Eman Homes, Oklahoma – The Great American Conference (GAC) revealed its prestigious 2025 Baseball Championships awards, honoring outstanding players and coaches from the season. Harding University’s Maddox Long made history by earning the Pitcher of the Year title for the second consecutive year.

Record-Breaking Achievements

Long, a junior, joined an elite group by becoming only the second pitcher in GAC history to win the award twice. He matched the feat achieved by Ouachita Baptist’s Davis Ward in 2013 and 2014. Long led the conference in a multitude of categories, including wins, ERA, strikeouts, WHIP, hits allowed per nine innings, and opponent’s batting average. His impressive performance also ranked him in the top 10 nationally in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.

Long maintained a dominant presence on the mound, allowing one earned run or less in 11 of his 13 starts and registering at least eight strikeouts in 10 of his appearances.

Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year

Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Wesley Mitchell was named Player of the Year, becoming the first Savage Storm player to receive the honor. Mitchell led the GAC in home runs (19) and total bases (137), while his .778 slugging percentage and 54 RBI ranked second in the conference.

Henderson State’s Jeremy Schork took home the Newcomer of the Year award after pacing the GAC in RBI (55) and slugging percentage (.657). He also hit 16 home runs and batted .330.

Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year

Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Logan Sandoval was recognized as the Freshman of the Year. The rookie pitching sensation tallied four wins and a save in 14 appearances, striking out 28 baters in 42.1 innings.

Arkansas Tech’s Dave Dawson was named Coach of the Year for guiding the Wonder Boys to a regular-season title. This is Dawson’s second career GAC Coach of the Year honor.

All-GAC First Team and Defenders

• Pitcher of the Year Maddox Long (Harding) led the First Team, joined by Southern Arkansas’ Jeremy Adorno, Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Bodi Wallar, and Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Chase Keeton. All were unanimous selections.
• Seven more players made the First Team, including SAU’s Austin Adair and Trace Shoup. Arkansas Tech, Henderson State, and Arkansas-Monticello each placed two players on the team.
• Seven players – Rodriguez, Poppy, Farrar, Lacey, Dawson, Bradford, and Woolf – earned All-Defensive Team honors, along with two UAM players, Cade Cancilla and Roc Hawthorne.

GAC Academic Honor Roll

A total of 152 student-athletes, including 13 with perfect 4.00 GPAs, were named to the GAC Academic Honor Roll.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to receive this recognition. It’s a testament to my teammates’ hard work and our coaching staff’s support.” – Maddox Long, Harding University

FAQs

Who was the previous two-time GAC Pitcher of the Year?

Davis Ward of Ouachita Baptist, in 2013 and 2014.

Which Southeastern Oklahoma State player received a prestigious GAC award this year?

Wesley Mitchell, named Player of the Year.

Pro Tip

Call to action: Share your thoughts on this year’s GAC Baseball Championships award winners in the comments below, and stay tuned for more in-depth news and analysis from 247sports.news!