Skyhawks Sweep All Four MOP’s in Commanding Victory Over South Dakota State

Friday, October 31

Martin, Tenn.

9 a.m.

UT Martin

South Dakota State

Skyhawks Sweep All Four MOP’s in Commanding Victory Over South Dakota State

10/31/2025 5:24:00 PM | Equestrian

Results

MARTIN, Tenn. – The 2025-26 home opener for the University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian team was a successful one as the Skyhawks rolled to a 15-5 Eastern College Athletic Conference triumph over South Dakota State at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex today.

UT Martin captured all four MOP's today as Audrey Morris (fences), Kathleen DeGenova (flat), Kailyn Veale (horsemanship) and Claire Carpenter (reining) each nabbed the first MOP of their careers.

As a team, the Skyhawks claimed four points in fences, four victories in flat, four triumphs in reining and three more wins in horsemanship. Overall, 10 UT Martin riders established new career-high scores as part of a complete victory.

Morris' career-best score of 84 led the Skyhawks in fences as the junior out of Flower Mound, Texas coasted to a 24-point win over her head-to-head competitor. Kate Mills (81 points) and Averey Pritchard (78) each managed their third victories in as many tries in 2025-26 while DeGenova earned her second win of the season with a career-high 80-point effort. Daphne Stavig (77 points) also represented UT Martin in the fences lineup.

In flat, DeGenova's career-best 86-point performance was not only good enough for her first collegiate MOP but her first career victory in that event. Shelby Davis notched her second win of the season with a career-high 83 points while Lydia Jordan's career-best 82-point effort also resulted in the second triumph of her junior campaign. Mills (career-high 80 points) was also victorious for her first win of the season in that event while Morris' 74 points completed the scoring.

Three more Skyhawk riders accumulated career-best scores in reining. Carpenter's career-high 72.5 points clinched MOP accolades and her second win of the season while Payton Bundy's career-best 72.5 points earned the sophomore from Tallahassee, Fla. her first collegiate victory. Abby Tibbits (career-high 72 points) and Elise Mason (70.5) both tallied their second wins of the season while Stevie Brown (69 points) was the fifth member of UT Martin's scoring lineup.

Veale's season-high score of 75.5 points and MOP performance set the tone for the Skyhawks in horsemanship. Ruby Gunderson improved to 3-0 on the season with a career-best 74 points while Ava Newsom (73 points) posted her first win of the young season. Carpenter and Olivia Wynn each dialed up 72 points to round out UT Martin's scoring lineup.

The Skyhawks are back in action tomorrow, hosting No. 2 South Carolina at 11 a.m. in a battle of two National Collegiate Equestrian Association Championship participants from a year ago.