RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Great American Conference has announced its all-conference teams and special awards for the 2023 football season, featuring a total of 17 student-athletes from Ouachita Baptist University.

Headlining Ouachita's selections are 2023 GAC Freshman of the Year and first team return specialist Carter McElhany and unanimous All-GAC first team running back Kendel Givens. Givens is the only unanimous selection among this year's honorees.

McElhany led the GAC and ranked 13th in the nation in kickoff returns during the regular season with an average 27.1 yards per return. The Greenbrier native was a two-time GAC special teams player of the week, and had a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in week four against Arkansas-Monticello. He also had 13 catches for 266 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Givens led all of NCAA Division II football in the regular season with 25 total touchdowns, 21 coming on the ground where he ranked second in the GAC and ninth in the nation with 1,226 rushing yards. He was a three-time GAC offensive player of the week, and is now a three-time All-GAC selection in his career with another year to go.

Ouachita's other first team all-conference honorees include: junior receiver Connor Flannigan, who also earned honorable mention honors as a return specialist; senior offensive lineman Zac Henson; junior safety Josiah Johnson; and freshman special teams player Brock Baker.  Flannigan is now a three-time All-GAC honoree. Henson and Johnson are now two-time all-conference picks.
 
The second team honorees for the Tigers include: sophomore offensive lineman Dylan Horton; junior defensive lineman Braylen Butler, junior linebacker Jax Miller; senior linebacker Dawson Miller; senior linebacker Trey Proctor; senior safety Dhante Gibson; senior punter Joe Couch; and senior kicker Gabe Goodman. Butler, Jax Miller, and Gibson are now two-time all-conference selections.

Ouachita's honorable mention picks include: sophomore tight end Garrison Jackson; graduate student center Nathan Turner; sophomore cornerback Mario Ganter, Jr.; and the previously mentioned Connor Flannigan as a return specialist.