23 Dec 2014 Harding takes lead in All-Sports standings

For the fourth-straight year, Harding has taken the lead in the Great American Conference All-Sports Standings following the fall sports seasons. The Bisons and Lady Bisons totaled 26.5 points to lead the nine other eligible GAC schools.

Harding received the full 10 points for its victory at the GAC Women’s Cross Country Championships and added nine points thanks to the Bisons runner-up finish in football. A tie for third in volleyball netted 7.5 points and established a seven-point lead.

While Harding holds a seven-point lead, only 3.5 points separates second place through seventh place. Southern Arkansas leads Southeastern Oklahoma State by half a point, followed closely by Ouachita Baptist, Arkansas Tech, East Central and Southern Nazarene. The Muleriders finished second in women’s cross country. Ouachita Baptist rode an outright championship in football to settle into fourth place.

Arkansas Tech, the three-time GAC All-Sports champion, closed the fall in fifth place. The Golden Suns won their second GAC volleyball regular-season title. East Central placed fifth, led by a third-place finish in cross country and a tie fourth in football. Southern Nazarene, eligible for the All-Sports trophy for the first time, finished the fall in seventh. The Crimson Storm took second in volleyball.

Southwestern Oklahoma State took eighth, followed by Henderson State and Arkansas-Monticello.

Schools earn points toward the GAC All-Sports Trophy based upon their finish in all sports that are sponsored by six or more schools. The regular season standings determine the points in sports with a round-robin schedule. The conference championship event determines the points in sports without a regular season format. Provisional member Northwestern Oklahoma State is not eligible for the GAC All-Sports Trophy.