FIVE DIFFERENT SKYHAWKS EARN ALL-UNITED EQUESTRIAN CONFERENCE HONORS AT AWARDS BANQUET
3/21/2019 7:54:00 PM | Equestrian
MARTIN, Tenn. – The awards piled up for the University of Tennessee at Martin this evening as a total of five Skyhawks combined for seven United Equestrian Conference accolades during the 2019 championship banquet held at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. The all-conference awards were presented by Weakley County Farmers Co-Op.
Noel Meadows was named the UEC Reining Rider of the Year while Kelby Kane brought home UEC Equitation on the Flat Freshman of the Year honors. Hannah McDonald/Meadows (All-UEC reining) and Abbie Hopkins/Kane (All-UEC equitation on the flat) were also honored for outstanding seasons while Grace Salmon also earned the UEC Sportsmanship Award.
Meadows becomes the first Skyhawk to ever win UEC Reining Rider of the Year status as she backed up her 2018 UEC Reining Freshman of the Year award. The Staunton, Va. native has captured a team-high six wins and two MOP's in the event, dialing up a 68.3 average score. Both of her MOP efforts came against ranked opponents, as she scored top honors against No. 8 Fresno State on Sept. 28 and No. 6 Georgia on Jan. 24. The season-high score for the sophomore came in the big win against No. 6 Georgia, as she accrued 72 points.
Taking the league by storm has been Kane, who joins current teammate Randi LaChance as the only two riders in school history to nab UEC Freshman of the Year honors in equitation on the flat. Kane paces UT Martin in scoring average (78.6), victories (five) and MOP's (two) in the event, winning MOP accolades against South Dakota State (Oct. 11) and No. 5 South Carolina (Nov. 2). The Lexington, Ky. native has eclipsed the 83-point mark four times in 2018-19, including a career-best 86 in the Oct. 11 matchup against South Dakota State.
A sophomore out of Ridgefield, Wash., McDonald earns her first career All-UEC mention. She was responsible for a team-high 68.4 scoring average in reining while also tacking on five head-to-head victories. Her 68-point performance against Delaware State on Sept. 29 was good enough for an MOP spotlight while her season-best score of 72.5 points came against South Dakota State on Feb. 8.
Hopkins completes a sweep of career Hunter Seat accolades after she was voted All-UEC on equitation over fences in 2018. The sophomore out of Seekonk, Mass. reached at least 84 points in equitation on the flat on three separate occasions this season, including a season-best score of 88 on Oct. 12 against Sweet Briar. She collected four victories while seizing MOP accolades against No. 8 Fresno State on Sept. 28.
Hailing from Wilsonville, Ore., Salmon has completed over 300 hours of volunteer work over the last year. She also volunteers her time with Plaid Horse, creating content online and for print about issues and topics facing the equine industry. Although she suffered a season-ending injury last December, the junior has been a tremendous help not only to the team but to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association, as she has tirelessly promoted the sport of equestrian.
Noel Meadows was named the UEC Reining Rider of the Year while Kelby Kane brought home UEC Equitation on the Flat Freshman of the Year honors. Hannah McDonald/Meadows (All-UEC reining) and Abbie Hopkins/Kane (All-UEC equitation on the flat) were also honored for outstanding seasons while Grace Salmon also earned the UEC Sportsmanship Award.
Meadows becomes the first Skyhawk to ever win UEC Reining Rider of the Year status as she backed up her 2018 UEC Reining Freshman of the Year award. The Staunton, Va. native has captured a team-high six wins and two MOP's in the event, dialing up a 68.3 average score. Both of her MOP efforts came against ranked opponents, as she scored top honors against No. 8 Fresno State on Sept. 28 and No. 6 Georgia on Jan. 24. The season-high score for the sophomore came in the big win against No. 6 Georgia, as she accrued 72 points.
Taking the league by storm has been Kane, who joins current teammate Randi LaChance as the only two riders in school history to nab UEC Freshman of the Year honors in equitation on the flat. Kane paces UT Martin in scoring average (78.6), victories (five) and MOP's (two) in the event, winning MOP accolades against South Dakota State (Oct. 11) and No. 5 South Carolina (Nov. 2). The Lexington, Ky. native has eclipsed the 83-point mark four times in 2018-19, including a career-best 86 in the Oct. 11 matchup against South Dakota State.
A sophomore out of Ridgefield, Wash., McDonald earns her first career All-UEC mention. She was responsible for a team-high 68.4 scoring average in reining while also tacking on five head-to-head victories. Her 68-point performance against Delaware State on Sept. 29 was good enough for an MOP spotlight while her season-best score of 72.5 points came against South Dakota State on Feb. 8.
Hopkins completes a sweep of career Hunter Seat accolades after she was voted All-UEC on equitation over fences in 2018. The sophomore out of Seekonk, Mass. reached at least 84 points in equitation on the flat on three separate occasions this season, including a season-best score of 88 on Oct. 12 against Sweet Briar. She collected four victories while seizing MOP accolades against No. 8 Fresno State on Sept. 28.
Hailing from Wilsonville, Ore., Salmon has completed over 300 hours of volunteer work over the last year. She also volunteers her time with Plaid Horse, creating content online and for print about issues and topics facing the equine industry. Although she suffered a season-ending injury last December, the junior has been a tremendous help not only to the team but to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association, as she has tirelessly promoted the sport of equestrian.
Players Mentioned
Hunter Seat
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Hunter Seat
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Hunter Seat
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Western
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Hunter Seat/Western
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Hunter Seat
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