SEARCY — The Harding women's soccer team enters the 2026 season with a new leader on the sideline, but the Lady Bisons carry the same championship expectations following a historic campaign.

Audrey Adkison takes the helm as head coach this fall, stepping in for Dr. Greg Harris, who retired in November 2025 after a 25-year career. Adkison, a 2016 Harding graduate and former team captain, returns to Searcy after three seasons as associate head coach and director of recruiting at Abilene Christian University. A rising star in the collegiate coaching ranks, she was named a United Soccer Coaches "30 Under 30" honoree in 2024 and the organization's Faith-Based Coach of the Year in 2023.

"I'm looking forward to what God has for Harding women's soccer and cannot wait to get started," Adkison said when she was hired in December. "In the last 25 years, Coach Harris has created an incredible program and left an inspiring legacy of relationships and love for each other and God."

Adkison inherits a battle-tested roster fresh off a 2025 Great American Conference Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. The Lady Bisons clinched last year's GAC title with a dramatic victory over Ouachita Baptist, propelled by an all-region performance from Whitney Thomas.

Though transitioning into a new era, Harding brings back a strong core of veterans to defend its conference crown. The 2026 squad features several returning all-conference talents, including goalkeeper Maysa Willis, defender Skylar Henley, and midfielders Calle Citty and Kloey Fullerton, who were crucial to the team's offensive and defensive success last year.

As the Lady Bisons navigate the 2026 schedule, Adkison's championship pedigree — both as a coach and as a pivotal midfielder on Harding's 2015 GAC title-winning team — will be heavily relied upon to keep the program at the top of the conference.