SKYHAWK EQUESTRIAN ADVANCES IN EQUITATION ON THE FLAT ON OPENING DAY OF NCEA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Wednesday, April 17

Waco, Texas

8:30 A.M.

UT Martin

SMU

SKYHAWK EQUESTRIAN ADVANCES IN EQUITATION ON THE FLAT ON OPENING DAY OF NCEA CHAMPIONSHIPS

4/17/2019 9:09:00 PM | Equestrian

Flat Results Fences Results Reining Results Horsemanship Results NCEA Championship Central

WACO, Texas – For the second straight season, the University of Tennessee at Martin earned a first round victory in a Hunter Seat event as the Skyhawks advanced to the equitation on the flat quarterfinals with a tiebreaker win over TCU at the National Collegiate Equestrian Association Championships.

After UT Martin chalked up a win in equitation over fences in the first year of the newly expanded NCEA Championship bracket in 2018, the Skyhawks found success in equitation on the flat today. Seeded No. 8 in the event, UT Martin tied the No. 9 seed Horned Frogs but was awarded the win thanks to the five judges' raw points tiebreaker where the Skyhawks held a 1245-1240 edge.

Abbie Hopkins (185 points) and Kelby Kane (182) each dialed up head-to-head victories to help UT Martin advance in the bracket. Quinn Reed produced a team-high 210 points while Monika Zoromski posted a 170 but ran into some tough luck.

With the victory, the Skyhawks will take on No. 1 Auburn in the tournament quarterfinals on Friday, April 19 at 1:30 p.m. UT Martin has faced Auburn twice already this season (Sept. 20, Feb. 8), as Hopkins dialed up a victory in equitation on the flat against the Tigers during the regular season.

In other action today, the Skyhawks fell by 3-1 margins in each of the equitation over fences, reining and horsemanship events.

The tournament began in equitation over fences as the No. 14 seed UT Martin took on No. 3 SMU this morning. Zoromski was able to pick up a commanding win (238 to 197) but the Skyhawks could not produce another win. Kane (231), Hopkins (228) and Brooke Pfeiffer (207) also represented UT Martin in the event.

In reining, Noel Meadows claimed a victory for the No. 7 seed Skyhawks with an event-high 210.5-point ride but No. 10 Delaware State managed the win. Hannah McDonald (202.5) and Maddie Mykolaitis (196.5) were each narrowly defeated by less than five points apiece while Tess Baumann also competed for UT Martin.

The Skyhawks were seeded No. 9 in horsemanship but could not get past No. 8 Georgia. Baumann's 215-point effort was good enough for the victory while Lucy Eier (212.5), Bailey Newlin (209.5) and Devon Woods (207.5) also produced good scores for UT Martin despite the setbacks.

For all information pertaining to the 2019 NCEA Championships – including live video and live scoring links – please visit the Tournament Central webpage at the top of the webpage.