A season ago, the Tigers captured the program’s first GAC Championship title as they defeated 2023 champion Oklahoma Baptist, 2024 regular-season champion Southwestern Oklahoma State and second-seeded Harding en route to the championship. The Tigers return First-Team All-GAC selection and Tournament MVP Courtney Hanson who ranked second in the league in assists per set. Additionally, Second-Team pick Emily Adams, Honorable Mention middle blocker Leah Gardner and All-Tournament selection Riley Braziel all return for the Tigers.
The Lady Bisons collected three first-place votes and finished second in the voting. Olivia Wiedower, who ranked third in the conference in assists per set, returns, as does Jacey Lambert, an Honorable Mention right side.
Oklahoma Baptist claimed one first-place vote and placed third in the poll. The Bison’s Emily Boyer edged out Hanson and Wiedower to finish 2024 as the GAC leader in assists per set.
SWOSU picked up the remaining two first-place votes and took fourth. Following the program’s first regular-season title, the Bulldogs must replace GAC Player of the Year Lacy Mott and Defensive Player of the Year Samantha Kuzma.
East Central edged out Henderson State for fifth. The Reddies bring back a pair of All-GAC selections in Second-Team outside hitter Katilyn Steffes and defensive specialist Kaylon Partain. Steffes, GAC Newcomer of the Year ranks as the top GAC returner in points per set. She ranked fourth at 3.96 per set. Partain ranked second in total digs and digs per set.
Southeastern Oklahoma took seventh, followed by Southern Nazarene, Arkansas Tech. The Savage Storm’s Patience Lewis led the GAC in total digs and ranked fifth in service aces. The Crimson Storm’s Kate Wright won the GAC Freshman of the Year award after she averaged 3.04 kills per set and hit .268. The Golden Suns feature a new head coach in Hannah Wuest. Her first team features 2024 Honorable Mention outside hitter Savannah Meyer.
Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southern Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the poll. In 2024, Mulerider libero Sadie Kabisch led the GAC, and ranked second in Division II, in digs per set at 6.42.
The 2025 season begins on Thursday, September 4 with SWOSU, Henderson State and Southeastern opening non-conference tournament play. The nine remaining teams debut the following day.
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