RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Tuesday, the Great American Conference announced the results of the 2021 Men's and Women's Track & Field preseason polls. Oklahoma Baptist edged out Harding by a single point on the women's side while the two programs tied atop the men's poll.
Both the Bison and Lady Bisons received five first-place votes. Oklahoma Baptist brings back Tesa Potter, two-time GAC Champion in the 1500-meter run. Emma Downing claimed the individual title at last month's GAC Cross Country Championships.
Harding's Emily Shell set the GAC Championship record in for the heptathlon in 2019. Kinga Szarzynska, a 2018 NCAA National Championships qualifier in the 800-meter run, returns for her senior year.
Southern Arkansas placed third in the balloting; Northwestern Oklahoma State finished fourth, narrowly ahead of Arkansas Tech and East Central. The Golden Suns begin their first season competing in women's track & field with a bevy of acclaimed distance runners in their five All-GAC Cross Country performers - Ashlynn Mays, Calli Beshore, Karina Maravillas, Morganne Browning and Aubre Gilreath
Southeastern Oklahoma State, Ouachita, Southwestern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene rounded out the poll. SWOSU's Alexis Chao won the 2019 GAC pole vault competition.
On the men's side, The Bison garnered three-first place votes. They return four individuals that claimed titles at the 2019 Championships. Hayden Ashley won the decathlon and long jump competitions; Saleem Fadel took first in the hammer throw; Blake Rayner crossed the line first in the 800 and Nathaniel Worley captured the victory in the high jump.
The Bisons received the remaining two first-place votes. Harding's Will Clark, the two-time GAC champion in the javelin returns for his junior season. Dylan Douglas won the individual title at February's GAC Cross Country Championships.
Southern Arkansas took third, followed by East Central and Southern Nazarene. The Tigers feature four 2021 First-Team All-GAC selections in Emmanuel Bett, Jakaveon Shaw, Carson Sandvik and Gilberto Palomo.
Southern Arkansas will host the 2021 GAC Championships from April 15-17.
