RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – As the outdoor season begins to heat up, the Great American Conference released its 2026 women's track and field preseason coaches' poll on Tuesday, with Harding strongly positioned as the primary challenger for the league title.
The Lady Bisons received four first-place votes to finish second in the poll, trailing only four-time defending champion Oklahoma Baptist. The announcement sets the stage for a high-stakes spring in Searcy, as Harding is slated to host the 2026 GAC Outdoor Championships at the Ted and Marcie Lloyd Track and Field Complex from April 29 through May 1.
A Loaded Roster Returns to Searcy
Harding enters the outdoor campaign with one of the most decorated rosters in program history. The Lady Bisons return five individual national qualifiers from the 2025 outdoor season, including All-Americans Hanna Onufriieva (Triple Jump) and Cadence Sansom (Pole Vault), both of whom secured top-10 national finishes a year ago.
The Lady Bisons' dominance in relay events is expected to continue, as the squad returns:
Individually, the Lady Bisons boast elite momentum. Jerlana Williams is coming off a 10th-place finish in the 60-meter dash at the 2026 Indoor National Championships, while Josie Parks returns to the oval as the defending GAC champion in the 1,500 meters.
The Road to the Title
While Oklahoma Baptist claimed the top spot in the poll with six first-place votes, the gap between the Bison and the Lady Bisons appears narrower than ever. Oklahoma Baptist returns champions Asia Foster (200m/400m) and Jamora Horace (High Jump), but Harding's depth in the jumps and relays—combined with the home-track advantage for the conference meet—makes them a formidable threat to end OKBU's four-year streak.
The rest of the conference outlook sees Ouachita Baptist in third and Southern Arkansas in fourth, followed by Northwestern Oklahoma State in fifth.
2026 GAC Women's Track & Field Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team (First-Place Votes) |
| 1 |
Oklahoma Baptist (6) |
| 2 |
Harding (4) |
| 3 |
Ouachita Baptist |
| 4 |
Southern Arkansas |
| 5 |
Northwestern Oklahoma State |
| 6 |
Southeastern Oklahoma State |
| 7 |
Southern Nazarene |
| 8 |
Arkansas Tech |
| 9 |
Southwestern Oklahoma State |
| 10 |
East Central |
Hosting the GAC Championships
The 2026 GAC Championships will provide Harding fans a front-row seat to one of the premier track meets in Division II. Competition will begin Wednesday, April 29, and conclude Friday, May 1, at the Ted and Marcie Lloyd Track and Field Complex.
