Harding Places GAC-Best 177 on All-Academic Teams

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Wednesday, the Great American Conference announced that a record 1,345 student-athletes achieved Academic All-Conference honors, an increase of 75 from the prior high.

Harding led with 177 student-athletes earning GAC Academic All-Conference marks. The Bisons and Lady Bisons collected the most All-Academic selections in football, men's cross country, men's and women's tennis plus men's and women's track and field.

Ouachita Baptist ranked second with 143 All-Academic performers. The Tigers led the conference for all-academic honorees in men's soccer and women's cross country.

Southern Arkansas finished third while Southern Nazarene took fourth. SAU's softball, men's and women's tennis programs all tied for the league lead in selections. The Crimson Storm boasted the top totals in volleyball and women's basketball.

Southwestern Oklahoma State followed in fifth followed by Northwestern Oklahoma State. SWOSU saw its baseball program as well as both its men's and women's golf teams paced the league in all-academic student-athletes. Northwestern led with 17 honorees in women's soccer.

East Central and Arkansas Tech matched SAU with 17 all-academic performers in softball. Southeastern Oklahoma State led in men's basketball and tied Harding and Southern Arkansas in men's tennis.

"Division II holds the balance of athletic pursuit and academic excellence in its highest regards," GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt said. "For GAC student-athletes to continue to shatter records with its All-Academic selections serves as a testament to our faculty, administrators and support staff. I congratulate all of these student-athletes for excelling in the classroom while competing with integrity on the field of play."

GAC football student-athletes garnered the most All-Academic selections, 249, followed by 187 from baseball, 155 in softball 110 from women's track & field and 107 in volleyball.

For student-athletes to be recognized on the Academic All-Conference team, they must have enrolled as freshmen prior to the fall of 2021. In addition, their grade-point average must be a minimum of 3.30 based on the 4.0 system. The GPA shall be cumulative for the athlete's entire collegiate career.

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