Tweet #theGAC  RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Friday, the Great American Conference announced Southern Nazarene softball All-American Mahina Sauer as its Female Athlete of the Year.
 
She made program history as she became the first Crimson Storm player to win a league superlative award as she garnered Player of the Year. She led the conference in average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, home runs and total bases. Her .460 average matched the top single-season mark in GAC history.
 
The honors continued for Sauer as she made the NFCA Second Team All-American Team and the D2CCA Third Team All-American Team – both program firsts. Additionally, she became the Crimson Storm’s first four-time All-GAC honoree as well as a two-time Distinguished Scholar Athlete recipient.
 
She became the second Crimson Storm student athlete in as many years named an Athlete of the Year following Jhonathan Dunn win as the GAC 2020 Male Athlete of the Year. She joined Arkansas-Monticello’s Kayla Jackson (2011-12), Arkansas Tech’s Jalissa Gum (2015-16), Southern Arkansas’ Maddie Dow (2016-17) and Brooke Goad (2017-18) as past softball All-Americans that claimed the league’s Female Athlete of the Year accolade.
 
Other nominees for the 2021 GAC Female Athlete of the Year award included Arkansas-Monticello’s Katie Pearson (Volleyball), Arkansas Tech’s Jacqueline Klemm (Golf), East Central’s Aaliyah Regg-Wajid (Cross Country/Track & Field), Harding’s Anna Kay Clark (Track & Field), Henderson State’s Allie Bianchi (Golf), Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Kaydee Honeycutt (Volleyball), Oklahoma Baptist’s Malia Leatherland (Volleyball), Ouachita’s Ashlyn Heckman (Soccer), Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Cheyenne Mahy (Softball), Southern Arkansas’ Victoria Taylor (Softball) Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Makyra Tramble (Basketball).