| 2024 GAC Tournament |
| (1) SWOSU vs (8) Henderson State |
| Nov. 21 • 3:00 pm • Hot Springs, Ark. (Bank OZK Arena) |
| Tournament Homepage | Tickets |
SWOSU Volleyball has embarked east towards the 2024 GAC Tournament, with the quarterfinals set to commence Thursday, November 21 inside Bank OZK Arena.
An awards banquet preceding the tournament will be held on Wednesday evening to announce all-conference teams & specialty winners. Tickets for the event must be purchased online and can be done so
HERE.
SWOSU is 10-12 overall in the conference's postseason tournament since 2011. The Dawgs are 8-5 in quarterfinal matchups and have advanced to the semifinals in each of the last four seasons. The program's lone tournament championship came in 2015.
The Bulldogs enter as the No. 1 seed and 2024 regular season champs and will face off against 8-seeded Henderson State at 3:00 pm. SWOSU defeated the Reddies 3-0 back on October 24 in Weatherford by set scores of 25-16, 25-16, 25-17.
The two have met just once in the GAC's postseason tournament, back in 2018, when HSU defeated the Dawgs 3-1 in the semifinals. SWOSU is 14-3 all-time against the Reddies.
SWOSU's been led all year by senior outside hitter
Lacy Mott who finished the regular season leading the conference in kills per set (4.12) and points per set (4.67) while holding a .309 hitting percentage. That percentage ranks highest among all outside hitters around the conference. Her 4.12 kills per set places her inside the top 20, in 19th, in all of Division II. Mott has 16 double-doubles this year and she's second on the team in digs, averaging 3.12 per set.
As a unit, the SWOSU offense is hitting .234 collectively this season – which shatters the program's previous best mark of .214 set back in 2015 when they last won the GAC Tournament. They sit second in the league behind only Ouachita in the hitting category.
On the other side of the net, the Dawgs are holding opponents to a .159 hitting mark to lead the league. That stat is aided by SWOSU's 2.03 blocks per set (4th) and 17.81 digs per set (5th). The blocking duo of
Zoey Sparks and
Samantha Kuzma has been a tough challenge for opponents this season. Sparks is averaging right at a block per set, with Kuzma right behind her at 0.97 per set. Those rank third and fourth in the GAC respectively.
Jada Permenter's 4.06 digs per set is ninth in the league.
The Bulldogs also average a league-leading 1.81 aces per set, headed by
Keke Holloway and Mott who each have 32 on the year. Kuzma is right behind them with 30.
Should the Bulldogs defeat Henderson State, they would play the winner of (4) Oklahoma Baptist and (5) Ouachita Baptist in the semifinals. That match would serve at 5:00 pm on Friday. SWOSU is 1-7 in GAC semifinals matches. 1-0 in championship matches.
See field preview and full schedule below.
THE FIELD
(2) Harding (20-8, 13-3 GAC)
- 7-14 all-time vs Lady Bisons
- Defeated HU 3-1 back on Oct. 17, 2024
(3) East Central (17-13, 11-5 GAC)
- 28-8 all-time vs Tigers
- Split 2024 series with 3-0 win on Nov. 7 and 3-2 loss on Sept. 26
(4) Oklahoma Baptist (17-12, 10-6 GAC)
- 6-19 all-time vs Bison
- Swept 2024 series with a pair of 3-2 victories (9/24, 11/4)
(5) Ouachita Baptist (19-9, 10-6 GAC)
- 8-10 all-time vs Tigers
- Defeated OUA 3-0 back on Oct. 25, 2024
(6) Southeastern (13-15, 8-8 GAC)
- 25-13 all-time vs Savage Storm
- Swept 2024 series with 3-0 (10/3) and 3-1 (11/14) victories
(7) Northwestern 13-15, 7-9 GAC)
- 22-7 all-time vs Rangers
- Swept 2024 series with 3-2 (10/1) and 3-1 (11/12) victories
(8) Henderson State (15-14, 6-10 GAC)
- 14-3 all-time vs Reddies
- Defeated HSU 3-0 back on Oct. 24, 2024
THE SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21
Quarterfinal #1 - No. 3 East Central vs No. 6 Southeastern Oklahoma State (10:00 AM)
Quarterfinal #2 - No. 2 Harding vs No. 7 Northwestern Oklahoma State (12:30 PM)
Quarterfinal #3 - No. 1 Southwestern Oklahoma State vs No. 8 Henderson State (3:00 PM)
Quarterfinal #4 - No. 4 Oklahoma Baptist 3 vs No. 5 Ouachita Baptist (5:30 PM)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Semifinal #1: Quarterfinal #1 Winner vs Quarterfinal #2 Winner (2:00 PM)
Semifinal #2: Quarterfinal #3 Winner vs Quarterfinal #4 Winner (5:00 PM)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Championship: Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner (3:00 PM)
