Tweet #theGAC  RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Thursday, the Great American Conference announced Henderson State’s national champion Lamar Taylor as its 2022-23 Male Athlete of the Year.

Taylor, a dominant swimmer, became the second Reddie selected as a GAC Athlete of the Year. Former standout quarterback Kevin Rodgers claimed the Male Athlete of the Year for both 2012-13 and 2013-14.

He became Henderson State’s first individual NCAA National Champion since 2010 when he touched first in the 50-yard freestyle. He followed up that victory by winning the 100-yard backstroke and the 100-yard freestyle. He became only the second Red Wave swimmer to ever win multiple NCAA titles and the first Division II male swimmer with three individual national titles at one event since 2021. Henderson State placed ninth at the event, its best result since 2007.



Taylor’s season culminated in him earning six All-American honors and receiving the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Male Swimmer of the Year accolade. He owns three individual school records and raced on four relay teams that established program records.

Other nominees for the 2022-23 GAC Male Athlete of the Year award included Arkansas Tech’s Jesus Zizumbo (Football), Arkansas-Monticello’s Mason Philley (Baseball), East Central’s Devon Roush (Football), Harding’s Dakarai Bush (Track & Field), Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Malik Parsons (Basketball), Oklahoma Baptist’s Alex Schroeder (Baseball), Ouachita Baptist’s TJ Cole (Football), Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Marquis Gray (Football), Southern Arkansas’ Brett McGee (Baseball), Southern Nazarene’s Gage Porter (Football) and Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Kamden Gipson (Basketball).