SEARCY, Ark. – For the fifth consecutive time, the Great American Conference Outdoor Track and Field trophy went to the Harding Bisons.
The No. 8-ranked Bisons delivered a dominant performance on their home track at the Ted and Marcie Lloyd Track and Field Complex this weekend, amassing 289 points to secure the 2026 GAC Championship. The victory marks Harding's seventh GAC outdoor title and their fifth in a row, further cementing their status as the premier power in the conference.
Harding outpaced second-place Oklahoma Baptist (238 points) and third-place Ouachita Baptist (96.5 points) in a meet that saw school and conference records fall throughout the three-day event.
VERTICAL DOMINANCE: THE POLE VAULT SWEEP
Perhaps no event illustrated Harding's depth more than the Men's Pole Vault. In a historic showing, the Bisons swept the top four spots and placed six total athletes in the scoring column. Senior Vlad Malykhin claimed the individual title with an incredible clearance of 5.40m (17-8.50). He was followed closely by Everett Mumme, who took silver at 5.30m (17-4.75).
Isaac Hodges (4.91m) and Kylor Aguilar (4.91m) finished third and fourth, while Joseph Bonacci (4.61m) and Chad Strickland (4.46m) added further points to the Bisons' massive total in the pit.
JUMPING TO VICTORY
The Bisons were equally unstoppable in the horizontal jumps. In the Men's Triple Jump, Harding claimed a 1-2-4 finish to rack up 23 points in a single event. Senior Yves Bilong secured first place with a massive leap of 15.58m (51-1.50) on his first attempt. He was pushed until the very end by freshman teammate Artem Konovalenko, who took second with a personal best of 15.52m (50-11.00). Freshman Nathan Boulay secured fourth place with a jump of 14.92m (48-11.50).
THE EXCLAMATION POINT
The Bisons saved their best for last in the meet's final event. The 4x400-meter relay team of Emmanuel Ragira, Caledon Ruwende, Dillon Williams, and Savian Bush brought the home crowd to their feet, clocking a blistering 3:11.46. The time not only secured the victory but established a new Great American Conference record.
RECORD-BREAKING RUNS
Sophomore Benson Lingokal provided one of the weekend's biggest highlights in the 5,000-meter run. Lingokal shattered the GAC record with a time of 14:19.08, leading a deep Bison distance squad that controlled the tempo from the opening gun.
In the hurdles, Savian Bush continued his stellar season by claiming the individual title in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.95. Bush also added a second place finish in the 400-meter hurdles (52.20) and anchored the record-breaking 4x400 relay.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
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Harding – 289
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Oklahoma Baptist – 238
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Ouachita Baptist – 96.5
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Northwestern Oklahoma – 74.5
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Southern Arkansas – 66.5
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East Central – 48
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Southern Nazarene – 40.5
UP NEXT
With the conference title secured, the Bisons will now turn their attention to the national stage. Several Bisons have already secured NCAA provisional qualifying marks, and the team will look to improve those rankings at upcoming "last chance" meets before the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in late May.
