MEN’S TEAM PLACES SECOND ONCE AGAIN AS UT MARTIN TRAVELS TO WEST ALABAMA RODEO

Thursday, September 24

Meridian, Miss.

UT Martin

West Alabama

MEN’S TEAM PLACES SECOND ONCE AGAIN AS UT MARTIN TRAVELS TO WEST ALABAMA RODEO

9/27/2020 2:07:00 PM | Rodeo

Results

MERIDIAN, Miss. – For the second consecutive week to begin the 2020-21 campaign, the University of Tennessee at Martin men's squad finished as runner-up as the Skyhawk cowboys registered 555 points in a rodeo hosted by West Alabama.

The UT Martin men trailed only Missouri Valley College, who collected 890 points in the final standings. Southern Arkansas finished atop the women's standings with 425 points as UT Martin came in seventh with 105 points.

Continuing a sizzling start to his junior season was Stetson Bierman, as the Hidalgo, Ill. native commanded the bareback riding event for the second straight weekend. His 148 average and 74 points in the short round were the best in the field while his 74 opening-round points ranked second. Bryce Sifford also contributed points for UT Martin as he split fourth in average (127), split fourth in the short go (64) and split sixth in the first round (63). Weston Hamilton additionally generated points as his 66 in the opening round was the fifth-best score.

A pair of UT Martin cowboys picked up points in calf roping. Chase Thrasher's time of 10.6 seconds in the short go placed him second while his 21.9 average was good enough for fourth place. Allen Morse also picked up points in the opening round as his time of 10.0 seconds split third.

Tyler Pruitt represented UT Martin in saddle bronc riding, as the sophomore from Chesnee, SC placed fifth in the short go with a score of 53 points.

A total of three UT Martin cowboys accumulated points in steer wrestling. Jesse Keysaer set the tone with a second-place finish in the short round (5.1) while also placing fourth with a 13.2 average. Robbie Van Holten claimed points in all three phases, finishing fourth in the opening round (7.3) and fifth in both average (13.7) and in the short go (6.4). Thrasher was responsible for a time of 6.6 seconds in the short round, which was good enough for sixth place.

On the women's side, Kailey Schmidt earned points in each of the three phases of goat tying. The junior out of Cottage Grove, Tenn. placed second in the first round (7.5) before coming in fifth in average (16.0) and sixth in the short go (8.5).

A whopping total of seven UT Martin cowboys produced points in team roping. Thrasher teamed up with Cole Walker to win the average (14.0) and top the field in the short go (5.7) after their first-round time of 8.3 seconds ranked fourth. Will McCraw and Three Rivers' Blane Maxwell won the opening round with a time of 6.7 seconds while the all-UT Martin team of Justin Sailors and Cody Hogan (7.0 seconds) finished second in that same run. Teammates Jake Glass and Carson Stroup additionally posted times of 18.5 seconds in the short round (fifth place) and 28.4 seconds in the average (sixth place).

In barrel racing, Holli Covey ranked third in the field with her first-round time of 14.61 seconds. Casey Allen was right behind as her 14.64 in the opening round split fourth-place points for the women's squad.

UT Martin has some down time before its next competition as the Skyhawks will take part in a rodeo hosted by Three Rivers College on Oct. 15-17 in Cape Girardeau, Mo.