HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas – The Ouachita volleyball team has earned three All-Great American Conference selections, One GAC Elite Scholar Athlete award, and an additional 10 selections to the GAC Academic Honor Roll, announced Wednesday night before the GAC Championship Tournament is set to be played at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs on Thursday.
Courtney Hanson was named to the All-GAC First Team for her performance on the court this season. At the end of the regular season, the Arlington, Texas native ranks second in the GAC in total assists with 1,093 and fifth in service aces with 40. Hanson also eclipsed the 3,000 career assists and 100 career aces marks earlier in the season. Hanson has recorded 12 40-plus assist matches and five 50-plus assist matches this season, highlighted by a 58-assist performance against Southern Arkansas to go along with 14 double-doubles. This is Hanson's second straight season on the All-GAC First Team and third career all-conference honor.
Emily Adams earned a pair of awards, being named to the All-GAC Second Team and a 2024 GAC Elite Scholar Athlete. Adams currently ranks third in the GAC in hitting percentage with a .328. The Arlington, Texas native leads the Tigers in kills with 308. Adams has hit the double-digit kill mark in 17 matches this season, highlighted by two 20-kill performances against Southern Nazarene and Northwestern Oklahoma State. The junior also ranked third on the team in blocks with 52. Adams earned the GAC's Elite Scholar Athlete award for posting a perfect 4.0 GPA.
Leah Gardner earned a spot on the All-GAC Honorable Mention Team for her efforts this season. The Crandall, Texas native currently sits atop the conference rankings in hitting percentage with a .359, 24 points above the next closest attacker. If her hitting percentage holds, it will rank as the second highest single season hitting percentage in program history. The sophomore leads the Tigers in blocks with 81 and is fourth on the team in kills with 247. Gardner was also selected to the 2024 GAC Academic Honor Roll.
Ouachita's selections to the GAC Academic Honor Roll include
Riley Braziel,
Peyton Church,
Eryn Dawson,
Haley Fairchild, Gardner,
Emma Hill,
Avery Jauz,
Kylie Kisgen,
Ann Marie Tice, and
Savannah Whitaker. All 10 carry at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA and are in at least their sophomore season. The 10 selections tie with Arkansas Tech and Southwestern Oklahoma State for the most in the conference.
Adams, Gardner, and Hanson are all earning repeat selections to the All-GAC teams. Hanson and Adams are now three-time All-GAC honorees and Gardner is now a two-time All-GAC honoree. This is Hanson's second straight year to earn First Team All-GAC honors.
The Tigers are the No. 5 seed in the upcoming GAC Tournament and will take on the No. 4 seed Bison of Oklahoma Baptist tomorrow, Thursday, November 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
