in 2019.

The opening set saw Ouachita take an early 13-8 lead. Harding (22-9) answered by tallying seven of the subsequent eight points. Trailing 19-17, the Tigers rattled off seven consecutive points – four on Riley Braziel kills – to advance to set point. After four-straight points from the Lady Bisons, Braziel closed out the set with another kill.

A 10-3 spurt early in the second set put the Lady Bisons in front, 12-8. They maintained the three-point lead until the Tigers closed out the set with 11 of the final 15 points. Haley Fairchild scored two kills and a solo block. Braziel collected two more kills, as did Leah Gardner.

After eight ties early in the third set, the Tigers closed out the match in grand fashion – scoring 13 of the final 17 points – for a 25-16 set victory. Braziel scored three points -two kills plus an ace – and Gardner put the finishing touches on the championship victory with kills for the final two points.

Courtney Hanson captured Tournament MVP honors after averaging 12.08 assists and 4.83 digs per set in the three victories. On Saturday, she finished with 41 assists and 18 digs. Avery Jauz and Braziel joined Hanson on the All-Tournament Team. Jauz collected 25 digs against the Lady Bison and averaged 7.33 per set during the tournament. Her 88 total digs rank as the second-most in a single GAC Championship. Braziel led the Tigers with 13 kills.

Harding’s Tatum Fouche and Delaney Garner received All-Tournament honors. Fouche finished with 23 digs on Saturday and Garner registered nine kills. East Central’s Odalys Gonzalez and Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Lacy Mott filled out the seven member team.

The Tigers secure their first appearance in the NCAA Division II Championships in program history. They learn their opponent during Monday’s selection show. It streams on NCAA.com at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

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PINE BLUFF – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Director of Athletics Chris Robinson announced today the hiring of Gabrielle Floyd as the eighth head coach in the history of UAPB Volleyball.

Floyd comes to Golden Lions Nation from Texas Southern University, where she spent last year as the head coach.  Prior to her promotion, she spent more than 10 years as the associate head coach/ recruiting coordinator, where they won three SWAC Western Division Championship.

Under her guidance at Texas Southern, Floyd played a significant role in landing two-student athletes on the All-SWAC Team. Danielle Lilley Spring 2021 SWAC Preseason Volleyball Second-Team and Thalia Cordero Moreno named to the 2021 All-SWAC First-Team.

“We are excited to welcome Coach Floyd and her family to UAPB,” Robinson said. “She is a dynamic teacher and recruiter and has a great vision for UAPB Volleyball. She has a true passion for the game and is known for her work ethic, competitive spirit, and commitment to creating a positive student-athlete experience.”

Floyd took over the program in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in June of 2020 and had to navigate the challenges of managing a program through uncertain times. She was awarded an academic award for maintaining a minimum 3.0 Team GPA by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Floyd managed to guide the Lady Tigers through the historic spring season in 2021 as they clinched a SWAC Tournament berth.

A native of Missouri City, Texas, Floyd is a former two-sport athlete at TSU as she played both volleyball and tennis. In 2001, Floyd was an All-SWAC Preseason First Team honoree and co-captain as a senior on the volleyball court. She led the Tigers to a divisional championship and top seed in the SWAC Tournament as she ranked third on the team in kills (213) while finishing tied for third in the SWAC in digs (270). As a result of her play on the court that season, Floyd earned SWAC Player of the Week honors and was named Second Team All-SWAC while earning SWAC All-Tournament honors. In 2000, Floyd finished with 228 digs and was second on the team as a sophomore in 1999 with 222 digs while amassing 135 kills in 97 games and 21 aces. Floyd capped off her storied collegiate volleyball career by earning several All-Tournament awards, including MVP honors.

After graduating in 2002, Floyd spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Texas Southern and was promoted to assistant coach in 2005. As an assistant coach, Floyd has played a major role in the progression of the volleyball program during her tenure. In 2013, she helped lead TSU to its first winning season since 2001 while also winning three SWAC West Titles and a pair of appearances in the SWAC Tournament Championship match. She has had 15-plus student-athletes earn All-SWAC honors under her watch.

In addition to serving on the coaching staff for the past decade, Floyd served on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Assistant Coaches Committee (ACC) as the SWAC Representative. She was also a full-time professor in the Department of Health, Kinesiology & Sport Studies and has served on several committees within the department and for the College of Education.

“I would like to thank Chancellor Dr. Alexander, Athletic Director, Chris Robinson, and the Senior Woman Administrator, Betty Anthony for entrusting me with the volleyball program here at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff,” Floyd said. “I am excited to begin this journey as the new head volleyball coach. I want to build a program that the UAPB community would be proud of. We have a great group of student-athletes that are ready to be champions on the court, in the classroom, and in life. I look forward to building relationships with the UAPB community, alumni, faculty, staff, and students to help make our dreams a reality.”

Floyd graduated in 2002 from TSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Affairs and holds a Master of Science degree in Health Education from TSU. She’s a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and volunteers at student leadership and growth events across the Houston area. Coach Floyd and her husband, Quantas, a former student-athlete and alumnus of Texas Southern, have a daughter and future student-athlete, Alexandrea.

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MAGNOLIA – Southern Arkansas University Director of Athletics Steve Browning has announced that Alli O’Banion has been named the tenth head coach of the Mulerider Volleyball program. The official announcement was made at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, December 8. It is a homecoming of sorts for O’Banion who enjoyed a successful playing career as a right side/middle hitter for the Muleriders from 2014 to 2017.

“Our committee did an outstanding job orchestrating an extensive search in finding our next head coach of the Mulerider Volleyball program,” Browning said. “We are very familiar with Alli’s playing career and the success she had as a Mulerider, but it was also important for us to see the success she has had since leaving Magnolia. She encompasses who we are here at SAU and she understands what it means to be a Mulerider. We are very excited to bring her back home.”

Introduced for official collegiate competition in 1977, the Mulerider Volleyball program has amassed 689 wins and won four conference championships. O’Banion’s appointment as the newest leader of Mulerider Volleyball makes her the ninth head coach in the program’s NCAA Era (1995-96).

“I’d like to thank Dr. Berry and Coach Browning for giving me the opportunity to be the next head coach of SAU volleyball,” remarked O’Banion on Wednesday afternoon. “I am excited and eager to return to Mulerider Country and I look forward to working with these young athletes to start building a strong and competitive Mulerider Volleyball program.”

O’Banion’s most recent stop on her journey back to Magnolia was at NJCAA Division II Northeastern Oklahoma A&M where she served as head coach of the Lady Norse in 2020 and 2021. During her time in Miami, O’Banion led NEO to a combined record of 32-17, including an 18-9 mark this past fall, while garnering back-to-back NJCAA Region II titles. She mentored two NJCAA All-Region II performers and an NJCAA Division II All-American in her two seasons.

Prior to becoming a head coach, O’Banion was an assistant coach at Great American Conference rival Ouachita for two seasons. Primarily working with hitters and blockers, O’Banion  aided OUA to a collective 37 wins in 2018 and 2019, including a 23-9 mark in her first year with a fourth place finish in the league’s regular season and a third place result at the conference championship.

Before returning to the Great American Conference as a coach, O’Banion spent time as an intern at Logan High School in Utah from December 2017 through May 2018. She assisted the athletic department in game day operations, while working alongside the athletic director, head strength and conditioning coach and volleyball coach. During that time, she coached club volleyball at Cache Valley Volleyball Club.

A three-time All-Great American Conference Honorable Mention selection, a one-time league defensive player of the week, and a 2017 GAC All-Academic honoree as a Mulerider, O’Banion’s four seasons at Southern Arkansas were memorable. The central California native was a part of 51 wins and two conference tournament teams, including the 2015 squad which reached the GAC Tournament finals for the first time in program history.

In her time as a Mulerider, O’Banion played in a program-best 470 career sets making 107 starts in 126 matches played; the second-most all-time. She is one of just two players in the program’s rally scoring era to eclipse 1,000 kills and 300 total blocks in a career. Her career totals in kills (1,023), total blocks (314), total points (1,208.0) and attack attempts (2,783) all rank third all-time in program history, while her 274 career block assists are the most ever by a Mulerider. As a senior, O’Banion became the eighth player in Great American Conference Volleyball history to reach 1,000 career kills and the seventh to record 300 total blocks.

The lone Mulerider to receive All-GAC recognition three times, O’Banion capped her playing career in Magnolia with 34 double-figure kill performances and 56 matches with at least 3.0 total blocks. In the final two matches of her career she produced attack percentages of .361 and .311 respectively to vault herself into the top ten all-time in career attack percentage at .201.

In May of 2018, O’Banion received her Bachelor of Science in Sports Management & Human Performance from Southern Arkansas University. Two years later, she earned a Master of Science in Sports Administration from Henderson State University.

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CLASS 6A

First Round, Tuesday, Oct. 26

Northside 3, Rogers 1
Southside 3, North Little Rock 0
Bentonville 3, Little Rock Christian 0
Bentonville West 3, Mount St. Mary 0

Quarterfinals, Wednesday, Oct. 27

Har-Ber 3, Northside 0
Southside 3, Cabot 1
Conway 3, Bentonville 2
Fayetteville 3, Bentonville West 0

Semifinals, Oct. 28

Har-Ber 3, Southside 0
Fayetteville 3, Conway 1

Championship, Oct. 30

Fayetteville 3, Har-Ber 0

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CLASS 5A

First Round, Tuesday, Oct. 26

Greenbrier 3, Beebe 0
Jonesboro 3, Sheridan 0
Little Rock Christian 3, Van Boren 0
Paragould 3, Lake Hamilton 0
Lakeside 3, Batesville 0
Benton 3, Mountain Home 0
Marion 3, White Hall 0
Greenwood 3, Jacksonville 0

Quarterfinals, Wednesday, Oct. 27

Greenbrier 3, Jonesboro 1
Little Rock Christian 3, Paragould 0
Benton 3, Lakeside 0
Marion 3, Greenwood 2

Semifinals, Oct. 28

Little Rock Christian 3, Greenbrier 2
Benton 3, Marion 1

Championship, Oct. 30

Little Rock Christian 3, Benton 2

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CLASS 4A

First Round, Tuesday, Oct. 26

Valley View 3, Pea Ridge 0
Southside 3, Bauxite 2
Shiloh Christian 3, Wynne 0
Pulaski Academy 3, Fountain Lake 2
Mena 3, Pottsville 0
Brookland 3, Farmington 0
Morrilton 3, Arkadelphia 1
Harrison 3, Westside 0

Quarterfinals, Wednesday, Oct. 27

Valley View 3, Southside 0
Shiloh Christian 3, Pulaski Academy 0
Brookland 3, Mean 2
Harrison 3, Morrilton 0

Semifinals, Oct. 28

Valley View 3, Shiloh Christian 1
Brookland 3, Harrison 2

Championship, Oct. 30

Valley View 3, Brookland 0

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CLASS 3A

First Round, Tuesday, Oct. 26

Episcopal 3, Charleston 2
Dover 3, Harrisburg 1
Paris 3, Mayflower 0
Atkins 3, Cave City 0
Hoxie 3, Bergman 0
Hackett 3, Jessieville 0
Harding Academy 3, Walnut Ridge 1
Baptist Prep 3, Booneville 0

Quarterfinals, Wednesday, Oct. 27

Episcopal 3, Dover 0
Paris 3, Atkins 0
Hackett 3, Hoxie 0
Baptist Prep 3, Harding Academy 0

Semifinals, Oct. 28

Paris 3, Episcopal 1
Hackett 3, Baptist Prep 0

Championship, Oct. 30

Paris 3, Hackett 0

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CLASS 2A

First Round, Tuesday, Oct. 26

Crowley’s Ridge 3, Maumelle 0
Lavaca 3, Quitman 0
St. Joseph 3, Barton 0
Life Way Christian 3, Cotter 0
Mansfield 3, Yellville-Summit 0
Conway Christian 3, Midland 0
Thaden 3, Flippin 2
Ridgefield Christian 3, Cutter-Morning Star 2

Quarterfinals, Wednesday, Oct. 27

Lavaca 3, Crowley’s Ridge 0
Life Way Christian 3, St. Joseph 1
Mansfield 3, Conway Christian 0
Thaden 3, Ridgefield Christian 0

Semifinals, Oct. 28

Life Way Christian 3, Lavaca 2
Mansfield 3, Thaden 0

Championship, Oct. 30

Mansfield 3, Life Way Christian vs. Mansfield 0

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POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – The Lyon College volleyball team and College of the Ozarks squared off for the second time within a week on Tuesday night. After College of the Ozarks won the first meeting in four sets this past Saturday, Lyon College got the best of the Lady Bobcats in the rematch as the Scots won a five-set thriller (17-25, 25-15, 20-25, 25-23, 15-8).

The Scots improved to 7-3 with the win, while CofO fell to 5-2.

College of the Ozarks rallied back from an early 9-6 deficit in the first set and took a 21-13 against the Scots. Lyon College tried to rally back late as Maria Eleni Bampiri and Layne Smith recorded a kill each but the Lady Bobcats took set one, 25-17.

The script flipped in the second set as the Scots used an 8-1 run late in the game and took a 23-10 lead over the Lady Bobcats following a kill by Isabella Beasley. After a pair of kills by CofO, Bampiri finished off the set with a kill of her own as the Scots won game two, 25-15.

The Scots held a 13-11 lead midway through the third set but the Lady Bobcats worked their way back into the set and tied the game at 20-20. CofO finished the set on a 5-0 run and won game three, 25-20.

Once again, the Scots found themselves with a lead midway through the fourth set as a kill by Samantha Ferguson put Lyon ahead, 14-9. From there, the Lady Bobcats used a 7-0 run and overtook the lead, 16-14. The Scots were able to weather the storm and regained the lead, 17-16, on an ace by Erin Haigwood. The fourth set finished as a seesaw battle but the Scots came away with a 25-23 win to force a fifth set.

The Scots dominated the fifth set. After a kill by Paeton Tucker broke a 4-4 tie, the Scots did not look back from there and ended the set on a 10-4 run and earned a 15-8 win in the fifth set.

Ferguson and Tucker led the Scots offensively with 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Adia Sherbeyn and Haigwood were both strong defensively as the duo finished with 27 and 21 digs, respectively, while Stephanie Tucker added 12 digs as well. Laney Blankenship and Layla Wilson contributed 24 and 20 assists, respectively.

The Scots will return home and host Crowley’s Ridge College on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. inside Becknell Gymnasium.

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BATESVILLE – The Lyon College volleyball team looked to keep its undefeated record intact as they faced a quality opponent in Bethel (Tenn.) on Tuesday night. The Scots hung tough with the Wildcats but suffered their first loss of the season, 3-0 (18-25, 21-25, 18-25).

Bethel improved to 4-1 with the win, while the Scots fell to 4-1.

With the score tied at 8-8 in the first set, Bethel began to gain some separation as the Wildcats took a 20-14 lead over the Scots. Paeton Tucker and Isabella Beasley collected a kill each late in the set for the Scots, but the Wildcats took game one, 25-18.

Neither side could gain an advantage over the other in the second set as the score remained within a point until a kill by Dominika Skoneczna gave the Wildcats a 17-15 lead. A kill by Samantha Ferguson pulled the Scots back within a point, 19-18, shortly after, but Bethel closed out the set on a 6-3 run and took game two, 25-21.

A 9-2 run by Bethel in the third set proved to be the difference in the game as the Wildcats found themselves ahead, 18-11. The Scots cut the deficit to five late in the set after a pair of errors by Bethel and a kill by Layne Smith, but a pair of kills by the Wildcats gave the visitors the three-set victory.

Natalia Szymanska led Lyon offensively with seven kills, while Adia Sherbeyn highlighted the Scots defensively with a team-high 10 digs. Layla Wilson dished out a team-high 13 assists.

The Scots will return to action this weekend as they will host the Highlander Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Scots will open up their two-day invitational on Friday at 2 p.m. against Centenary College.

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