RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Thursday, the Great American Conference released the results of the 2024-25 GAC men’s golf country ballot. Harding collected five first-place votes to edge out Henderson State as the preseason favorite.
The Bisons qualified for the NCAA DIvision II National Championships for the second-straight year following a third-place at the Central/Midwest Super Regional. José Arzú won the GAC’s Freshman of the Year honor after he registered five top-10 results. He took seventh at the Super Regional. Dennis Staykov, an Honorable Mention All-GAC selection, overcame a three-shot final-round deficit to win the medalist honor at the GAC Championships. He followed up with consecutive top-20 showings at the Super Regional and at the National Championships.
The Reddies joined the Bisons at the National Championships after finishing second at the Super Regionals. They won their third-straight GAC Championship title. Matt Ward takes over as head coach. Ethan Wilkins, a First-Team All-GAC performer returns following a 2023-24 season that included seven top-10 finishes. Alex Hadden, a member of the All-GAC Second Team, won the individual title at the Central/Midwest Super Regional following a second-place finish at the GAC Championships.
Southwestern Oklahoma State finished third, four points clear of Southern Arkansas. SWOSU’s Sutton McMillan claimed a spot on the All-Tournament Team at the 2024 GAC Championships following a tie for fourth. Last season, the Muleriders secured their third-straight trip to the Central/Midwest Super Regional. Logan McDonald, a First-Team All-GAC selection and All-Tournament performer returns for SAU as well as Wil Griffin II, a member of the Honorable Mention All-GAC Team.
Arkansas Tech placed fifth followed by Southern Nazarene. Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southeastern Oklahoma State tied for seventh, followed by Arkansas-Monticello. The Rangers’ Max Courange, the Savage Storm’s Jesse Rouse and the Weevil’s Owen return after all three made the All-GAC Honorable Mention Team.
The fall portion of the 2024-25 championship season begins on Monday, September 9 with three schools - Harding, Southwestern Oklahoma State and Arkansas-Monticello - taking to the course. The Bisons and Bulldogs head to Central Missouri for The Mule while the Weevils travel to Alabama for Montevallo’s Full Moon Invitational. All nine schools will compete at the NSU Men’s Golf Classic on Monday, September 16 and Tuesday the 17th.