Press Release
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Tuesday, the Great American Conference announced the results of its 2021 spring women’s soccer preseason poll. Oklahoma Baptist edged out Southwestern Oklahoma State and Ouachita for the top position.
The Bison earned three first-place votes and finished one point ahead of the Bulldogs. They return five All-GAC selections from 2019 headlined by First-Team midfielder Hannah White. Her 13 points ranked third on the team. Tori Kitchel, an Honorable Mention forward tallied 18 points, including seven goals. Goalkeeper Emily Griffith led the league with a 1.03 goals-against average.
A season ago, the Bulldogs won their fourth GAC regular-season and tournament titles. They qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the third time. They must replace All-American Sandra Nabweteme, the league’s all-time leader in goals, assists, points and game-winning goals. They will return 2019 Freshman of the Year Brenna McGuirk as well as three other sophomores – midfielder Claire Torry, defender Elizabeth Moreno and goalkeeper Kirstyn Dill that placed on the All-GAC First Team as freshmen. McGuirk ranked second to Nabweteme in goals, points and assists. Dill registered seven shutouts and ranked second in the GAC in goals-against average and save percentage.
The Tigers return a pair of unanimous 2019 First-Team honorees in midfielder Jaymee Dotson Ouachita and defender Carmen Scott. Scott added the league’s Defender of the Year award to her accolades. Forward Ashlyn Heckman ranked second in the GAC in points per game, goals per game and game-winning goals.
Harding took fourth in the poll and East Central finished fifth. The Lady Bisons’ Emma Welch made the All-GAC First Team and the USC All-Central Region Third Team in 2019. Her five assists ranked fourth in the conference. The Tigers’ Allie Verner led the team in assists and ranked second on the team in both goals and points to earn a spot on the All-GAC Honorable Mention team.
Northwestern Oklahoma State placed sixth in the voting, followed by Southern Nazarene. The Rangers return goalkeeper Reyna Gonzalez, the 2019 GAC Newcomer of the Year. Her 104 saves ranked second in the conference. The Crimson Storm’s Karsyn Matthews led Southern Nazarene in goals and points last season.
Ouachita is scheduled to open the spring season with a home contest against the University of the Ozarks on Sunday, January 31. The six-week league schedule begins on Friday, February 19 with the preseason favored Bison visiting Harding. One day later, Northwestern Oklahoma State hosts East Central and Southern Nazarene heads to Ouachita. SWOSU opens its league slate with Northwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday, February 28th.
The GAC Championship takes on a new format as it will take place over two weekends. The first round will take place on Saturday, April 10 with the semifinals and final set for Thursday April 15 and Saturday April 17.
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