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HR 1048

TO RECOGNIZE THE ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY GOLDEN SUNS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FOR WINNING THE GREAT AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP.

2026 Fiscal Session Introduced by Matt Duffield and 4 co-sponsors

Arkansas Tech Golden Suns cross country team earns first GAC title (2025) with top-25 scoring, multiple All-GAC honors, and Elite Scholar-Athlete academic recognitions.

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Bill Summary · HR 1048

HR 1048 (2026F) – Arkansas House Resolution Recognizing Arkansas Tech University Golden Suns Cross Country Team

Purpose and Intent

  • State the main objective: recognize and commend the Arkansas Tech University (ATU) Golden Suns women's cross country team for winning the Great American Conference (GAC) Championship in 2025.
  • Acknowledges historic achievement and honors the coaching staff and student-athletes.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Official Recognition: The resolution formally recognizes the Golden Suns’ championship victory.
  • Notable Achievements Highlighted:
    • ATU Golden Suns won the GAC Championship on October 25, 2025, in Monticello, Arkansas, finishing first in a 12-team field.
    • All five scoring runners finished in the top 25.
    • It marks the Golden Suns’ first conference championship; previously they had finished no lower than third in the last five years and were runners-up for four consecutive years.
    • Individual honors for team members:
    • Audrey Hill, Amaya Grant, Avery Stanley, Peyton Carson, and Libby Booth finished in the top 25.
    • Audrey Hill, Amaya Grant, and Avery Stanley earned First Team All-GAC honors (top ten).
    • Peyton Carson earned Second Team All-GAC honors.
    • Mackenzie Epperson and Alyson Greathouse named GAC Elite Scholar-Athletes (4.0 GPA with at least 70 credit hours).
    • Ellie Akins, Rachel Caldwell, Peyton Carson, Aidan Fisher, Annsley Rawlins, and Avery Stanley earned GAC Academic Honor Roll Recognition.
    • Coaching and staff recognition:
    • Led by Head Coach Gabe Sams, with Assistant Coach Jackson Schwartz and Volunteer Assistant Coach Mike Waller (Strength and Conditioning).
    • Head Coach Gabe Sams was named the GAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.
  • Formal Procedure: The resolution requires that upon adoption, an appropriate copy be presented to Head Coach Gabe Sams by the Chief Clerk of the House.

Who/What Would Be Affected

  • Primary beneficiaries and subjects of the recognition:
    • ATU Golden Suns women’s cross country team members (athletes, staff, and coaches).
    • Arkansas Tech University as the institution being honored.
  • No fiscal appropriations or regulatory changes are included; the impact is ceremonial and commemorative.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Filed on April 23, 2026.
  • Lifespan: A House Resolution is a formal expression of the legislature’s sentiment and does not enact laws or authorize expenditures.
  • Sponsors: Primary sponsor(s) include Representatives Duffield, R. Scott Richardson, Eaton, Pilkington, J. Mayberry, with co-sponsors Julie Mayberry, Scott Richardson, James Eaton, Matt Duffield, and Aaron Pilkington.

Summary in Brief

HR 1048 is a ceremonial measure recognizing the ATU Golden Suns women's cross country team for winning the 2025 Great American Conference Championship, highlighting their dominance (top five scoring runners in top 25, first-ever conference title), individual honors (multiple All-GAC recognitions, Elite Scholar-Athlete honors, and academic honors), and the leadership of Head Coach Gabe Sams. The resolution also directs that an official copy be presented to Coach Sams and does not create legal or fiscal obligations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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