The Great American Conference sponsors championship events for 12 of its 13 sports. The football champion is the team with the best conference record.

The 2011–12 season was the first year of the conference. Arkansas Tech led the way with four championships (3 team, 1 individual). East Central and Harding each had three. As a new conference it did not receive automatic qualifying to NCAA championships; however, several teams and individuals were selected to postseason championships.

East Central, Harding, and Southern Arkansas participated in the men's cross country regional meet with ECU placing 2nd (3 top 10 runners) to advance to the national meet where ECU earned an 11th-place finish. Arkansas Tech, East Central, Harding, and Southern Arkansas participated in the women's cross country regional meet with HU placing 7th (1 top 10 runner). Arkansas Tech's volleyball team fell in the regional first round while the men's basketball team advanced to the regional finals, and Ouachita Baptist's men's tennis team advanced to the national quarterfinals. Rebecka Surteval (ATU) finished 16th at the women's golf super regional. Jack Garrett (ATU) finished 12th and Matt Jennings (HSU) finished 54th at the men's golf super regional. Southern Arkansas ended the Baseball regional with a 1–2 record, winning its first game.

Men's cross country

Champion Team – East Central Individual – Ezekiel Kissorio, East Central

East Central placed the top three individual finishes and four of the top six to capture the inaugural Great American Conference men's cross country championship.

ECU's Ezekiel Kissorio, Armando Saldivar, and Daniel Kiptoo finished first, second, and third, respectively. All seven of ECU's designated runners finished in the top 10. ECU finished with a total of 17 points.

Runner of the Year Ezekiel Kissorio, East Central

Freshman of the Year Lajos Farkas, Harding

Coach of the Year Steve Sawyer, East Central

All-GAC Team Ezekiel Kissorio, East Central Armando Saldivar, East Central Daniel Kiptoo, East Central Cale Eidson, East Central Jimmy Sutrick, East Central Lajos Farkas, Harding Austin Christian, East Central Mickey Hammer, Southern Arkansas Joel Dutton, East Central Phillip Biwott, Harding

Championships

Saturday, October 22Host: Harding University (Searcy, AR)

TeamIndividual (Top Ten)1East Central171Ezekiel Kissorio (ECU)24:26.332Harding472Armando Saldivar (ECU)24:32.843Southern Arkansas753Daniel Kiptoo (ECU)24:39.324Arkansas-Monticello1154Philip Biwott (HU)25:00.415Cale Eidson (ECU)25:05.376Jimmy Sutrick (ECU)25:05.547Lajos Farkas (HU)25:15.978Austin Christian (ECU)25:18.019Mickey Hammer (SAU)25:33.9910Joel Dutton (ECU)25:38.73

Women's cross country

Champion Team – Harding Individual – Gladys Kimtai, Harding

Harding placed all seven of its runners in the top 20 to win the inaugural Great American Conference women's cross country championship.

Four of Harding's seven runners finished in top 10 in the 5-kilometer race, highlighted by a first-place finish from Gladys Kimtai and a second-place finish from Eva Zaborowska. Harding finished with a total of 27 points.

Runner of the Year Gladys Kimtai, Harding

Freshman of the Year Ewa Zaborowska, Harding

Coach of the Year Steve Guymon, Harding

All-GAC 1st Team Olivia Campbell, Arkansas Tech Cheryl Nolan, Arkansas Tech Samantha Bartlett, East Central ReGina Germaine, East Central Colleta Songol, East Central Amber Walker, East Central Dallis Bailey, Harding Gladys Kimtai, Harding Mary Samoei, Harding Ewa Zaborowska, Harding

All-GAC 2nd Team Miranda Claxton, East Central Andrea McKinney, East Central Allison Dixon, Harding Amber Priest, Harding Rachel Roberts, Harding Johanna Casey, Ouachita Baptist Carli Langley, Southern Arkansas Olivia Ornelas, Southern Arkansas Jennifer Osborn, Southwestern Oklahoma State Melissa Banks, Southwestern Oklahoma State

Championships

Saturday, October 22Host: Harding University (Searcy, AR)

TeamIndividual (Top Ten)1Harding271Gladys Kimtai (HU)17:18.072East Central392Ewa Zaborowska (HU)17:30.723Arkansas Tech1093Cheryl Nolan (ATU)17:44.864Southern Arkansas1114Mary Samoei (HU)17:49.805Southwestern Oklahoma State1125Amber Walker (ECU)17:56.096Ouachita Baptist1676Samantha Bartlett (ECU)18:08.197Henderson State1917ReGina Germaine (ECU)18:31.498Southeastern Oklahoma State2248Dallis Bailey (HU)18:36.859Arkansas-Monticello2759Olivia Campbell (ATU)18:38.5310Colleta Songol (ECU)18:45.24

Football

Champion Ouachita Baptist

Ouachita Baptist clinched the inaugural Great American Conference Championship by defeating Southeastern Oklahoma State with a final score of 21–18. OBU (7–2, 6–0 GAC) finished the season at 7–3, and 6–1 in Great American Conference play. The conference championship marks the first since 1982.

Offensive Player of the Year Casey Cooper, Ouachita Baptist

Defensive Player of the Year Jason Catchings, East Central

Freshman of the Year Devin Benton, Southwestern Oklahoma State

Coach of the Year Todd Knight, Ouachita Baptist

All-GAC 1st Team QB – Casey Cooper, Ouachita Baptist RB – Mark Johnson, Southern Arkansas RB – Kale Gelles, Harding WR – D.J. Stephens, Arkansas-Monticello WR – A.J. Whitmore, Arkansas Tech WR – Zach Patteson, East Central TE – Ryan Shelley, Southeastern Oklahoma State UT – Jeremy Holt, Harding C – Seth Oxner, Arkansas-Monticello OL – Carlos Savala, East Central OL – Garrett Taylor, Harding OL – Roy Richard, Ouachita Baptist OL – Desmund Farris, East Central DE – Armonty Bryant, East Central DE – Roland Dampeer, Arkansas Tech DT – Taurus Williams, Ouachita Baptist DT – Antonio Leak, Henderson State ILB – Terrence Garrett, Ouachita Baptist ILB – Keaton Stigger, Henderson State OLB – Jason Catchings, East Central OLB – Bennie Anderson, Henderson State CB – Dontae Smith, East Central CB – Marvin Tribble, Southwestern Oklahoma State S – Clarence Laster, Southwestern Oklahoma State S – Norris Wrenn, East Central P – Derek Jambon, Arkansas-Monticello K – Eddy Carmona, Harding RS – A.J. Whitmore, Arkansas Tech

All-GAC 2nd Team QB – Tyler Vanderzee, East Central RB – Jarvis Smith, Henderson State RB – Nakita Myles, Arkansas-Monticello WR – George Robbins, East Central WR – Esau Bauknight, Southwestern Oklahoma State WR – Brett Reece, Ouachita Baptist TE – Phillip Supernaw, Ouachita Baptist UT – Bruce Hatton, Southwestern Oklahoma State C – Hunter Soper, Ouachita Baptist OL – Kyle Smith, Ouachita Baptist OL – Allen Hale, Southern Arkansas OL – Corey Godbolt, Ouachita Baptist OL – Tory Day, Harding DE – Josh Aldridge, Harding DE – Robbie Aldridge, Henderson State DT – Calvin Ursin, Arkansas-Monticello DT – Devin Benton, Southwestern Oklahoma State ILB – Kerel James, East Central ILB – Aaron Gillaspie, Harding OLB – Johnny Seals, Southeastern Oklahoma State OLB – Abraham Felton, Arkansas-Monticello CB – Eric Crocker, Arkansas-Monticello CB – A.J. Williams, Ouachita Baptist S – Jeremy Rodenburg, Henderson State S – Izzy Eziakor, Southeastern Oklahoma State P – Brian Gonzalez, East Central K – Colton Rainey, Southwestern Oklahoma State RS – Dontae Smith, East Central

All-GAC Honorable Mention QB – Dustin Stenta, Southwestern Oklahoma State RB – Chris Rycraw, Ouachita Baptist WR – Kenneth Robey, Arkansas-Monticello WR – Tyler O'Quin, Harding TE – Colter Huff, East Central C – David Rebata, Henderson State OL – Kevin Rodriguez, Henderson State OL – Ronald Penn, Arkansas-Monticello DE – Lonnell Rice, East Central DE – Lis Leota, Southwestern Oklahoma State DT – Erik Howell, East Central ILB – A.J. Steele, Southern Arkansas ILB – Amos Cherry, East Central OLB – Tyler McGrew, East Central OLB – Augustine Ume-Ezeoke, Ouachita Baptist CB – Wes Brady, Henderson State CB – Roderick Cohn, Harding S – Jasper Bodiford, Harding S – Jacolby Stewart, Southern Arkansas P – Clark Gaddis, Ouachita Baptist RS – Travarus Brown, Southern Arkansas

Standings

TeamConferenceOverallOuachita Baptist6–1.8577–3.700Henderson State4–1.8006–4.600East Central6–2.7508–3.727Harding3–3.5004–7.364Arkansas-Monticello 3–3.5005–6.455Southern Arkansas3–4.4293–7.300Southwestern Oklahoma State3–5.3755–6.455Arkansas Tech1–4.2002–8.200Southeastern Oklahoma State1–7.1252–8.200

Season

The Arkansas schools were not able to play a complete conference schedule due to the exit agreement with the Gulf South Conference.

DateAway teamHome teamSeptember 1Henderson State14Central Arkansas38September 1Southwestern Oklahoma State31Northwestern Oklahoma State28September 3*Arkansas Tech31Arkansas-Monticello38September 3*Harding63Southern Arkansas14September 3East Central31Incarnate Word21September 10*Southern Arkansas31Southwestern Oklahoma State22September 10Central Oklahoma23Southeastern Oklahoma State30September 10Texas College0Arkansas-Monticello41September 10*Henderson State35Harding21September 10Arkansas Tech31Southwest Baptist20September 10*East Central18Ouachita Baptist31September 15Shepherd Technical College0Harding75September 17‡Northeastern State38East Central45September 17*Southeastern Oklahoma State24Southern Arkansas21September 17Delta State 47Arkansas Tech32September 17*Southwestern Oklahoma State17Henderson State13September 17*βOuachita Baptist38Arkansas-Monticello20September 22Ouachita Baptist39Texas A&M-Commerce33September 24Delta State 34Henderson State31September 24West Alabama17Arkansas Tech12September 24Arkansas-Monticello5West Georgia21September 24Harding20North Alabama28September 24*Southeastern Oklahoma State27East Central37September 24Central Oklahoma20Southwestern Oklahoma State27September 24Southern Arkansas21Valdosta State38October 1Henderson State50West Georgia30October 1Arkansas Tech16Central Missouri42October 1East Central21Central Oklahoma41October 1Ouachita Baptist14Delta State 45October 1Harding17West Alabama31October 1*Southwestern Oklahoma State23Southeastern Oklahoma State20October 1Valdosta State9Arkansas-Monticello23October 1North Alabama42Southern Arkansas14October 6Arkansas-Monticello20Delta State 34October 8Valdosta State40Ouachita Baptist13October 8*East Central29Southwestern Oklahoma State12October 8Northeastern State38Southeastern Oklahoma State28October 8Southern Arkansas10West Alabama38October 8West Georgia41Harding24October 8North Alabama44Arkansas Tech10October 15*Henderson State30Southeastern Oklahoma State14October 15Harding41Northeastern State49October 15*Arkansas Tech17Southern Arkansas49October 15*Arkansas-Monticello9East Central34October 15*Ouachita Baptist48Southwestern Oklahoma State38October 22*Southern Arkansas43Ouachita Baptist53October 22*Southwestern Oklahoma State28Harding70October 22Northeastern State47Arkansas-Monticello46October 22*‡East Central41Henderson State42October 22*Southeastern Oklahoma State16Arkansas Tech28October 29*East Central31Arkansas Tech16October 29Southwestern Oklahoma State13Northeastern State42October 29*Ouachita Baptist31Harding27October 29*Southeastern Oklahoma State20Arkansas-Monticello24October 29Henderson State3South Alabama28November 5McKendree10Henderson State16November 5*Arkansas Tech20Southwestern Oklahoma State23November 5*Arkansas-Monticello28Southern Arkansas53November 5*‡Harding16East Central23November 5*Ouachita Baptist21Southeastern Oklahoma State18November 12*Henderson State41Ouachita Baptist36November 12*Southeastern Oklahoma State9Harding16November 12*Southern Arkansas6East Central49November 12*Southwestern Oklahoma State21Arkansas-Monticello35* – Conference Gameβ – Boomtown Classic (El Dorado, AR)‡ – Overtime

Women's soccer

Champion East Central

After scoreless regulation and overtime periods, East Central defeated Ouachita Baptist 3–1 in penalty kicks to capture the inaugural Great American Conference women's soccer championship.