UT MARTIN EQUESTRIAN TRIO EARNS ECAC POSTSEASON ACCOLADES; McDONALD AND LEITER COME AWAY WITH TOP INDIVIDUAL HONORS
3/26/2021 8:30:00 AM | Equestrian
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference unveiled its postseason equestrian awards today and three University of Tennessee at Martin representatives found themselves on the prestigious list. Hannah McDonald captured the ECAC Reining Rider of the Year award on her way to all-conference honors in the same event, Kim Leiter was named ECAC Coach of the Year and Bailey Newlin garnered All-ECAC status in horsemanship.
McDonald becomes the Skyhawks' first conference Reining Rider of the Year since her current teammate Noel Meadows won the United Equestrian Conference award in 2019. The senior out of Ridgefield, Wash. has racked up an unblemished head-to-head record this season, accounting for six of the team's 15 wins (and lone MOP) in the event. Her season scoring average of 72.0 points included a career-best 76 against Minnesota-Crookston on Feb. 12, collecting her fourth career MOP in the process. Earlier this season, she was named the ECAC Reining Rider of the Month for February.
Bringing home the program's first-ever ECAC Coach of the Year honor is Leiter, who was elevated into that role on an interim basis on Nov. 19, 2020. The Janesville, Wis. native helped guide the Skyhawks to a pair of wins during the shortened season while tying in two other meets. UT Martin earned the No. 3 seed in the ECAC Championship tournament and dialed up 48 head-to-head victories to go along with 10 MOP's during the 2020-21 campaign under Leiter's tutelage.
Newlin was a force this season in horsemanship, earning team-high tallies in both season scoring average (73.5) and victories (four). Her career-high score of 77 points came on March 6 at Delaware State while she also secured her first career MOP after a 76-point effort against Minnesota-Crookston on Feb. 12. The latter accomplishment directly led the Alamo, Calif. native to chalk up ECAC Rider of the Week honors on Feb. 15 as that result helped her win each of the final three head-to-head battles to close out the 2020-21 regular season.
The Skyhawks are back in action this morning when they take on No. 2 seed South Dakota State in the ECAC Championship semifinals round, starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Pavilion.
McDonald becomes the Skyhawks' first conference Reining Rider of the Year since her current teammate Noel Meadows won the United Equestrian Conference award in 2019. The senior out of Ridgefield, Wash. has racked up an unblemished head-to-head record this season, accounting for six of the team's 15 wins (and lone MOP) in the event. Her season scoring average of 72.0 points included a career-best 76 against Minnesota-Crookston on Feb. 12, collecting her fourth career MOP in the process. Earlier this season, she was named the ECAC Reining Rider of the Month for February.
Bringing home the program's first-ever ECAC Coach of the Year honor is Leiter, who was elevated into that role on an interim basis on Nov. 19, 2020. The Janesville, Wis. native helped guide the Skyhawks to a pair of wins during the shortened season while tying in two other meets. UT Martin earned the No. 3 seed in the ECAC Championship tournament and dialed up 48 head-to-head victories to go along with 10 MOP's during the 2020-21 campaign under Leiter's tutelage.
Newlin was a force this season in horsemanship, earning team-high tallies in both season scoring average (73.5) and victories (four). Her career-high score of 77 points came on March 6 at Delaware State while she also secured her first career MOP after a 76-point effort against Minnesota-Crookston on Feb. 12. The latter accomplishment directly led the Alamo, Calif. native to chalk up ECAC Rider of the Week honors on Feb. 15 as that result helped her win each of the final three head-to-head battles to close out the 2020-21 regular season.
The Skyhawks are back in action this morning when they take on No. 2 seed South Dakota State in the ECAC Championship semifinals round, starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Pavilion.
Players Mentioned
Tuesday, March 24
Tuesday, February 17
Friday, January 23
Friday, January 23