Written by Greg Harnden
Harding ends another chapter in athletics as we depart from the Gulf South Conference to join the newly formed Great American Conference, and what a year it has been. 2010-2011 has probably been our best overall year since joining the NCAA in the mid-’90s, both on and off the field of competition.
Success on the field was certainly at a high level this year. Harding’s women will most likely finish in the top three out of 14 institutions in the GSC All-Sports Trophy. Our men are currently in the top two with a chance to win it all. With baseball still to finish, Harding and Valdosta State are in a dead heat to finish first with West Florida still having an outside chance.
The football team had an incredible finish to its year with the Bisons winning four of their last five games. Most notable were the finishes against 12th-ranked Delta State and 15th-ranked North Alabama. In both contests Jordan Wat- son made incredible catches on passes thrown from Josh Powell as the games ended to bring victory to Harding. This was Harding’s first win over Delta State, a yearly nationally ranked power.
Cross-country and track had another outstanding year. Men’s cross-country dominated the GSC and South Region as they ran away with both meets. Daniel Kirwa was the individualwinner in both races. Our men finished 19th in the nation. Our women’s cross-country team finished second in the GSCmeet.Danielwasalsoan All-American in indoor track and has qualified along with the men’s 4×400 relay team and others for the NCAA Division II National Outdoor meet.
Harding volleyball finished second in the GSC while our women’s soccer team qualified for the GSC Tournament, which only takes a limited field.Women’s basketball again qualified for the GSC Tournament, losing in the semi-finals. Early in the year, women’s basketball defeated Delta State, the No.1 ranked team in the country at the time, in one of the biggest wins in women’s basketball history.
Finishing 25-5, our men’s basketball team completed the season with the best record in Harding’s history. Our men ended ranked 11th in the country.
With spring sports coming to an end, those sports are continuing to add to our great year. Women’s tennis made it to the semifinals of the GSC, while the men completed the season with a 16-4 record.Both golf teams added points to the All-Sports Trophy totals as the women finished third and the men fifth.
Still with several weeks left in their season, baseball continues to break Harding records. Their current record of 35-8 has already broken the all-time Harding wins record. Jason Nappi continues to get national attention as he has been in NCAA Division II top 10 hitting categories for most of the season.
Thanks to all for a great 2010-2011 NCAA intercollegiate season.
