SWOSU Volleyball is set for the 2026 Great American Conference Tournament, scheduled for Wednesday through Friday at the Stride Bank Center in Enid, Oklahoma. The week will begin Tuesday with the annual awards banquet, where the league will announce its All-Conference teams and specialty award winners. 

The Dawgs enter the week at 18-10 overall and 11-5 in conference play. It marks the eighth consecutive full season in which SWOSU has recorded double-digit conference wins. 

SWOSU is 13-14 all-time in the GAC Tournament, including a 10-5 record in quarterfinal matches. The Dawgs have advanced past the first round in six consecutive tournaments. Last season, they reached the championship match before falling to Oklahoma Baptist in straight sets. The semifinal round has historically been more challenging, with SWOSU holding a 2-8 all-time record. Both victories came in 2015, when the Bulldogs captured their lone GAC Tournament title, and 2025. 

The Bulldogs enter this year's postseason as the No. 4 seed. It is just the second time SWOSU has earned that position, with the only other occurrence coming in 2012. That season, the Dawgs won their quarterfinal match before falling to eventual champion Harding in five sets. 

SWOSU will open tournament play against No. 5 Arkansas Tech, a team the Bulldogs are 1-2 against in GAC Tournament history. Their lone victory came in 2016, when SWOSU defeated the Golden Suns in four sets. Arkansas Tech claimed victories in 2014 and 2021, with the Golden Suns going on to win the tournament championship in both seasons. 

The two teams will meet in the final match of Wednesday's quarterfinal slate, with first serve scheduled for 5:30 p.m. They met just once during the regular season, playing a five-set classic in Russellville. Arkansas Tech ultimately came away with the victory, winning 15-12 in the deciding set. SWOSU held a 10-9 advantage in the fifth before the Golden Suns found their rhythm and successfully challenged a call, helping them pull away for the win on their home court. 

All-time, SWOSU holds a 9-16 record against Arkansas Tech, having dropped its last two meetings with the Golden Suns. However, the Dawgs have won six of the last nine matchups between the programs. 

When SWOSU is on the attack, the Bulldogs have been difficult to stop. They lead the conference with a .244 hitting percentage while ranking second in assists per set at 12.68. 

Individually, Katja Blanchat ranks second in the GAC with a .387 hitting percentage while sitting eighth in blocks per set at 0.85. Four-time GAC Setter of the Week Mackenzie Sims averages 10.42 assists per set, the second-highest mark in the conference and currently the second-highest single-season total in SWOSU history. Layla Collins ranks sixth in the conference in both kills per set (3.38) and points per set (3.79), while Jada Permenter ranks fifth with 4.90 digs per set. 

Should SWOSU advance past the Golden Suns, the Bulldogs will face the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between No. 1 Oklahoma Baptist and No. 8 East Central in the semifinals. That match is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday. 

All matches will be streamed live on the GAC Sports Network. 

The Field

(1) Oklahoma Baptist (23-5, 15-1 GAC) 

• 7-23 all time vs the Bison 
• Oklahoma Baptist swept season series with wins on 9/15 and 10/29 

(2) Harding (23-4, 13-3 GAC) 

• 9-15 all time vs the Bisons 
• SWOSU fell to Harding in five on 10/9 in Searcy 

(3) Ouachita Baptist (16-12, 12-4 GAC) 

• 8-13 all time vs the Tigers 
• SWOSU fell to Ouachita Baptist in five on 10/1 in Weatherford 

(5) Arkansas Tech (16-12 10-6 GAC) 

• 9-16 all time vs the Golden Suns 
• SWOSU fell to Arkansas Tech in five on 10/8 in Weatherford 

(6) Southeastern Oklahoma State (14-15, 8-8 GAC) 

• 29-13 all time vs Savage Storm 
• SWOSU swept season series with wins on 9/22 in Weatherford, and 11/3 in Durant 

(7) Southern Nazarene (16-14, 8-8 GAC) 

• 21-17 all time vs Crimson Storm 
• SWOSU swept season series with wins on 9/8 in Bethany, and 10/22 in Weatherford 

(8) East Central (11-18, 6-10 GAC) 

• 28-9 all time vs Tigers 
• SWOSU swept season series with wins on 9/17 in Ada, and 10/27 in Weatherford 

2026 GAC Volleyball Championships Schedule 

Wednesday, Nov. 11 
10 a.m. Quarterfinal #1 - No. 3 Ouachita Baptist vs. No. 6 Southeastern Oklahoma State 
12:30 p.m. Quarterfinal #2 - No. 2 Harding vs. No. 7 Southern Nazarene 
3 p.m. Quarterfinal #3 - No. 1 Oklahoma Baptist vs. No. 8 East Central 
5:30 p.m. Quarterfinal #4 - No. 4 Southwestern Oklahoma State vs. No. 5 Arkansas Tech 
 
Thursday, Nov. 12 
2:00 p.m. Semifinal #1: Quarterfinal #1 Winner vs Quarterfinal #2 Winner 
5:00 p.m. Semifinal #2:  Quarterfinal #3 Winner vs Quarterfinal #4 Winner 
 
Friday, Nov. 13 
3:00 p.m. Championship: Semifinal #1 Winner vs Semifinal #2 Winner