Alva Review-Courier -

SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist volleyball has been picked to finish third in the Great American Conference preseason coaches' poll, the conference office announced Thursday afternoon. The poll was voted on by the 12 head coaches in the GAC, with each coach being barred from voting for their own team.

The Lady Bison finished third in 2017 with an 11-5 record in GAC contests, and enter the poll as the highest-rated Oklahoma school in the conference with 101 points. Oklahoma Baptist has been picked to finish no lower than fourth since they started competing in the GAC in 2015.

"We are very excited to compete in the GAC this year," said OBU head coach Anna Howle. "Being ranked third shows we had a great first year of full membership, and it provides us with the challenge to improve and move up. We want to lead the GAC!"

Arkansas Tech, the reigning GAC champions, picked up 10 first-place votes and 120 total points, and are the favorites to repeat as conference champions. Harding picked up the remaining two first-place votes, receiving 112 total points to enter the poll in second place.

Northwestern Oklahoma State ranks just behind OBU with 86 points, while Southern Nazarene rounds out the top five with 76 points. The rest of the poll, in order: Southwestern Oklahoma State (67 points), Ouachita Baptist (64), Henderson State (55), Southeastern Oklahoma State (48), Arkansas-Monticello (29), East Central (17) and Southern Arkansas (17).

The Lady Bison report to campus Aug. 3-5, with their first practice scheduled for Monday, Aug. 6. On Saturday, Aug. 11, the squad will host a free clinic from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Noble Complex for children ages 4-12.