SEARCY, Ark. – Following a regular season that saw the school's single-season RBI record fall and a historic pitching start, the Harding baseball team was well-represented in the 2026 Great American Conference postseason awards announced Wednesday.
Senior shortstop Cooper Newsom and senior right-hander Kyle Lane led the way as First Team All-GAC selections, while the Bisons combined for nine total All-Conference and All-Defensive honors.
First Team Excellence
Cooper Newsom (Smyrna, Tenn.) earned a unanimous selection to the All-GAC First Team at shortstop. Newsom put together one of the most productive offensive seasons in program history, batting .326 with nine home runs. During the final series of the year, he became Harding's single-season RBI leader, finishing the regular season with a conference-best 65 RBIs.
Joining him on the First Team is Kyle Lane (Xenia, Ohio). Lane turned in a season for the ages on the mound, finishing the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record and a 4.91 ERA over 77.0 innings. He became the first Bison in the NCAA era to start a season 8-0 and was also named to the GAC All-Defensive Team for his flawless work on the mound.
Second Team & Honorable Mention
The Bisons' depth was on display with three Second Team selections. Senior pitcher Merritt Jay (5-2, 3.97 ERA) and senior catcher Collin Helms (.282 AVG, 9 HR, 46 RBI) both earned spots on the second squad. Joining them was closer Josiah Binford, who anchored the bullpen with a 3.54 ERA and four saves.
Senior third baseman Logan Lacey and freshman outfielder Easton Jones received Honorable Mention honors. Lacey extended his school-record reached-base streak to 47 games to close the season, while Jones impressed in his debut campaign with a .343 average and a team-high 20 doubles.
Academic and Defensive Honors
Harding continued its tradition of excellence in the classroom, with Ricky Howell and Merritt Jay being named Elite Scholar Athletes by the GAC. Additionally, 14 Bisons were named to the GAC All-Academic team for maintaining a 3.30 GPA or higher.
Harding's 2026 GAC Award Winners:
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All-GAC First Team: Cooper Newsom (SS), Kyle Lane (SP)
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All-GAC Second Team: Merritt Jay (SP), Collin Helms (C), Josiah Binford (RP)
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All-GAC Honorable Mention: Logan Lacey (3B), Easton Jones (OF)
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All-Defensive Team: Kyle Lane (P)
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Elite Scholar Athletes: Ricky Howell, Merritt Jay
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GAC Academic Honor Roll: Sam Brumbaugh, Dawson Cleveland, Caleb Cook, Kyler Hoover, Cooper Newsom, Caleb Oligschlaeger, Jack Opoien, Ryder Rutledge, Bo Solley, Cooper Thompson, Phoenix West, Luke Whaley
The Bisons open the GAC Tournament in Hot Springs as the No. 3 seed on Thursday night at 8 p.m against Northwestern Oklahoma State.
