The Great American Conference (GAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, with headquarters located in Russellville, Arkansas. Athletic competition began play during the 2011–12 school year. Its twelve all-sports member schools are located in Arkansas and Oklahoma in the South Central United States. The conference also has four men's soccer affiliate members, two in Kansas and two in Oklahoma.
History
The conference's charter members previously competed in the Lone Star Conference (East Central University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University) and the Gulf South Conference (Arkansas Tech University, University of Arkansas at Monticello, Harding University, Henderson State University, Ouachita Baptist University, and Southern Arkansas University) before forming the GAC in 2010. The new conference is intended to reduce travel costs for its member universities.
On May 11, 2011, the conference invited Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Southern Nazarene University to the conference for the 2012–13 academic year. Those universities continued to compete in the Sooner Athletic Conference during the 2011–12 season before joining the conference.
On July 11, 2014, the NCAA Division II Membership Committee approved the membership application for Oklahoma Baptist University to move from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and it joined the conference for the 2015–16 season.
The GAC and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) announced a partnership in June 2018 to combine their men's tennis and men's soccer leagues in both sports from the 2019–20 academic year. Under the agreement, the MIAA will organize the tennis league and the GAC will organize the soccer league.
Chronological timeline 2011 – The Great American Conference (GAC) was founded. Charter members included six schools from the state of Arkansas (Arkansas Tech, Arkansas–Monticello, Harding, Henderson State, Ouachita Baptist, and Southern Arkansas from the Gulf South Conference) and three schools from the state of Oklahoma (East Central, Southeastern Oklahoma State, and Southwestern Oklahoma State from the Lone Star Conference) effective beginning the 2011–12 academic year. 2012 – Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene joined the GAC effective in the 2012–13 academic year. 2015 – Oklahoma Baptist joined the GAC effective in the 2015–16 academic year. 2015 – Oklahoma Christian University and Rogers State University joined the GAC as affiliate members for men's and women's track & field outdoor effective in the 2016 spring season (2015–16 academic year). Both schools were Heartland Conference full members at this time. 2019 – Oklahoma Christian and Rogers State left the GAC as affiliate members for men's and women's track & field outdoor effective after the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year) due to moving to new primary conferences who sponsors the sports. 2019 – Fort Hays State University, Newman University, Northeastern State University, and Rogers State joined the GAC as affiliate members for men's soccer effective in the 2019 fall season (2019–20 academic year).
Member schools Current members InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameColorsJoinedArkansas Tech UniversityRussellville, Arkansas1909Public8,808Wonder Boys& Golden Suns2011Monticello, Arkansas19092,270Boll Weevils& Cotton Blossoms2011East Central UniversityAda, Oklahoma19092,460Tigers2011Harding UniversitySearcy, Arkansas1924Private(Churches of Christ)4,540Bisons& Lady Bisons2011Henderson State UniversityArkadelphia, Arkansas1890Public1,807Reddies2011Northwestern Oklahoma State UniversityAlva, Oklahoma18971,732Rangers2012Oklahoma Baptist UniversityShawnee, Oklahoma1910Private(Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma)1,409Bison2015Ouachita Baptist UniversityArkadelphia, Arkansas1886Private(Southern Baptist Convention)1,734Tigers2011Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityDurant, Oklahoma1909Public3,022Savage Storm2011Southern Arkansas UniversityMagnolia, Arkansas19093,250Muleriders2011Southern Nazarene UniversityBethany, Oklahoma1899Private(Church of the Nazarene)912Crimson Storm2012Southwestern Oklahoma State UniversityWeatherford, Oklahoma1901Public3,995Bulldogs2011
Affiliate members InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameColorsJoinedGACsportPrimaryconferenceFort Hays State UniversityHays, Kansas1902Public14,658Tigers2019soccer (M)Mid-AmericaNewman UniversityWichita, Kansas1933Catholic(A.S.C.)3,170Jets2019soccer (M)Mid-AmericaNortheastern State UniversityTahlequah, Oklahoma1909Public8,276RiverHawks2019soccer (M)Mid-AmericaRogers State UniversityClaremore, Oklahoma19094,227Hillcats2019soccer (M)Mid-America Rogers State — track & field outdoor (M), track & field outdoor (W) affiliate member in 2015–2019.
Former affiliate members InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationNicknameYearsGACsportPrimaryconferenceOklahoma Christian UniversityOklahoma City, Oklahoma1950Private(Churches of Christ)Eagles& Lady Eagles2015–2019track & field outdoor (M);track & field outdoor (W)Lone Star
Membership timeline
Sports
The GAC sponsors championships in seven men's and eight women's sports.
+Conference sportsSport (M) (W)Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Golf Soccer Softball Tennis Track & Field Indoor Track & Field Outdoor Volleyball
Men's sponsored sports by school SchoolBaseballBasketballCrossCountryFootballGolfSoccerTrack& FieldIndoor†Track& FieldOutdoorGACSportsArkansas Tech4Arkansas–Monticello5East Central6Harding7Henderson State5Northwestern Oklahoma State6Oklahoma Baptist5Ouachita Baptist6Southeastern Oklahoma State4Southern Arkansas6Southern Nazarene7Southwestern Oklahoma State4Totals1212812103865AffiliatesFort Hays State1Newman1Northeastern State1Rogers State1 † — Emerging sport; teams currently compete in Independent.
Women's sponsored sports by school SchoolBasketballCrossCountryGolfSoccerSoftballTennisTrack& FieldIndoor†Track& FieldOutdoorVolleyballGACSportsArkansas Tech7Arkansas–Monticello5East Central7Harding8Henderson State7Northwestern Oklahoma State7Oklahoma Baptist7Ouachita Baptist7Southeastern Oklahoma State7Southern Arkansas7Southern Nazarene7Southwestern Oklahoma State7Totals1212117126111283 † — Emerging sport; teams currently compete in Independent.
Other sponsored sports by school SchoolMenWomenSwimming& DivingTennisWrestlingSwimming& DivingHardingMIAAHenderson StateNSISCNSISCOuachita BaptistNSISCMIAAMIAANSISCSoutheastern Oklahoma StateMIAASouthern ArkansasMIAA
Women's NCAA emerging sports by school SchoolStuntOklahoma BaptistINDSouthern NazareneIND
Awards
Scholar-Athlete of the Year The male and female scholar-athlete of the year awards are voted upon by the league's faculty athletic representatives or designees. YearMaleFemale2011–12Travis Kincheloe, Football (SOSU)Emily Kennemer, Softball (ECU)2012–13Mickey Hammer, Cross Country (SAU)Amy Madden, Softball (SNU)2013–14Kevin Rodgers, Football (HSU)Kristen Celsor, Basketball (HU)2014–15Davis Richardson, Baseball (HU)Arielle Saunders, Basketball (HU)2015–16Colin Pasque, Track & Field (SNU)Autumn Suydam, Softball (ECU)2016–17Colin Pasque, Track & Field (SNU)Kori Bullard, Volleyball / Basketball (OBU)2017–18Ty Reasnor, Football (ATU)Kori Bullard, Volleyball / Basketball (OBU)2018–19Dylan McDearmon, Baseball (ATU)Mariah Ewy, Softball (ECU)2019–20Mills Bryant, Football (HU)Abbie Winchester, T&F / Cross country (ECU)2020–21Matthew Hipshire, Track & Field (HU)Allie Bianchi, Golf (HSU)2021–22Matthew Hipshire, Track & Field (HU)Allie Bianchi, Golf (HSU)2022–23Cody Smith, Baseball (HU)Allie Bianchi, Golf (HSU)2023–24Sam Tandy, Golf (HU)Anna Kay Clark, Track & Field (HU)2024–25Colter Bufford, Track & Field (SNU)Sage Hawley, Basketball (HU)2025–26Colter Bufford, Track & Field (SNU)Elise Knight, Track & Field (OKBU)
Athlete of the Year The male and female athlete of the year awards are voted upon by the league's sports information directors or designees. YearMaleFemale2011–12Johnie Davis, Basketball (ATU)Kayla Jackson, Softball (UAM)2012–13Kevin Rodgers, Football (HSU)Roselis Silva, Basketball (ATU)2013–14Kevin Rodgers, Football (HSU)Rebecka Surtevall, Golf (ATU)2014–15Michael Hearne, Golf (SNU)Rebecka Surtevall, Golf (ATU)2015–16Corey Wood, Baseball (UAM)Jalissa Gum, Softball (ATU)2016–17Trevor Rucker, Baseball (SAU)Maddie Dow, Softball (SAU)2017–18Zach James, Golf (SOSU)Brooke Goad, Softball (SAU)2018–19Bryce Bray, Football (HU)Hailey Tucker, Basketball (SWOSU)2019–20Jhonathan Dunn, Basketball (SNU)Kim Moosbacher, Tennis (OKBU)2020–21Dorian Chaigneau, Track & Field (HU)Mahina Sauer, Softball (SNU)2021–22Jeremy Adorno, Baseball (SAU)Tymber Riley, Softball / Volleyball (ATU)2022–23Lamar Taylor, Swimming (HSU)Kayleigh Jones, Softball (OKBU)2023–24Nathaniel Wallace, Football (HU)Allie Bianchi, Golf (HSU)2024–25Sean Dixon, Track & Field (OKBU)Brinson Rogers, Softball (SAU)2025–26Vlad Malykhin, Track & Field (HU)Jamora Horace, Track & Field (OKBU)
All-Sports Trophy
The All-Sports Trophy is presented to the athletic department with the highest point total at the end of the athletic year. Points are recorded in all sponsored sports with six or more participants. The regular season standings will determine the points for the sports of baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, football, women's soccer, softball, women's tennis, and volleyball. The conference championship will determine the points for the sports of men's cross country, women's cross country, men's golf, and women's golf.
SeasonSchool2011–12Arkansas Tech2012–13Arkansas Tech2013–14Arkansas Tech2014–15Arkansas Tech2015–16Arkansas Tech2016–17Harding2017–18Arkansas Tech2018–19Harding2019–20No Standings due to COVID-192021Harding2021–22Harding2022–23Harding2023–24Harding2024–25Harding2025–26Harding
NACDA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Rankings The NACDA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup is an annual award given by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to the U.S. colleges and universities with the most success in collegiate athletics.
YearATUUAMECUHUHSUNWOSUOKBUOBUSOSUSAUSNUSWOSU2011–12171—194216195——79—201——2012–13147——116110——125231211—942013–1471228—142148——188175191—1762014–1574—17214686——1092252092301772015–16101208214138120——1961171982611212016–1711019021762140———1802172322352017–1891——111138—502031631412511142018–19111239—151175—392041411231931002019–20No Standings due to COVID-192020–212021–22109——9293—175168—121—2362022–23237——4898—2061341651091562262023–242111991581659—1511262381731192052024–2517123919825105—12872—1301972312025–26121—2153520022857166—180224195
Conference Champions
Current champions
+Fall 2016SportSchoolCrossCountry(M)East Central(Team)Kevin Matthews (ECU)(Individual)CrossCountry(W)East Central(Team)Anna Mora (ECU)(Individual)FootballHardingSoccer(M)Oklahoma Baptist(Season)Harding(Tournament)Soccer(W)Southwestern Oklahoma State(Season)Harding(Tournament)Volleyball(W)Harding(Season)Southern Nazarene(Tournament)
+Winter 2016–17SportSchoolBasketball(M)East Central(Season)East Central(Tournament)Basketball(W)Harding(Season)Harding(Tournament)
+Spring 2017SportSchoolBaseballSouthern Arkansas(Season)Arkansas–Monticello(Tournament)Golf(M)Henderson State(Team)Nick Shapiro (HSU)(Individual)Golf(W)Arkansas Tech(Team)Elin Wahlin (SWOSU)(Individual)SoftballHarding(Season)Harding(Tournament)Tennis(M)Oklahoma Baptist(Season)Oklahoma Baptist(Tournament)Tennis(W)Southeastern Oklahoma State(Season)Southeastern Oklahoma State(Tournament)Track& FieldOutdoorHarding(Men)Harding(Women)
Total conference championships Total conference postseason championships and football regular season championships won by each school.