HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Hunter Eshnaur was named the Great American Conference Freshman of the Year,
Sarita Stegall was tabbed the GAC's Setter of the Year, and
Kristy Bayer was named the GAC Coach of the Year, leading a cast of four Golden Suns to earn all-GAC honors at the conference's annual awards banquet Wednesday night.
Eshnaur, Stegall, and senior
Katie Huff earned first team honors while
Madison Nagel was named to the all-GAC Second Team. Bayer earns her second consecutive and third overall Coach of the Year honor after leading Arkansas Tech to a 25-6 mark in the regular season, including a 15-1 mark in league play.
Eshnaur, a freshman from Russellville, Ark., became the second consecutive Golden Suns player to win Freshman of the Year honors, following Nagel last season. She enters the conference tournament ranked in the top five in the GAC in points, kills, and aces per set.
Stegall, a freshman from Fort Smith, Ark., becomes the third consecutive Tech player to be named Setter of the Year, following
Sierra Nighswonger in 2014 and Amber Cerrillos in 2013. She ranks second in the GAC in assists per set while serving as the primary passer for the GAC's top-rated offense in kills per set and hitting percentage.
Huff jumped to the first team after being an honorable mention pick her junior season. The senior leads the GAC with a .325 hitting percentage, and ranks seventh in the GAC in blocks.
Nagel earns her second consecutive all-GAC honor after averaging 5.00 digs per set her sophomore campaign.
The Golden Suns open GAC championship play on Thursday, Nov. 19 facing No. 8 seed Southeastern Oklahoma in a 5 p.m. match at Bank of the Ozarks Arena.
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