FORT SMITH, Ark. – On Wednesday, the Great American Conference announced its 2025-26 Women’s Basketball superlative awards, released the All-GAC teams and named its top Scholar Athletes. Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Kira Bass unanimously captured Player of the Year. Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Landry Allen collected Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Tori Kilburn claimed Freshman of the Year and Harding’s Tim Kirby won his fourth Coach of the Year award.
Seven standout student-athletes garnered the Elite Scholar Athlete Award - Presented by Conway Regional Health System. Harding’s Katelyn Kabrich, Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Summya Adigun, Ouachita Baptist’s Madeleine Tipton and Southern Arkansas’ Marlee Bright all repeated as Elite Scholar Athlete Award recipients. Additionally, Arkansas-Monticello’s Opal Hardy Pierce, East Central’s Makenzy Herman and Oklahoma Baptist’s Aubrey Marjason earned the distinction.
Bass became the second Ranger named Player of the Year. She finished the regular season as the league’s top scorer at 20.2 points per game. She ranks second in rebounds per game, 9.5, and her 12 double-doubles tie for the league lead. She ranked in the top five in field-goal percentage and blocked shots per game.
2025-26 GAC BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
Allen, the Lady Bulldogs’ second Defensive Player of the Year and third Newcomer of the Year, established school and conference records for blocks in a game, 13, and in a season, 119. She ranks second nationally in blocks per game, 4.76. She added 15.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Kilburn ranked third among freshmen across all three NCAA in scoring. She averaged 19.6 points per game. She leads the GAC in field-goal percentage, 54.9 percent, ranks fifth in rebounds per game and sixth in assists per game. She became the second Savage Storm recognized as Freshman of the Year.
Bass and Kilburn added First-Team All-GAC honors to their postseason accolades. Oklahoma Baptist’s Jaedyn Getman, Henderson State’s Natalie Cardenas, Harding’s Josie Williams and Arkansas Tech’s Logan Young rounded out the First Team. Getman became a two-time First-Team All-GAC honoree. She matched Bass with 12 double-doubles. She ended her season second in the league in scoring and third in rebounding. Cardenas and Young joined Bass, Kilburn and Getman as the league's top five scorers. Young also ranked second in the GAC in field-goal and free-throw percentage. She connected on 52.8 percent from the floor and 86.8 percent from the line. Williams led the champion Lady Bisons in scoring and ranked third in the GAC in assists per game.
Allen headlined the All-GAC Second Team. East Central’s Katie Edelen, Harding’s Kori Sanders, Ouachita Baptist’s Madeleine Tipton and Southeastern’s Kenzli Warden earned spots on the Second Team.
The Honorable Mention team consisted of Henderson State teammates Grayson Fairless and Brynlee Huggins, Arkansas Tech’s AbbiGrace Cunningham, Arkansas-Monticello’s Alindsey Long, East Central’s Rylie Burnett, Harding’s Maddi Holt, Ouachita Baptist’s Heidi Robinson, SAU’s Bright, Southern Nazarene’s Jillian Crawford and SWOSU’s Sincere Jackson.
The GAC Academic Honor Roll featured a total of 71 student-athletes to have achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50, or higher, combined with at least one year of one-year of full-time college residency.