RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Monday, the Great American Conference announced that a record 1,381 student-athletes achieved Academic All-Conference honors, an increase of 36 from the prior high.
Harding led with 168 student-athletes earning GAC Academic All-Conference marks. The Bisons and Lady Bisons collected the most All-Academic selections in men’s golf, men’s track & field and women’s track & field. The football, men’s cross country, volleyball, women’s golf and women’s tennis all ranked second.
2022-23 GAC Academic All-Conference Team
Southern Nazarene ranked second with 163 All-Academic performers. The Crimson Storm led the conference for all-academic honorees in football, men’s soccer and women’s basketball. The 44 honorees in football represented the highest total in any sport in the league. Southern Nazarene’s baseball and volleyball both produced the second-most All-Academic selections.
Ouachita Baptist narrowly finished third with 155 All-Academic team members. Both the Tigers’ men’s and women’s cross country teams led the conference in those respective sports.
Northwestern Oklahoma State followed in fourth, followed by East Central. The Rangers saw their baseball and women’s soccer teams pace the league.
Southwestern Oklahoma State placed 101 on the All-Academic Team, followed by 100 from both Arkansas Tech and Oklahoma Baptist. For the second-straight year, both the Bulldogs’ men’s and women’s golf teams led the conference in selections. The Golden Suns led in women’s tennis and matched Southern Arkansas for the most in softball, with 17 apiece.
SAU also led in men’s tennis. Henderson State’s 12 selections in volleyball and Southeastern Oklahoma State’s seven in men’s basketball also led the conference.
“Division II places the balance of athletic pursuit and academic excellence in its highest regards,” GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt said. “The ability for our student-athletes to re-establish records for All-Academic selections continues to impress me. It serves as a testament to the unparalleled faculty, administrators and support staff we have within the GAC.”
GAC football student-athletes garnered the most All-Academic selections, 282, followed by 202 from baseball, 156 in softball and 102 from women’s track & field.
For student-athletes to be recognized on the Academic All-Conference team, they must have enrolled as freshmen prior to the fall of 2022. In addition, their grade-point average must be a minimum of 3.30 based on the 4.0 system. The GPA shall be cumulative for the athlete's entire collegiate career.