Setting the Scene
- The second-seeded SWOSU Soccer team will face top-seed Oklahoma Baptist in the Great American Conference Championship on Saturday at 7:00 pm at the OBU Soccer Complex in Shawnee
- The match will showcase a rematch of last year's GAC Championship, where the Bulldogs came out victorious 3-2 over the Bison
- Oklahoma Baptist swept the season series this year, handing the Bulldogs their only two conference losses 2-0 in Weatherford and 4-3 in overtime in Shawnee
- The winner of the GAC Tournament Championship will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Tournament
 
SWOSU at the GAC Tournament
- The Bulldogs will appear in the championship game for the fourth straight year and will make it six of the last championship matches in the last eight seasons
- The Bulldogs will make their sixth GAC Tournament appearance in program history, and have won the tournament three times (2012, 2013 and 2017)
- SWOSU has been the tournament host three times as well, hosting in 2012, 2013 and 2016
- Three players have been named Tournament MVP for SWOSU as, Jessica Carbonara (2012), Alexis Russell (2013) and Alimata Rabo (2017) have all claimed the honor
 
The Opponent
Oklahoma Baptist (14-4-1, 12-0 GAC)
- The Bison advanced to the championship match by defeating Ouachita in penalty kicks in the semifinals
- OBU will be making their second consecutive appearance in the GAC Championship match
- Oklahoma Baptist finished the regular season undefeated in conference play, becoming the first women's soccer team in GAC history to finish with a 12-0 conference record
- OBU had nine players receive All-GAC recognition headlined by Offensive Player of the Year Ruth King and the Goalkeeper of the Year Emily Griffith
- Oklahoma Baptist has recorded 43 goals this season, led by King who has tallied a team best 13 this season
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Mark Persson (106-67-21; 10th season)
- Since taking over the program in 2009, Persson has become the winningest coach SWOSU Soccer history
- Persson's teams have won three regular season Great American Conference Championships and three GAC Tournament championships
- He has coached three All-Americans, 24 all-region players and numerous all-conference players in his time in Weatherford
- Coach Persson won his 100th game as the Bulldogs head coach against his alma mater Southern Nazarene on October 4, 2018
 
OBU: Mike White (112-68-12; 9th season)
- White is in his ninth season at the helm of the Bison after spending two years as the assistant coach
- He was named the GAC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row after leading his team to a perfect 12-0 conference record and their second straight regular season conference championship
- Coach White has produced four All-Americans, nine all-region players and numerous all-conference selections during his tenure with the program
 
SWOSU Notes
- The Bulldogs advanced to the championship match after defeating Harding 2-0 in the semifinals
- Ashlyn Collier and Sandra Nabweteme put in a goal each to lead the Dawgs past the Bisons
- Colliers goal came after a shot was deflected off a Harding defender and she was able to secure it and guide it past the Harding goalkeeper
- Nabweteme is now a perfect six-for-six in penalty kicks this season after scoring on one against the Bisons in Thursday's match
- As a unit, the Dawgs offense has averaged 20.5 shots a game and scored a GAC best 64 goals this season adding two scores against Harding
- SWOSU had nine players receive All-GAC recognition, led by First Team selections Alimata Rabo, Nabweteme and Erica Brunet
- Rabo has led the Dawgs offensive attack this season, recording a team-high 23 goals, which leads the GAC and places her second in Division II
- Nabweteme continues to be the facilitator of the SWOSU offense, tallying a team-best 15 assists this season adding one to her total assisting in SWOSU's first goal against the Bisons  
- Brunet was a key part in the Bulldog defensive effort that held Harding to just seven shots in Thursdays match and is allowing just 11.4 shots to opponents this season
- Goalkeeper Steffi Silvera has been a wall guarding the net for SWOSU this year posting a 1.17 goals against average while tallying 78 saves including three huge saves in the semifinal match against Harding
- The Bulldogs have received consistent play offensively from Memory Phiri, who has recorded 11 goals this season
 
Looking Ahead
- The winner of the GAC Championship match will get an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Tournament, which will be begin Friday, November 9
- The selections for the NCAA Division II Women's Championship will be announced on Monday, November 5 at 5:30 pm via web stream at NCAA.com