BENTONVILLE, Ark. – SWOSU Softball tied a program record with four players named to the 2019 All-Great American Conference teams while head coach Kim Maher was named the GAC Coach of the Year. The conference announced postseason honors on Thursday evening in a banquet preceding the GAC Tournament.
 
Second baseman Samantha Householder was named a First Team All-GAC selection while sophomores Amanda Moreno (third base), Hannah Morris (shortstop) and Hannah Franklin (outfield) all earned honorable mention. Householder becomes SWOSU's first First Team All-GAC honoree since Adrienne Martinez and the Dawgs placed four on the All-GAC team for the first time since 2012.
 
Third-year head coach Kim Maher was named the GAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Bulldogs back to the postseason for the first time since 2013. After being picked to finish 12th in the GAC Preseason Poll, Maher's Bulldogs finished alone in seventh place with a conference record of 20-24, which is the most conference wins for SWOSU since the formation of the conference. With 21 wins overall, the Bulldogs had their most wins in a season since 2012.
 
Householder (Mansfield, Texas) picks up the second All-GAC honor of her career after being named an honorable mention selection at shortstop in 2017. She is just the sixth First Team All-GAC selection for SWOSU in eight years and the second Bulldog to earn multiple All-GAC honors. Householder set a new single-season school record with six triples this season while ranking second on the team with eight home runs and 37 RBI and fifth with a .318 batting average.
 
Franklin (Yukon, Okla.) picks up her first career all-conference honor after ranking third on the team with a .350 batting average while recording 35 hits, including nine doubles and four home runs. She started 33 games in the outfield, where she accrued a .935 fielding percentage and she drew 17 walks to give her an on-base percentage of .445.
 
Moreno (Moore, Okla.) is a first-time all-conference selection after a stellar sophomore season at third base. She set single-season school records for home runs (14) and walks (35) while ranking third in doubles (16) and RBI (39). Moreno leads the Bulldogs with a .356 batting average and she's stolen a team-leading 19 bases in 21 attempts.
 
Morris (Tuttle, Okla.) claims her first all-conference selection following a standout sophomore season at shortstop. She started all 53 games and matched Moreno with a batting average of .356 to lead the way for SWOSU. Morris has a team-high 63 hits, including seven doubles, five triples and three home runs while stealing 17 bases in 22 attempts.
 
SWOSU is back on the board with All-GAC selections in 2019 after being shut out from the all-conference team last season. The Bulldogs have now had 19 players earn All-GAC recognition over the eight-year existence of the conference. SWOSU opens up play at the GAC Tournament on Friday, taking on #14 Arkansas Tech at 12:30 pm on Friday in Bentonville.
   
GAC Player of the Year: Peyton Mills, Harding
GAC Pitcher of the Year:  Sydney Wader, Southern Arkansas
GAC Newcomer of the Year: Sable Hankins, East Central
GAC Freshman of the Year:  Tymber Riley, Arkansas Tech
GAC Coach of the Year: Kim Maher, Southwestern Oklahoma State
 
2019 ALL-GAC SOFTBALL FIRST TEAM - * UNANIMOUS SELECTION
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
P Marissa Butler Ouachita Sr. Plano, Texas
P Megan Goodnight Arkansas Tech Sr. Greenbrier, Arkansas
P Sydney Wader Southern Arkansas Jr. Vilonia, Arkansas
C Franki Hull Oklahoma Baptist So. Tecumseh, Oklahoma
1B Mahina Sauer Southern Nazarene Jr. Mililani, Hawaii
2B Samantha Householder Southwestern Oklahoma State Sr. Mansfield, Texas
3B Sable Hankins East Central Sr. Moore, Oklahoma
SS Sarah Coronado Arkansas Tech Sr. Frisco, Texas
OF * Peyton Mills Harding Sr. Rockwall, Texas
OF Marcela Lopez Henderson State Jr. Wichita Falls, Texas
OF Ashton Sangster Arkansas Tech Jr. Van Buren, Arkansas
OF Gabriela Vasquez Arkansas Tech Sr. Lewisville, Texas
DP Elisa Favela Southern Arkansas Jr. Ewa Beach Hawaii
DP Tymber Riley Arkansas Tech Fr. Bentonville, Arkansas
UTL Megan Goodnight Arkansas Tech Sr. Greenbrier, Arkansas
 
2019 ALL-GAC SOFTBALL SECOND TEAM
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
P Victoria Taylor Southern Arkansas Jr. Greenwood, Arkansas
P Jenna Hipp Harding Fr. Rose Bud, Arkansas
P Abigail Leonards Arkansas-Monticello Sr. Crowley, Louisiana
P Michelle Sorensen Henderson State Sr. Sherwood, Arkansas
C Briley Feringa Harding Jr. Glendale, Arizona
1B Elexis Watson Southeastern Oklahoma State So. Muskogee, Oklahoma
2B Symphoni Shomo Southeastern Oklahoma State Jr. Tahlequah, Oklahoma
3B Caitlyn Curlee Southern Nazarene So. Keller, Texas
3B Patricia Loredo Arkansas Tech So. Fort Worth, Texas
SS Sarah Evans Southern Arkansas Fr. Bryant, Arkansas
OF Madie Green Henderson State So. Keller, Texas
OF Sydnie Henson Arkansas Tech Sr. Fort Smith, Arkansas
OF Kyndal Pirtle Harding So. Bixby, Oklahoma
DP Katie McCullar Southeastern Oklahoma State Jr. Red Oak, Oklahoma
UTL Mahina Sauer Southern Nazarene Jr. Mililani, Hawaii
 
2019 ALL-GAC SOFTBALL HONORABLE MENTION
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
P Kristen Dempsey Arkansas Tech Sr. Benton, Arkansas
P Bailey Shaffer Arkansas Tech Sr. Guthrie, Oklahoma
P Brooklyn Sparkman Southern Nazarene Jr. Kingfisher, Oklahoma
C Haley Godeaux Arkansas-Monticello Jr. Cecila, Louisiana
C Tarah Hilton East Central So. Haslet, Texas
C Laina Suesue Southern Arkansas Jr. Salt Lake City, Utah
1B Amanda Fields Harding So. Little Elm, Texas
2B Kalie Johnson Northwestern Oklahoma State Fr. Tecumseh, Oklahoma
3B Amanda Moreno Southwestern Oklahoma State So. Moore, Oklahoma
SS Hannah Morris Southwestern Oklahoma State So. Tuttle, Oklahoma
OF Tobi Finley Ouachita So. Sheridan, Arkansas
OF Hannah Franklin Southwestern Oklahoma State So. Yukon, Oklahoma
OF Kaytlyn Kizarr East Central Jr. Marlow, Oklahoma
OF Savanah Martinez Southern Arkansas Jr. Riesel, Texas
OF Kailee Sanchez Southern Nazarene Jr. Kapolei, Hawaii
DP Taylor Russell Northwestern Oklahoma State Fr. Durant, Oklahoma
UTL Haley Cornell Arkansas-Monticello Fr. Bentonville, Arkansas
 
GAC Elite Scholar Athletes:
Sydnie Henson, Arkansas Tech
Breecia Crawford, East Central
Mariah Ewy, East Central
Briley Feringa, Harding
Natalie Jackson, Ouachita
Stephanie McCann, Ouachita
Halley Ryburn, Ouachita
 
GAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
Bailey Bunch, Arkansas Tech
Ashley Maeder, Arkansas Tech
Bailey Shaffer, Arkansas Tech
Ashton Sangster, East Central
Ellanee Allison, East Central
Caitlin Kneblik, East Central
Amanda Berry, Harding
Madison Leggett, Harding
Peyton Mills, Harding
Marissa Butler, Ouachita
Faith Melton, Ouachita
Brittany Chantellier, Southeastern Oklahoma State
Gloria "Hope" Deande, Southeastern Oklahoma State
Symphoni Shomo, Southeastern Oklahoma State
Mykaela Wallace, Southeastern Oklahoma State
Abbie Dow, Southern Arkansas
Taylor Stricklin, Southern Arkansas
Jacey James, Southern Nazarene
Mahina Sauer, Southern Nazarene