SEARCY -- Harding shot from No. 20 to No. 12 in the American Football Coaches Assocation poll and from No. 9 to No. 4 in the D2Football.com poll after defeating then-No. 9/18 Henderson State last week in Arkadelphia 46-21.
The Reddies dropped to No. 20 in the AFCA poll and No. 22 in the D2Football.com poll after the team's first loss of the season.
Ouachita Baptist, which dropped out of the top-10 earlier this season after a loss to Harding, moved back into it this week, jumping to No. 7 in the AFCA poll and No. 8 in the D2Football poll after being ranked No. 11 in both last week. The Tigers' 34-0 win over Arkansas-Monticello, compounded with six previously unbeaten top-10 teams losing, put the team back in the top tier.
OBU hosts Southern Arkansas Saturday at 1 p.m., while Harding hosts Arkansas-Monticello at 3 p.m. HSU travels to Arkansas Tech at 2 p.m.
NATIONAL PARK DROPS CONTESTS TO UA-RICH MOUNTAIN
National Park'se men's and women's soccer teams both lost in close contests against Arkansas-Rich Mountain Sunday.
The women fell 2-1 after the Nighthawks (2-13) allowed two goals within four minutes in the first half.
However, NPC did manage to score late in the second half when Yessenia Vargas hit the back of the net in the 86th on a Samantha Mata assist. Despite the goal, the Nighthawks could not claw back a result.
NPC goalkeeper Brooklyn Mize continued her stellar season for the Nighthawks, accounting for 11 saves against the Bucks. Mize leads the NJCAA with 193 saves on the season.
The men's team (0-11) lost a defensive battle to the Bucks in which both squads struggled to create scoring chances in the first half.
However, Rich Mountain finally broke the deadlock in the 85th minute to take down the Nighthawks 1-0. NPC goalkeeper Paulino Ruiz registered two saves in the defeat.
NPC hosts Murray State College Thursday at Hot Springs Baptist Church. The women kick off at 1 p.m. and the men follow at 3 p.m.
SCHMITT COMPETES IN INVITATIONAL
Lake Hamilton sixth grader Aubrey Schmitt competed in the Bob Courtway Memorial Invitational at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for the Central Arkansas Racers and set a new team record in the short-course mile for the 11-12-year-old female division.
Schmitt recorded a 19:32.97 in the open and mixed gender mile swim, and the 11-year-old swam an AAA qualifying time for the 2022 USA 14 and Under Central Zones Championships for the second time.
Schmitt also finished first in the 100-yard backstroke (1:08.41), 100-yard butterfly (1:07.18) and 200-yard individual medley (2:28.03).
She recorded a second place finish in the 200-yard freestyle (2:12.68) and third place finishes in the 50-yard backstroke (33.04) and 50-yard butterfly (30.42). Schmitt also finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle (27.49).
GOLDEN SUNS SECOND IN PRESEASON POLL
RUSSELLVILLE -- Southwestern Oklahoma State edged out Arkansas Tech to finish first in the Great American Conference 2021-22 women's basketball preseason coaches' poll.
The Lady Bulldogs went 18-4 last season, and SWOSU will return all five starters from last year, including Player of the Year and All-American Makyra Tramble.
Arkansas Tech received three first-place votes for a second place finish in the poll after finishing 14-2 last season en route to their sixth NCAA Tournament berth in the last nine seasons.
The Golden Suns are returning First-Team All-GAC member Jayana Sanders and Honorable Mention Kaley Shipman. Tech also returns Jalei Oglesby and Nikki Metcalfe who b0th averaged double figures in scoring last season.
Southern Nazarene finished third in the poll, followed by Southeastern Oklahoma State in fourth. Harding came in fifth.
The 2021 GAC Freshman of the Year Sage Hawley will return for the Lady Bisons. She averaged 13.5 points per game and a 51.3% shooting average last season.
HSU finished sixth, and the Reddies bring back First-Team All-GAC selection Maci Mains, who averaged 15.4 points and 4.5 assists per game last year.
East Central followed Henderson State, while OBU followed in eighth. The Tigers return Makayla Miller who averaged 18.8 points per game last season.
Oklahoma Baptist ranked ninth, followed by SAU in 10th. The Muleriders return their leading scorer Diamond Morris and two All-GAC selections in Kisi Young and Ariana Guinn.
Northwestern Oklahoma State finished 11th, while UAM rounded out the poll.
SAU EARNS SECOND PLACE IN GAC POLL
RUSSELLVILLE -- Oklahoma Baptist and SAU each received six first-place votes in the 2021-2022 Great American Conference men's basketball preseason coaches' poll, but the Bison finished one point ahead of the Muleriders to claim first.
Oklahoma Baptist went 16-6 last season, while the Muleriders finished with a 15-6 tally and the program's first NCAA Tournament bid last season. The Muleriders return the GAC's Player and Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Lucas after Lucas led the league in both points and steals per game.
The Muleriders also bring back Jalen and Devante Brooks who both averaged more than 12 points per game last season.
Southern Nazarene finished third in the poll just ahead of SEOSU. HSU finished fifth, followed by Arkansas Tech in sixth and East Central in seventh.
The Reddies return All-GAC Second Team selection Malik Riddle, who scored 12.6 points per game last season and averaged 5.7 rebounds per contest. Arkansas Tech's Cejay Man earned GAC Freshman of the Year honors last season averaging 11.3 points per game and shooting 37.3% from beyond-the-arc.
OBU came in eighth, followed by Harding in ninth. Kendarious Smith led the Tigers in scoring with 15.9 points per game and a 53.2% field goal percentage en route to All-GAC Second Team honors last season.
The Bisons' Ramiro Santiago averaged 15.8 points per game last season as an All-GAC Honorable Mention.
SWOSU finished 10th, followed by NWOSU in 11th and UAM in 12th. The Boll Weevils start the season with new coach Chad Tapp after the departure of Kyle Tolin.