HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Highlighted by three superlative winners, SWOSU Volleyball was well represented on the 2024 All-GAC lists, announced Wednesday evening at the awards banquet preceding the GAC Championships set to begin on Thursday.
 
The Bulldogs got superlative recognitions from Lacy Mott as the Player of the Year, Samantha Kuzma as Defensive Player of the Year, and Josh Collins as Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. Both Mott and Kuzma were also placed on the first team, while Zoey Sparks earned an honorable mention distinction.
 
It's the first time in GAC history the Player and Defensive Player of the Year have come from the same school.  
 
Academically, Cameron Turner was one of eight recipients of the GAC Elite Scholar Award – given to those holding the highest GPA in the conference with at least 70 hours of completed classwork.
 
SWOSU had 10 placed on the Academic Honor Roll, an honor earned by holding a minimum 3.5 GPA with one year of full-time college residency completed. Those included: Maddie Clark, Lauren DeSantiago, Keke Holloway, Jenna Houk, Libbie Hughs, Samantha Kuzma, Lacy Mott, Paris Patterson, Jada Permenter, and Hailey Smith.
 
Mott becomes the first Bulldog to earn the GAC's Player of the Year honor and she did so by unanimous vote. She was a three-time conference offensive player of the week, was named the AVCA National Player of the Week once for the first time in program history and landed onto a pair of early season all-tournament teams at both the Ray Thrasher Classic and OBU Bison Blast. Mott finished the regular season with 420 kills, 318 digs, 36 blocks, and 32 aces. Her 4.12 kills/set and 4.67 points/set led the conference, while her aces total was tied for the team lead and her digs ranked second. She had 16 double-doubles (kills/digs) to her credit and hit .300 or above with double-digit kills 13 times. Her 30 kills against Oklahoma Baptist on November 4 was the most of any player in the conference this season, and it set her new career high and fell one shy of tying the program record. Her 24 kills against Southeastern on October 3 tied the school record for most in a four-set match. Mott is now the first three-time First Team All-GAC selection in program history.  
 
Kuzma joins assistant coach Kaitlyn Bagwell (2018-19) as Bulldogs to be named the Defensive Player of the Year. She racked up 96 blocks on the year, fourth in the GAC, and added 171 kills (1.73/set), 112 digs (1.13/set) and 30 aces. Kuzma was one of three from SWOSU this season to earn a defensive player of the week nod; she did so back on October 6 in week six for the first time in her career. She had four or more blocks 10 times this season including a career high nine against Oklahoma Baptist on September 24. Kuzma was placed on the all-tournament team at the OBU Bison Blast. She is now the eighth different player from the program to be a First Team All-GAC selection, and is a two-time all-conference selection after improving upon her honorable mention honor in 2022.
 
Sparks earned all-conference accolades for a third consecutive season, becoming the fifth Bulldog to do so at least three times in a career. She averaged right at a block per set, with 73 total in 2024, and will end her career as SWOSU's all-time leader in blocks. Offensively, Sparks averaged 1.96 kills/set and hit .223 on the year.
 
Collins earned his 200th career win on November 4 against Oklahoma Baptist. He was previously named the GAC's Coach of the Year in 2018, 2021, and now 2024. This is his fourth time guiding SWOSU to a 20-win season, and first time a team of his has been crowned the regular season conference champs.  

2024 All-Great American Conference Teams (pdf)
 
GAC Player of the Year: * Lacy Mott, Southwestern Oklahoma State
GAC Defensive Player of the Year: Samantha Kuzma, Southwestern Oklahoma State
GAC Setter of the Year: Ruthie Forson, Southeastern Oklahoma State
GAC Newcomer of the Year: Katilyn Steffes, Henderson State
GAC Freshman of the Year: Kate Wright, Southern Nazarene
GAC Coach of the Year: Josh Collins, Southwestern Oklahoma State
 
 
FIRST TEAM || * - UNANIMOUS SELECTION
* Lacy Mott - Southwestern Oklahoma State
S Ruthie - Forson Southeastern Oklahoma State
OH Odalys - Gonzalez East Central
S Courtney - Hanson Ouachita Baptist
MH Samantha Kuzma - Southwestern Oklahoma State
MB Jill Leslie - Oklahoma Baptist
OH Skyler McKinnon - Harding
OH D'Nari Mills - Southeastern Oklahoma State
 
SECOND TEAM
RS Emily Adams - Ouachita Baptist
OH Erika Asencio-Soriano - Northwestern Oklahoma State
S Emily Boyer - Oklahoma Baptist
L Tatum Fouche - Harding
MB Ashley Lamkin - Harding
OH Katilyn Steffes - Henderson State
OH Emma Strickland - East Central
S Olivia Wiedower - Harding
 
HONORABLE MENTION
MB Whitney Bowie - Southern Nazarene
OPP Kayte Delong - Southern Arkansas
MB Delaney Garner - Harding
MB Leah Gardner - Ouachita Baptist
S Julia Kabala - East Central
L Sadie Kabisch - Southern Arkansas
RS Jacey Lambert - Harding
L Patience Lewis - Southeastern Oklahoma State
OH Savannah Meyer - Arkansas Tech
DS Kaylon Partain - Henderson State
MH Zoey Sparks - Southwestern Oklahoma State
OH Kate Wright - Southern Nazarene