Reigning National Champion Arkansas Tech named “theGAC Men’s Golf favorite

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Thursday, the Great American Conference announced the results of its 2021-22 GAC men's golf preseason coaches' poll. Arkansas Tech, coming off of a national championship in May, received all eight available first-place votes to enter the fall as the favorite.

After winning the GAC title and finishing third at the Central/Midwest Regional, the Wonder Boys took second in the stroke play portion of the National Championships. They defeated Central Missouri in the quarterfinals and top-ranked West Florida in the semifinals. In the final against Georgia Southwestern, Francois Jacobs and Henry Frizzell scored convincing match play wins. Andre Jacobs rallied from an early three-stroke deficit to clinch the winning point against Jaxson Daskalos.

Tech returns four of its five golfers that competed at the National Championships in the Jacobs brothers, Frizzell and Santiago De La Fuente. Andre Jacobs landed on the Golf Coaches Association of

American All-America Third Team while Francois Jacobs and De La Fuente made the Honorable Mention team. Frizzell won the individual title at the GAC Championships and De La Fuente claimed the GAC's Freshman of the Year honor.

Henderson State placed second, followed by Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Reddies took second at the GAC Championships and both the Reddies and Bulldogs finished in the top six at the Central/Midwest Regional. Henderson State brings back Mitchell Ford, who made the All-GAC First Team, as well as Miller Harris and Josh McNulty, two members of the GAC Championships All-Tournament Team. The Bulldogs return a pair of All-GAC selections in Gregor Weck and Anders Strand.

Southern Arkansas edged out Harding by a point for fourth place in the poll. While Muleriders lose GAC Player of the Year Kade Johnson to graduation, they bring back Roman Timmerman, a Second-Team All-GAC pick and an All-Region performer who qualified for the Central/Midwest Regional as an individual. Caleb Miller landed on the All-GAC Honorable Mention team.

Southeastern Oklahoma State finished sixth. Sydney Youngblood, a former Oklahoma Sooner golfer, takes over as head coach. Southern Nazarene, Arkansas-Monticello and Northwestern Oklahoma State rounded out the poll. The Weevils also feature a new head coach in Ken Hamilton.

Tech, Henderson State and SWOSU open the fall at the Washburn Invitational on September 13. That same day, Southern Nazarene hosts UAM, Harding, Southeastern Oklahoma State and Northwestern Oklahoma State at the GAC Preview.

The 2022 GAC Championships take place from Sunday, April 10th through Tuesday, April 12th. Hot Springs Country Club will host the event for the 10th time.