Henderson tallies second-most spring sports points in GAC

RUSSELLVILLE — Henderson State earned the second-most points in the spring season in the Great American Conference to finish the academic year ranked sixth overall.

The Reddies finished just 1.5 points behind fifth-place Southeastern Oklahoma State. They climbed the standings in the spring thanks to a fifth consecutive GAC Championship in men’s golf and top four finishes in women’s golf, baseball and softball.

Arkansas Tech captured the 2017–18 GAC All-Sports Trophy after completing an academic calendar year that saw all 10 of its teams finish their seasons in the top half of the GAC standings.

Tech overcame a 4.5-point deficit it faced entering the spring as the Golden Suns and Wonder Boys combined for one title in women’s golf and a pair of second-place finishes in men’s golf and softball to overtake Harding and win the program’s sixth GAC All-Sports award in the league’s seven-year history. All three of those teams qualified for NCAA postseason while the two golf teams each advanced to the NCAA National Championships.

The Bisons took second in the standings. The women’s track team’s second-place result produced the best spring finish for the program. The men’s golf team shared fourth and also earned its second straight trip to the NCAA Central/Midwest Super Regional.

Oklahoma Baptist completed its first season as a full member of the GAC by placing third in the All-Sports race. The Lady Bison claimed championships in women’s tennis and women’s track & field while the Bison baseball team shared second with Southern Arkansas. In addition to the women’s tennis and baseball teams, the women’s golf team also qualified for NCAA postseason play.

Southern Arkansas jumped from ninth following the winter standings up to fourth after softball won its first GAC regular season championship and baseball shared second with Oklahoma Baptist. The Lady Muleriders advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second time in three years and reached the semifinals. The baseball team hosted an NCAA Division II regional and defeated eventual national champion Augustana.

Southeastern took second in women’s tennis and third in both men’s golf and softball. The Savage Storm golf team advanced to the NCAA National Championships for the second time in three years.

Southwestern Oklahoma State edged Southern Nazarene by 1.5 points for seventh. The Lady Bulldogs turned in a program-best second-place finish in women’s golf. Both golf teams earned trips to the NCAA Regionals for the sixth straight spring.

After consecutive 12th-place finishes, Northwestern Oklahoma State completed the greatest year-to-year improvement in All-Sports history. Northwestern tallied 51 points, 26.5 more than last year, and placed ninth.

East Central, Ouachita Baptist and Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the standings. The Boll Weevils won their first GAC baseball regular season title.