In 2024, the Tigers won their second GAC Championship title in the last three years after placing three inside the top 10 and all five scoring runners inside the top 20. They return three All-GAC performers in Allison Hylkema, Kate Nachtigal and Elise Knight.
Arkansas Tech received three first-place votes to take second in the balloting. A season ago, the Golden Suns scored their fourth runner-up showing at the GAC Championships. They return all five of All-GAC runners in Audrey Hill and Avery Stanley – who both placed on the First Team – plus Libby Booth, Ellie Akins and Peyton Carson. Akins won the Freshman of the Year honor after placing 13th at the GAC Championships.
East Central and Oklahoma Baptist tied for third in the poll. The Tigers collected a first-place vote. ECU brings back two 2024 All-GAC Second-Team runners in Carolyne Kimaiyo and Damaris Chewon. The Bison must replace Sophia Strange, who last year became the first GAC runner to win three straight individual titles.
Harding edged Southeastern Oklahoma State by two points for fifth place. The Lady Bisons bring back their two 2024 All-GAC runners in Josie Parks and Dinah Winders. Parks finished eighth last season to place on the First Team.
The Savage Storm’s Ashlen Clem and Anjelica Abraham return after both made the All-GAC teams. A season ago, Southeastern placed multiple runners on the All-GAC teams for the first time since 2013. Clem became the program’s first First-Team All-GAC runner since 2016.
Southern Arkansas finished in seventh, followed by Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene. Southwestern Oklahoma State placed 10th with Henderson State and Arkansas-Monticello rounding out the poll.
Henderson State and Arkansas-Monticello head to Central Arkansas for the UCA Bear Invitational on Saturday, August 30. East Central, Oklahoma Baptist and SWOSU will run at the Rogers State Distance After Dark event on Thursday, September 4. One day later, Southeastern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene will compete at the Aggie Duels. On Saturday the 6th, Ouachita Baptist hosts the Bob Gravett Invitational with Arkansas Tech, Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southern Arkansas all attending. Harding’s first race comes at its home event, the Steve Guymon Invitational, on Friday, September 12.
The 2025 GAC Championships take place on Saturday, October 25 with Arkansas-Monticello hosting for the second time in program history.
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