RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - No. 24 Oklahoma Baptist (19-4, 11-0 GAC) won its ninth and tenth consecutive match during the week, needing just six sets to down Henderson State (11-12, 5-6 GAC) and Ouachita Baptist (12-11, 8-3 GAC).
Oklahoma Baptist became the first team to clinch a spot in the 2026 GAC Tournament in Enid, Okla., Nov. 11-13 and is two conference wins shy of clinching the number one seed.
Harding (18-4, 8-3 GAC) stayed within three matches of the first-place Bison in the GAC standings after its own 2-0 week with four-set road wins over East Central (9-14, 4-7 GAC) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (9-13, 4-7 GAC).
Southern Arkansas (7-16, 2-9 GAC) picked up its second conference win of the season, 3-2 against Northwestern Oklahoma State (9-16, 3-8 GAC), before pushing fourth-place Southwestern Oklahoma State (14-9, 7-4 GAC) to five sets.
GREAT AMERICAN CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Rylee Unruh | Oklahoma Baptist | OH | Sr. | Lawrence, Kan.
Oklahoma Baptist senior outside hitter Rylee Unruh led the Bison to a pair of straight-set victories over Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist to tighten its hold on first place in the GAC standings. Unruh paced the OKB offense with 26 total kills in the six sets for 4.33 kills per set. After also tallying a pair of service aces and blocks, the three-time conference offensive player of the week led the league with 4.83 points per frame.
Additionally, Unruh recorded her 1000th dig in a Bison uniform against Ouachita, averaging 5.50 per set in that category on the week.
DEFENSIVE
Lauren Demuth | Harding | MB | Jr. | Mansfield, Texas
Harding junior middle blocker Lauren Demuth averaged a league-best 2.00 blocks per set across the Bisons' wins over East Central and Southeastern Oklahoma State. Against ECU, Demuth recorded a season--high 12 blocks, which was also the most blocks by any GAC player this season, as the third-year middle is the first GAC player to have a kills-blocks double-double in 2026.
SETTER
Emily Boyer | Oklahoma Baptist | S | Sr. | Choctaw, Okla.
Oklahoma Baptist senior setter Emily Boyer picked up her third GAC Setter of the Week honor after pacing the league with 13.87 assists per set in the Bison's efficient three-set wins over Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist. To finish the week, Boyer tallied 43 assists against Ouachita as OKB took a big step in claiming a 2026 GAC regular season championship.
WEEKLY AWARDS
GAC Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 Kate Wright, Southern Nazarene
Sept. 7 Rylee Unruh, Oklahoma Baptist
Sept. 14 Rylee Unruh, Oklahoma Baptist (x2)
Sept. 21 Melaina Haines, Harding
Sept. 28 Kate Wright, Southern Nazarene (x2)
Oct. 5 Melody Donegan, Oklahoma Baptist
Oct. 12 Henley Hooks, Arkansas Tech
Oct. 19 Rylee Unruh, Oklahoma Baptist (x3)
GAC Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 Kaylon Partain, Henderson State
Sept. 7 Hannah Morgan, Southern Nazarene
Sept. 14 Rauly Eason, Harding
Sept. 21 Kaylon Partain, Henderson State (x2)
Sept. 28 Patience Lewis, Southeastern Oklahoma State
Oct. 5 Riley Richardson, Southern Nazarene
Oct. 12 Kaylon Partain, Henderson State (x3)
Oct. 19 Lauren Demuth, Harding
GAC Setter of the Week
Aug. 31 Emily Boyer, Oklahoma Baptist
Sept. 7 Mackenzie Sims, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Sept. 14 Olivia Wiedower, Harding
Sept. 21 Emily Boyer, Oklahoma Baptist (x2)
Sept. 28 Mackenzie Sims, Southwestern Oklahoma State (x2)
Oct. 5 Jasmin Dion, Southeastern Oklahoma State
Oct. 12 Mack Bidwell, Ouachita Baptist
Oct. 19 Emily Boyer, Oklahoma Baptist (x3)