SKYHAWK EQUESTRIAN CAPTURES ALL FOUR ECAC RIDER OF THE WEEK AWARDS
10/30/2023 1:00:00 PM | Equestrian
DANBURY, Conn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian team boasted all four Eastern College Athletic Conference Rider of the Week awards as Haley Kane (fences), Sophia Sundem (flat), Lexi Bailey (horsemanship) and Emma Schaefer (reining) each brought home those honors today.
This marks the second ECAC weekly award of the season for the Skyhawk trio of Sundem, Bailey and Schaefer. It's the first accolade in 2023-24 for Kane and second of her career (also winning in flat on March 8, 2021).
UT Martin has now swept through all four of the ECAC Rider of the Week categories three times this season, additionally accomplishing that feat on Oct. 2 and Oct. 16.
These four riders elevated their games against a pair of top-five opponents over the weekend as the Skyhawks collided against No. 1 TCU and No. 5 Georgia.
Kane was a perfect 2-for-2 in head-to-head competition in fences, posting her two highest scores of the season. She tallied an 85 on Dubs against TCU on Friday before following with an 83 on the same horse against Georgia on Saturday – winning by 33 points over her counterpart. The graduate from Lexington, Ky. is responsible for a team-best three wins and an 81.0 scoring average so far in 2023-24.
A senior out of Carlsbad, Calif., Sundem notched team-highs of 86 points against TCU for the head-to-head victory on Rafiki before collecting 81 points aboard Rose against Georgia. On the season, she tops UT Martin in wins (four), MOP's (one) and scoring average (82.5).
Bailey scored a victory against her counterpart from Georgia, tallying 74 points on DeNiro for her team-best third win of the 2023-24 campaign. The junior from Union Mills, Ind. also generated 68 points aboard Winnie against TCU to start the weekend as she averages 72.2 points per ride in horsemanship this fall.
Hailing from New Virginia, Iowa, Schaefer had perhaps the best weekend of any Skyhawk. She registered 68.5 points aboard Cobra on the way to a head-to-head victory against TCU before earning MOP accolades behind a season-best 70.5 points against Georgia – winning by an even eight points. The senior paces UT Martin in victories (four) and MOP's (two) to go along with a 68.3 scoring average in reining this season.
The Skyhawks are idle until mid-November as they return to action against No. 8 Baylor and Delaware State on Nov. 17-18 in Felton, Del.
This marks the second ECAC weekly award of the season for the Skyhawk trio of Sundem, Bailey and Schaefer. It's the first accolade in 2023-24 for Kane and second of her career (also winning in flat on March 8, 2021).
UT Martin has now swept through all four of the ECAC Rider of the Week categories three times this season, additionally accomplishing that feat on Oct. 2 and Oct. 16.
These four riders elevated their games against a pair of top-five opponents over the weekend as the Skyhawks collided against No. 1 TCU and No. 5 Georgia.
Kane was a perfect 2-for-2 in head-to-head competition in fences, posting her two highest scores of the season. She tallied an 85 on Dubs against TCU on Friday before following with an 83 on the same horse against Georgia on Saturday – winning by 33 points over her counterpart. The graduate from Lexington, Ky. is responsible for a team-best three wins and an 81.0 scoring average so far in 2023-24.
A senior out of Carlsbad, Calif., Sundem notched team-highs of 86 points against TCU for the head-to-head victory on Rafiki before collecting 81 points aboard Rose against Georgia. On the season, she tops UT Martin in wins (four), MOP's (one) and scoring average (82.5).
Bailey scored a victory against her counterpart from Georgia, tallying 74 points on DeNiro for her team-best third win of the 2023-24 campaign. The junior from Union Mills, Ind. also generated 68 points aboard Winnie against TCU to start the weekend as she averages 72.2 points per ride in horsemanship this fall.
Hailing from New Virginia, Iowa, Schaefer had perhaps the best weekend of any Skyhawk. She registered 68.5 points aboard Cobra on the way to a head-to-head victory against TCU before earning MOP accolades behind a season-best 70.5 points against Georgia – winning by an even eight points. The senior paces UT Martin in victories (four) and MOP's (two) to go along with a 68.3 scoring average in reining this season.
The Skyhawks are idle until mid-November as they return to action against No. 8 Baylor and Delaware State on Nov. 17-18 in Felton, Del.
Players Mentioned
Western
/ Equestrian
Jumping Seat
/ Equestrian
Western
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Jumping Seat
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