ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Baptist University volleyball team clinched at least a share of the 2025 Great American Conference regular season championship in a three-set senior night victory over Arkansas Tech University on Tuesday.
Tuesday's win marked the home finale for the Tigers (24-4, 14-1 GAC), who finished the year a perfect 13-0 in matches played at the friendly Sturgis Physical Education Center. It is the first time in the NCAA era for the Tigers to go unbeaten at home.
The victory also cements Ouachita as the No. 1 seed in the GAC Championship Tournament, which will be played November 20-22 in Shawnee, Oklahoma at FireLake Arena. Ouachita is the league's defending tournament champion.
Ouachita also set a new program record on Tuesday for conference wins in a season, besting this year's mark and the 1986 squad that went 13-1 to win the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference championship.
Final set scores in Tuesday's win over the Golden Suns (15-10, 11-4) were 25-21, 25-10, and 25-15.
Senior
Courtney Hanson and junior
Leah Gardner tied for the team-high in points with 9.5 each. Hanson finished with six kills, two service aces, and three blocks. She also had a match-high 24 assists and 10 digs for her 18th double-double of the season. Gardner finished with six kills, two service aces, and two blocks.
Senior
Riley Braziel led the way in kills with eight to go along with nine digs. Senior
Emily Adams and junior
Kailey Thedford chipped in with six kills each.
All eight seniors saw action in the win.
Haley Fairchild had four kills and a match-high five blocks.
Peyton Church and
Savannah Whitaker each had seven digs.
Eryn Dawson came on late and had one kills.
Emma Hill also had time on the court in her final collegiate home match.
Ouachita closes out the regular season this Thursday night in a short trip across the street to take on rival Henderson State. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Duke Wells Center.
