Southwestern Oklahoma St. claimed perhaps the biggest win of the week, defeating previously-one-loss Drury in five sets up in Topeka, Kan. at the Ichabod Classic. Prior to that win, SWOSU improved to 1-0 in conference play after defeating Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Okla., 3-1.
Arkansas Tech (7-6, 1-0 GAC), Northwestern Oklahoma State (7-6, 1-0 GAC) and Ouachita Baptist (5-8, 1-0 GAC) each also claimed game-one conference victories.
Henderson State (6-7, 0-1 GAC), after falling to ATU, went 3-1 at the Triton Invite in St. Petersburg, Fla. with wins over Georgia College & State, Saint Leo and Franklin Pierce. Reddies sophomore outside hitter recorded a double-double in all five matches this past week, averaging 14.4 kills and 18.8 digs through five matches.
Week three was the final non-conference weekend of the 2026 season as teams will proceed with league play the rest of the season outside of mid-week non-conference contests.
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 league this week with 4.27 kills per set and 5.00 points per set while she reached 1,000 career kills in the Bison’s match against Fort Hays State, becoming just the 95th player since 2022 to achieve 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs at the NCAA Division II level. Unruh currently leads the nation in aces (28), ranks 28th in points per set (4.44), and is fourth in total kills (159) through Sept. 10.
DEFENSIVE
Rauly Eason | Harding | MB | Jr. | Orange Park, Fla.
Harding junior middle blocker Rauly Eason led a dominant week for the Lady Bisons defense, dropping just one set on the week while holding opponents to a .109 attack percentage across four matches. Eason recorded 17 blocks on the week, including posting a career-high eight blocks in a three-set victory against Missouri S&T. The Sunshine State native is currently 10th in the conference with 0.84 blocks per set.
SETTER
Olivia Wiedower | Harding | S | Sr. | Conway, Ark.
Harding senior setter Olivia Wiedower facilitated a highly efficient HU offense that held a .249 attack percentage for the week. Wiedower averaged 11.4 assists per set, totaling 148 assists. The fourth-year setter averaged just under 13 assists per set in a three-set victory against Missouri S&T, tallying a 38-assist, 11-dig double-double. Wiedower is 20th in the NCAA Division II with 10.03 assists per set in games through Sept. 10.
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)
GAC Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 Kaylon Partain, Henderson State
Sept. 7 Hannah Morgan, Southern Nazarene
Sept. 14 Rauly Eason, Harding
GAC Setter of the Week
Aug. 31 Emily Boyer, Oklahoma Baptist
Sept. 7 Mackenzie Sims, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Sept. 14 Olivia Wiedower, Harding
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