The Great American Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division II, with competition beginning play in the 2011–12 school year.[1][2]
Membership [edit]
History [edit]
The conference's charter members previously competed in the Lone Star Conference and Gulf South Conference before forming the GAC in 2010. The new conference is intended to reduce travel costs for its member universities.[3]
On May 11, 2011, the conference invited Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southern Nazarene University to the conference for the 2012-13 academic year. The universities will continue to play in the Sooner Athletic Conference during 2011 and join the conference in 2012 but will not be eligible for NCAA postseason competition until the 2014-15 academic year as part of their transition from NAIA to Division II.[4]
Current members [edit]
| Institution |
Location |
Founded |
Type |
Enrollment |
Nickname |
Joined |
| Arkansas Tech University |
Russellville, AR |
1909 |
Public |
10,972 |
Wonder Boys
(men)
Golden Suns
(women) |
2011 |
| University of Arkansas at Monticello |
Monticello, AR |
1909 |
Public |
3,400 |
Boll Weevils
(men)
Cotton Blossoms
(women) |
2011 |
| East Central University |
Ada, OK |
1909 |
Public |
5,727 |
Tigers |
2011 |
| Harding University |
Searcy, AR |
1924 |
Private
(Church of Christ) |
6,810 |
Bisons |
2011 |
| Henderson State University |
Arkadelphia, AR |
1890 |
Public |
3,584 |
Reddies |
2011 |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State University |
Alva, OK |
1897 |
Public |
1,889 |
Rangers |
2012 |
| Ouachita Baptist University |
Arkadelphia, AR |
1886 |
Private
(Southern Baptist) |
1,448 |
Tigers |
2011 |
| Southeastern Oklahoma State University |
Durant, OK |
1909 |
Public |
3,889 |
Savage Storm |
2011 |
| Southern Arkansas University |
Magnolia, AR |
1909 |
Public |
3,224 |
Muleriders |
2011 |
| Southern Nazarene University |
Bethany, OK |
1899 |
Private
(Church of the Nazarene) |
2,110 |
Crimson Storm |
2012 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University |
Weatherford, OK |
1901 |
Public |
4,850 |
Bulldogs |
2011 |
Note: Provisional members in red.
Membership timeline [edit]
Sports [edit]
Conference sports [edit]
The GAC sponsors championships in six men's and seven women's sports including:[5]
|
Men (participating schools)
|
Women (participating schools)
- Basketball (all schools)
- Cross Country (all schools)
- Golf (all schools – except SOSU)
- Soccer (ECU, HU, NWOSU, OBU, SNU, SWOSU)
- Softball (all schools – HU first season in 2014)
- Tennis (ATU, ECU, HU, HSU, OBU, SOSU, SAU, SNU)
- Volleyball (all schools)
|
Other sports [edit]
|
Men (participating schools)
|
Women (participating schools)
|
Mixed (participating schools)
- Rodeo (UAM, NWOSU, SOSU, SAU, SWOSU)
|
All-Sports Trophy [edit]
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, softball, women's tennis, and volleyball. The conference championship will determine the points for the sports of women's cross country, men's golf, and women's golf.
| Season |
School |
| 2011-12 |
Arkansas Tech |
| 2012-13 |
|
Conference Champions [edit]
Total conference championships [edit]
Total conference postseason championships and football regular season championships won by each school.
|
|
Team |
Individual |
| School |
Total |
Men |
Women |
Men |
Women |
| Arkansas Tech |
4 |
1 |
2 |
|
1 |
| Arkansas-Monticello |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
| East Central |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
| Harding |
5 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
| Henderson State |
2 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
| Northwestern Oklahoma State |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ouachita Baptist |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
| Southeastern Oklahoma State |
|
|
|
|
|
| Southern Arkansas |
2 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
| Southern Nazarene |
|
|
|
|
|
| Southwestern Oklahoma State |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
| Season |
Cross Country |
Football |
Basketball |
Baseball |
Golf |
Tennis |
| 2011-12 |
East Central |
Ouachita Baptist |
Arkansas Tech |
Southern Arkansas |
Southwestern Oklahoma State |
Ouachita Baptist |
| 2012-13 |
East Central |
Henderson State |
|
|
|
|
| Season |
Cross Country |
Soccer |
Volleyball |
Basketball |
Softball |
Golf |
Tennis |
| 2011-12 |
Harding |
East Central |
Arkansas Tech |
Southwestern Oklahoma State |
Arkansas-Monticello |
Harding |
Arkansas Tech |
| 2012-13 |
East Central |
Southwestern Oklahoma State |
Harding |
|
|
|
|
Facilities [edit]
| School |
Football stadium |
Capacity |
Basketball arena |
Capacity |
Baseball stadium |
Capacity |
| Arkansas Tech |
Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field |
6,500 |
Tucker Coliseum |
3,500 |
Tech Field |
600 |
| Arkansas-Monticello |
Willis Convoy Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium |
5,000 |
Steelman Fieldhouse |
1,500 |
Weevils Field |
600 |
| East Central |
Norris Field |
5,000 |
Kerr Activities Center |
4,000 |
East Central Field |
250 |
| Harding |
First Security Stadium |
6,500 |
Rhodes Field House |
3,000 |
Jerry Moore Field |
311 |
| Henderson State |
Carpenter-Haygood Stadium |
9,600 |
Duke Wells Center |
3,000 |
Clyde Berry Field |
1,000 |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State |
Ranger Field |
6,000 |
Percefull Fieldhouse |
2,100 |
Myers Stadium |
500 |
| Ouachita Baptist |
A.U. Williams Field |
5,225 |
Bill Vining Arena |
2,500 |
Rab Rodgers Field |
500 |
| Southeastern Oklahoma State |
Paul Laird Field |
9,000 |
Bloomer Sullivan Arena |
3,600 |
The Ballpark in Durant |
420 |
| Southern Arkansas |
Wilkins Stadium |
6,000 |
W.T. Watson Athletic Center |
2,600 |
Steve Goodheart Field |
1,000 |
| Southern Nazarene |
SNU Stadium |
2,500 |
Sawyer Center |
5,000 |
Cypert Athletic Complex |
300 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State |
Milam Stadium |
4,000 |
Rankin Williams Fieldhouse |
2,400 |
Bulldog Field |
300 |
References [edit]
- ^ Pickle, David (March 9, 2011). "GAC becomes 23rd DII conference". NCAA. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
- ^ Staff (March 9, 2011). "Great American Conference approved". Associated Press. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
- ^ Staff (November 24, 2010). "Nine schools forming Div. II conference". Associated Press. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
- ^ "NWOSU, SNU accept invites to GAC". Enid News and Eagle. May 11, 2011.
- ^ Staff (February 7, 2011). "Great American Conference Unveils Logo". MonticelloLive.Com. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
External links [edit]
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Great American Conference
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| Atlantic |
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| Central |
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| East |
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| Midwest |
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| South |
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| South Central |
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| Southeast |
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| West |
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| Division II |
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| Future |
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| Super Region 1 |
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| Super Region 2 |
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| Super Region 3 |
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| Super Region 4 |
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| Division II |
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| Future |
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