RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Wednesday, the Great American Conference released the results of the 2024-25 GAC women’s golf country ballot. Henderson State collected five first-place votes to enter the season as the preseason favorite.
A season ago, the Reddies captured their fourth-straight GAC Championship title and their third consecutive NCAA Division II Central Region Championship. The team saw GAC Player of the Year Allie Bianchi exhaust her eligibility and coach Colton Cowan take the head women’s coach position at Southern Miss. They return 2023-24 First-Team selection Felisa Sajulga and 2023 Freshman of the Year Lily Nelson. Sajulga registered five top-10 finishes while Nelson, who only competed in two regular season tournaments and the three postseason events, finished inside the top eight in all five starts.
Southwestern Oklahoma State received three first-place votes and took second in the voting. The Bulldogs finished third at the GAC Championships and second at the Central Region Championships to qualify for the National Championships for the third time in program history. SWOSU returns First-Team All-GAC honoree Drew Dodgion and Second-Team performer Freya Sala. Sala turned in a runner-up showing at the GAC Championships and tied for fifth at the Regional Championships. Dodgion notched a pair of runner-up results as part of four top-5 finishes.
Harding picked up the outstanding two first-place votes and finished third in the poll. The Lady Bisons finished second at the GAC Championships and earned a second-straight berth to the Central Region Championships. They bring back Pilar Martinez, an Honorable Mention All-GAC selection and Sydney Kincade, the 2023-24 GAC Freshman of the Year. Martinez’s sophomore season featured a win at the Northeastern State Classic while Kincade registered six top-20 finishes, including an 11th-place result at the Central Region Championships.
Arkansas Tech claimed the fourth position. Ellen Spigner qualified for NCAA Regional play for the second-straight season. She finished second at the event to earn a spot at the National Championships. In Orlando, she finished in a tie for 27th.
Oklahoma Baptist finished in fifth, followed by Southern Nazarene. Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southeastern Oklahoma State tied for seventh. Southern Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the poll. The Rangers’ Romane Lacoste capped her freshman season by tying for second at the GAC Championships.
The fall portion of the 2024-25 championship season begins on Tuesday, September 3 when seven schools – Henderson State, SWOSU, Arkansas Tech, Oklahoma Baptist, Southern Nazarene, Southern Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello – compete at the Central Region Fall Preview. Harding, Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southeastern Oklahoma State tee it up for the first time at the Northeastern State Women’s Classic.