RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Wednesday, the Great American Conference announced the results of its 2022-23 women’s basketball preseason coaches’ poll. Harding received eight of the 12 first-place votes from the league’s head coaches to enter the season as the favorite.
A season ago, the Lady Bisons went 19-10 and reached the semifinals of the GAC Championships. They return First-Team All-GAC selection in Sage Hawley. She led the conference in rebounding at 9.8 per game. Her 15.7 points per game ranked seventh and her 1.7 blocks per game ranked fourth. She also shot 51.4 percent from the floor.
Southern Nazarene received two first-place votes and took second in the voting. In 2021-22, the Crimson Storm registered their first 20-win season since 2012-13. Cassandra Awatt, the team’s leading scorer and a First-Team All-GAC honoree returns. Peyton Jones, who led the team in scoring in 2021 returns from an injury that cost her all but one game last season.
Henderson State claimed third place in the poll. The Reddies went 19-11 last season, their fourth-straight full season of at least 18 wins. Ashley Farrar, a Second-Team All-GAC performer returns after leading the Reddies in scoring at 17.5 points per game. She represents the top returning scorer in the conference.
Arkansas Tech finished fourth. The Golden Suns upset Southern Nazarene and Harding to reach the title game of the 2022 GAC Championships. Kaley Shipman made the All-GAC Second Team after leading the team in scoring, 3-point field goals and 3-point field goal percentage.
Southwestern Oklahoma State took fifth. The Lady Bulldogs won their fifth-straight GAC regular-season title and their fourth GAC Championship. They must replace D2CCA National Player of the Makyra Tramble. They return a pair of starters in Macy Gore and Karly Gore. Macy Gore averaged 11.3 points and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 38.1 percent from the 3-point arc. Karly Gore averaged 10.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per Jeff Zinn takes over for Kelsi Musick as head coach.
Southeastern Oklahoma State edged East Central by one point for sixth. Briley Moon and Kamryn Cantwell, the Savage Storm’s top-two leading scorers and two leading rebounders, return. They combined for 29.3 points per game and both shot above 80.0 percent from the free-throw line. Moon shot 40.3 percent from the 3-point arc.
The Tigers feature 2021-22 Newcomer of the Year Kate Ogle and Second-Team All-GAC guard Mackenzie Crusoe. Crusoe led the team in scoring, rebounding and steals. Ogle shot 37.4 percent from the 3-point arc and led the team in blocked shots.
Oklahoma Baptist finished in eighth, followed by Northwestern Oklahoma State, Ouachita Baptist and Southern Arkansas. Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the poll. David Midlick takes over as the Blossoms’ head coach.
Southern Nazarene opens regular-season play as the Crimson Storm compete in the 2022 D2CCA Tip-Off Classic on November 5 and 6 in Kansas City, Missouri. The 2023 GAC Championships take place from Thursday, March 2 through Sunday, March 5.