SEARCY, Ark. – For the first time since 2021, the Harding Lady Bisons are the champions of the Great American Conference.
Behind a dominant weekend in the field and a relentless parade of podium finishes on the track, No. 10-ranked Harding captured its fifth GAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship on Friday at the Ted and Marcie Lloyd Track and Field Complex. The Lady Bisons finished with 235.50 points, fending off a late charge from Oklahoma Baptist (200 points) to secure the trophy on their home turf. Freshman Roselyn Spencer scored in five different events and was the meet MVP award.
Sprints and Hurdles Surge
Harding's depth was on full display in the high-stakes sprints. In the 100-meter dash, Leila Ngapout took third (11.72). She followed that up with another third in the 200-meter dash, clocking 24.44 in a field where elite-level speed was on display.
The hurdles provided a major point swing for the Lady Bisons. In the 100-meter hurdles, Kewes Gomes earned second (14.15), leading a group of three Harding scorers including Roselyn Spencer and Kiera Bartlett. In the 400-meter hurdles, Carly Tucker added a gritty point to the team total, finishing eighth in a race where the conference record was shattered.
Middle Distance and Endurance Grit
The Lady Bisons proved they could compete with anyone in the distance events. Senior Josie Parks delivered a heroic weekend, taking second in the 1500 meters (4:35.16) and returning later in the evening to secure third in the 5000 meters (17:47.05). She was joined in the 5000m scoring by Dinah Winders, who placed sixth (17:54.28).
In the 800-meter final, Harding placed three runners in the top six. Sharon Strydom led the way with a second-place finish (2:13.72), followed by Kaia Bieker in fifth and Tetiana Kharashchuk in sixth, ensuring that every time OBU tried to close the gap, the Lady Bisons had an answer.
The Record-Breaking Finale
The meet concluded with one of the fastest 4x400m relays in GAC history. The team of Jayden Bowman, Tetiana Kharashchuk, Leila Ngapout, and Roselyn Spencer clocked a blistering 3:43.62 to break the Conference Record and secure the win. The victory served as an exclamation point on the weekend, as they held off a surging Oklahoma Baptist squad by over a second.
Triple Jump Sweep and Field Dominance
Harding's championship path was paved by a historic 1-2-3 sweep in the triple jump on Friday. Senior Karyna Vehner claimed the conference title with a mark of 12.19 meters (40-00.00), followed by Roselyn Spencer (12.05m) and Hanna Onufriieva (12.03m).
In the high jump, Ally Cheek cleared 1.73 meters (5-08.00) to earn second, while Yedidya Bangue—the Friday shot put champion—added third place in the discus (45.43m).
Final Point Standings
Harding's victory ends a four-year drought and solidifies the Lady Bisons' status as a national powerhouse heading into the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships later this month.
