RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - With No. 12 Fort Hays State (12-2-3, 9-0-1 GAC) shutting out Ouachita Baptist (8-6-1, 5-5-0 GAC) to start off the week, FHSU clinched the regular season championship, earning the right to host the 2026 GAC Men's Soccer GAC Tournament Nov. 5-7.
No. 25 Rogers State (9-4-3, 5-3-2 GAC) became the second team to clinch a spot in next week's postseason tournament with a 1-0 road victory against Northeastern State (5-9-1, 4-5-1 GAC). Before that, however, Southern Nazarene (8-6-1, 5-4-1 GAC) claimed a much-needed three points with a win over RSU in Claremore.
Ouachita Baptist, after falling to Fort Hays, can clinch a spot in the tournament with a win over Northeastern State Thursday, Oct. 29. The Riverhawks, meanwhile, need to either win both of their remaining matches or win one of the two while having Southern Nazarene lose out with NSU holding the tiebreaker over SNU.
GREAT AMERICAN CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Juan Linares | Fort Hays State | MID | So. | Aguadulce, Spain
Fort Hays State sophomore midfielder Juan Linares spearheaded the offense for the Tigers in route to back-to-back GAC regular season championships after recording a pair of goals and assists in FHSU's championship-clinching 2-0 week. Against Ouachita Baptist, Linares assisted on two of the three goals to clinch the crown with a 3-0 victory before adding two goals against Harding in the 3-1 triumph. This is Linares' second GAC Offensive Player of the Week honor of the 2026 season.
DEFENSIVE
Tiago Moreira | Southern Nazarene | DEF | Sr. | Famalicão, Portugal
Southern Nazarene senior defender Tiago Moreira picked up his second GAC Defensive Player of the Week nod after playing all 90 minutes of the Crimson Storm's shutout effort on the road against No. 25 Rogers State. Thursday was RSU's first time getting shutout at home this season. In addition to the staunch defensive performance, Moreira assisted SNU's game-winning goal to give the Crimson Storm a valuable three points heading into the final week of the regular season.
GOALKEEPER
Ewan Persehaie | Southern Nazarene | GK | So. | Treffendel, France
Southern Nazarene sophomore goalkeeper Ewan Persehaie earns his first GAC Goalkeeper of the Week honor after shutting out No. 25 Rogers State in Claremore, Okla., delivering the Hillcats their first home shutout loss this season. In what was just his second start in goal this season, Persehaie accumulated a season-high six saves while facing nine shots.
WEEKLY AWARDS
GAC Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 1 Francisco Degiorgi, Fort Hays State
Sept. 8 Carter Adams, Northeastern State
Sept. 15 Diego Zamora, Southern Nazarene
Sept. 22 Juan Linares, Fort Hays State
Sept. 29 Wesley Rodriguez, Southern Nazarene
Oct. 6 Andy Castellanos, Ouachita Baptist
Oct. 13 Louis Bassett, Rogers State
Oct. 20 Andy Castellanos, Ouachita Baptist (x2)
Oct. 27 Juan Linares, Fort Hays State (x2)
GAC Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 1 Alex Fletcher, Rogers State
Sept. 8 Alex Laing, Rogers State
Sept. 15 Gian Filizzola, Rogers State
Sept. 22 Tiago Moreira, Southern Nazarene
Sept. 29 Avelino Rosa, Northeastern State
Oct. 6 Conor Mills, Rogers State
Oct. 13 Sam Ryder, Rogers State
Oct. 20 Kuan-Yi Li, Fort Hays State
Oct. 27 Tiago Moreira, Southern Nazarene (x2)
GAC Goalkeeper of the Week
Sept. 1 Tristan Miller, Rogers State
Sept. 8 Payton Roehrich, Fort Hays State
Sept. 15 Landon Summers, Ouachita Baptist
Sept. 22 Payton Roehrich, Fort Hays State (x2)
Sept. 29 Payton Roehrich, Fort Hays State (x3)
Oct. 6 Tristan Miller, Rogers State (x2)
Oct. 13 Payton Roehrich, Fort Hays State (x4)
Oct. 20 Payton Roehrich, Fort Hays State (x5)
Oct. 27 Ewan Persehaie, Southern Nazarene