No. 10 UT Martin Garners Four MOP’s While Splitting Season-Opening Weekend

Saturday, October 4

Brookings, SD

9 a.m.

UT Martin

Minnesota-Crookston

No. 10 UT Martin Garners Four MOP’s While Splitting Season-Opening Weekend

10/4/2025 7:26:00 PM | Equestrian

Results (Minnesota-Crookston)Results (South Dakota State)

BROOKINGS, SD – The University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian team collected one MOP in all four events over its two season-opening meets, defeating Minnesota-Crookston by a 10-6 margin before narrowly falling 10-7 to weekend host South Dakota State.

The No. 10 ranked Skyhawks took three of the four MOP's in the matchup against the Golden Eagles, which took place over the course of Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Daphne Stavig (career-high 85 points in fences), Olivia Wynn (career-best 76.5 points in horsemanship) and Elise Mason (72.5 points in reining) each garnered MOP medals to help UT Martin to the victory. On Saturday afternoon against the Jackrabbits, Shelby Davis was responsible for MOP honors in flat with a career-high score of 80 points.

On the weekend, Wynn (horsemanship), Ruby Gunderson (horsemanship), Kate Mills (fences) and Averey Pritchard (fences) each went 2-0 in their respective events. Mason (1-0-1 in reining), Claire Carpenter (1-0-1 in reining) and Brianna Marks (0-0-1 in flat) were additionally unbeaten.

A total of 13 riders made their official Skyhawk debuts over the weekend as UT Martin dialed up six wins in fences, five victories in horsemanship, four wins plus two ties in reining and two triumphs (plus a tie) in flat.

Against Minnesota-Crookston, Mason's MOP ride in reining led the way while Carpenter and Stevie Brown each recorded 71 points as part of head-to-head victories. Abby Tibbits fell by a narrow 65-64 margin as the Skyhawks nearly completed a sweep in the event.

Lydia Jordan's 71-point effort in flat was good enough for a UT Martin victory while Davis (team-best 74 points), Camille Panuwat (67) and Gracie Roberts (57) each made their debuts in the starting lineup as the score was knotted at 4-all through Friday's action.

The Skyhawks swept the fences event on Saturday morning, guided by Stavig's MOP effort in her collegiate debut. Pritchard (84 points), Mills (83) and Kathleen DeGenova (75) also came away with victories for UT Martin.

In horsemanship, Wynn paved the way with her first career MOP recognition. Gunderson tacked on a head-to-head win via a 73-point ride while Ava Newsom and Kailyn Veale posted scores of 74.5 and 72 points, respectively.

Saturday's meet got off to a good start as the Skyhawks took three out of five points in horsemanship. Wynn and Carpenter were each victorious after tallies of 74.5 points apiece while Gunderson capped off her perfect weekend with a 73.5-point performance. Veale (team-best 75 points) and Newsom (69.5) also represented UT Martin in that event.

Pritchard delivered another victory in fences with a score of 78 points while Mills accounted for a winning tally of 76 points. DeGenova (team-high 80 points), Audrey Morris (76) and Stavig (54) also competed for the Skyhawks as the meet was tied at 5-5 at halftime.

UT Martin managed one win and a pair of ties in reining as Tibbits' 69 points was good enough for a victory while Mason (71.5) and Carpenter (69.5) earned draws. Brown (69.5) and Payton Bundy (66.5) additionally took part in the Skyhawk scoring lineup.

Davis' first career MOP highlighted UT Martin's participation in flat while Marks' 61 points equaled the score of her opponent. DeGenova (67), Jordan (65) and Morris (62) rounded out the Skyhawk flat lineup.

UT Martin is idle from official competition until later this month, making its home debut with a pair of meets on the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 1 when the Skyhawks will host South Dakota State and South Carolina at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex.