RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Harding, the 2015 Great American Conference women’s soccer regular-season and tournament champions, captured the first-place vote from each of the league’s other six head coaches to enter 2016 as the preseason favorite, the conference office announced on Thursday.
The Lady Bisons posted a 15-4-2 record, including 10-0-0 at home, to earn the program’s first outright regular-season crown. Wins against Southern Nazarene and Southwestern Oklahoma State at the GAC Championships resulted in a trip the NCAA Tournament for the team for the first time since 2004.
Harding returns half of its 10 2015 All-GAC selections led by Sutherland sisters – Melita, a senior defender, and Bethany a sophomore midfielder. Melita captured GAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and earned a spot on the Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-America Third Team as she anchored a defense that recorded a school-record 11 shutouts. As a freshman, Bethany set the school and GAC single-season records for goals, 23, and points, 51. She received the GAC Freshman of the Year award became one of three freshmen in the country named to the D2CCA All-America Team. The Lady Bisons bring back All-GAC forwards Rachel Bacon and Carley Stevens as well as All-GAC defender Sierra Phillips.
SWOSU placed second in the poll. After a down 2014, the Bulldogs bounced back with 13-6-1 record in 2015. Four freshmen garnered All-GAC honors, led by Kylee Bertrand who unanimously made the First Team at defender and added All-Region honors. Fellow freshmen defenders Dajhane Turner and Eric Brunet joined Bertrand on the All-GAC teams, as did midfielder Sarah Wilson. Courtney Flores earned her second GAC Goalkeeper of the Year award. The defensive stalwarts helped SWOSU tie for the GAC lead in shutouts, 11. Olivia Butler, a Second-Team All-GAC midfielder returns for her junior year.
Ouachita finished third in the poll. For the first time since 2012, the Tiger offense will not feature record-setting forward Haley Hatcher. Hatcher, a three-time GAC Player of the Year and two-time All-American amassed 55 goals in 56 career games. The Tigers return four All-GAC performers - unanimous First-Team selection Tessa Woodcock and three midfielders. Woodcock became a three-time First-Team pick as she led a defense that produced eight shutout wins. In the midfield, Ouachita brings back First-Team selection Bryson Rial, Second-Team pick Natalia Arteaga and Bryson Thomas, an Honorable Mention choice.
Southern Nazarene claimed the fourth position in the poll. The Crimson Storm also finished in fourth in last year’s regular season standings, but did hand Southwestern Oklahoma State its lone home loss. Four All-GAC selections from 2015 return for the Crimson Storm, headlined by First-Team midfielder Alyssa Glitzke. Her three goals ranked third on the team behind fellow returning All-GAC performers Kelsi Bussert and Hannah Robinson. As a freshman, Bussert scored six goals while Robinson, the 2014 GAC Freshman of the Year added three goals and two assists. Goalkeeper Natasha Fuentes led the GAC in save percentage as she earned a spot on the Honorable Mention list.
East Central, Oklahoma Baptist and Northwestern Oklahoma State filled out the poll. The Tigers return their leading scorer, Taylor Kennedy. She ranked fourth in both goals and points. The Bison, in their first season of Division II play, posted a 6-11 record, 3-9 in the GAC. The Rangers, with second-year head coach Craig Liddell, feature Briana Legaspi in goal for her senior season. She will enter 2016 ranked second among active goalkeepers in saves.
The 2016 GAC soccer season begins on Thursday, September 1 with Southwestern Oklahoma State, East Central and Oklahoma Baptist opening at home while Northwestern Oklahoma State hits the road. The following day, Ouachita will host the GAC/MIAA Challenge with Harding joining Emporia State and Missouri Western State in Arkadelphia and Southern Nazarene facing Central Oklahoma. The GAC regular-season champion will host the 2016 Championship Tournament, with the semifinals taking place on Thursday, November 3 and the title game set for Saturday, November 5.