Thursday, April 17
Ocala, Fla.
7:30 a.m. CT
UT Martin
vs
SMU
Skyhawks Ready For Tomorrow’s NCEA Championship Showdown Against No. 1 Seed SMU
4/16/2025 8:47:00 AM | Equestrian
MARTIN, Tenn. – The No. 8 seed University of Tennessee at Martin opens the 2025 National Collegiate Equestrian Association Championship tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. CT as it takes on two-time defending national champion SMU at the luxurious World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla.
The Skyhawks earned the final at-large bid into the national championship bracket courtesy of a program-tying eight victories and their first league title since 2013, earning the Eastern College Athletic Conference crown after a raw points tiebreaking win over UC Davis on March 29. UT Martin is making its eighth overall appearance in the national championship event but first since the current eight-team format was developed.
The Skyhawks departed campus at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, flying out of Nashville to arrive in Tampa at 7:55 a.m. CT. After making the 100-mile drive to Ocala, UT Martin practiced that afternoon in anticipation of the program's first-ever meet in the Sunshine State. Horse evaluations are set for today before Opening Ceremony takes place at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Tomorrow's meet will take place in Arena 5 and Arena 6 on the WEC property. Reining is set to begin at 7:30 a.m. CT in Arena 5 with horsemanship set to follow at approximately 10:10 a.m. CT. Fences will simultaneously occur inside Arena 6 at 7:30 a.m. CT with flat to follow at approximately 9:05 a.m. CT.
Four-time ECAC Coach of the Year Kim Leiter-Janes has one graduate, seven seniors, six sophomores and a freshman make up the Skyhawk starting lineup, including Florida natives Emerson Maier (Land O' Lakes) in fences and Rileigh Weiss (Orlando) in flat.
In fences, UT Martin will start Gabby Adams (three wins, one MOP), Elizabeth Becker (26 career victories, including a team-best eight wins and two MOP's this season), Maier (five triumphs, one MOP), Kate Mills (team-highs of eight wins and two MOP's) and Bridget Vieau (three victories). As a team, the Skyhawks collected 30 wins and six MOP's in that event in 2024-25.
NCEA first-team All-American and ECAC Flat Rider of the Year Gabby Adams heads UT Martin's lineup in that event as the sophomore has earned team-highs of 10 wins and four MOP's. Becker (six victories, one MOP), ECAC Flat Freshman of the Year Payton Lussen (four wins), Vieau (five triumphs, two MOP's) and Weiss (four victories) complete a formidable attack that posted 34 head-to-head wins and seven MOP's as a unit this season.
The Skyhawks' horsemanship lineup features NCEA second-team All-American and ECAC Rider of the Year Mia McAfoos, who accounts for team-highs of 10 wins and four MOP's in that event this season. Lexi Bailey (20 career victories with seven wins and two MOP's in 2024-25), Kate Davis (21 career wins, six triumphs and one MOP this season), Lillian Laney (seven wins, one MOP) and Ava Newsom (two victories, one MOP) are also slated to represent UT Martin. On the season, the Skyhawks nabbed 34 wins and nine MOP's in that event.
Reining has been UT Martin's strong suit all season long, combining for a 42-23-3 head-to-head record (.640 winning percentage) with 10 MOP's. A pair of first-team All-Americans grace the Skyhawk lineup in ECAC Rider of the Year Elise Mason (10 wins, three MOP's) and Logan Putvinski (34 career victories, team-high 12 wins and one MOP this season). Bailey (22 career triumphs, seven wins and team-best four MOP's in 2024-25), Davis (26 career victories, nine wins and one MOP this season) and Aubrey Malone (four triumphs, one MOP) have all contributed to the UT Martin attack.
Student-athletes aren't the only Skyhawk representatives in the 2025 NCEA Championship field as four UT Martin horses were selected to make the trip. Lance (donated by Amy Groefsema) and Mickey (leased by the Veale family) will take part in horsemanship while Chloe (donated by Jeffery Gross) and Shiner (donated by Peggy Lovejoy) are set for the reining event.
Links to watch on ClipMyHorse.TV/ESPN3 and follow along with live scoring can be found at the 2025 NCEA Championship Central website above.
The Skyhawks earned the final at-large bid into the national championship bracket courtesy of a program-tying eight victories and their first league title since 2013, earning the Eastern College Athletic Conference crown after a raw points tiebreaking win over UC Davis on March 29. UT Martin is making its eighth overall appearance in the national championship event but first since the current eight-team format was developed.
The Skyhawks departed campus at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, flying out of Nashville to arrive in Tampa at 7:55 a.m. CT. After making the 100-mile drive to Ocala, UT Martin practiced that afternoon in anticipation of the program's first-ever meet in the Sunshine State. Horse evaluations are set for today before Opening Ceremony takes place at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Tomorrow's meet will take place in Arena 5 and Arena 6 on the WEC property. Reining is set to begin at 7:30 a.m. CT in Arena 5 with horsemanship set to follow at approximately 10:10 a.m. CT. Fences will simultaneously occur inside Arena 6 at 7:30 a.m. CT with flat to follow at approximately 9:05 a.m. CT.
Four-time ECAC Coach of the Year Kim Leiter-Janes has one graduate, seven seniors, six sophomores and a freshman make up the Skyhawk starting lineup, including Florida natives Emerson Maier (Land O' Lakes) in fences and Rileigh Weiss (Orlando) in flat.
In fences, UT Martin will start Gabby Adams (three wins, one MOP), Elizabeth Becker (26 career victories, including a team-best eight wins and two MOP's this season), Maier (five triumphs, one MOP), Kate Mills (team-highs of eight wins and two MOP's) and Bridget Vieau (three victories). As a team, the Skyhawks collected 30 wins and six MOP's in that event in 2024-25.
NCEA first-team All-American and ECAC Flat Rider of the Year Gabby Adams heads UT Martin's lineup in that event as the sophomore has earned team-highs of 10 wins and four MOP's. Becker (six victories, one MOP), ECAC Flat Freshman of the Year Payton Lussen (four wins), Vieau (five triumphs, two MOP's) and Weiss (four victories) complete a formidable attack that posted 34 head-to-head wins and seven MOP's as a unit this season.
The Skyhawks' horsemanship lineup features NCEA second-team All-American and ECAC Rider of the Year Mia McAfoos, who accounts for team-highs of 10 wins and four MOP's in that event this season. Lexi Bailey (20 career victories with seven wins and two MOP's in 2024-25), Kate Davis (21 career wins, six triumphs and one MOP this season), Lillian Laney (seven wins, one MOP) and Ava Newsom (two victories, one MOP) are also slated to represent UT Martin. On the season, the Skyhawks nabbed 34 wins and nine MOP's in that event.
Reining has been UT Martin's strong suit all season long, combining for a 42-23-3 head-to-head record (.640 winning percentage) with 10 MOP's. A pair of first-team All-Americans grace the Skyhawk lineup in ECAC Rider of the Year Elise Mason (10 wins, three MOP's) and Logan Putvinski (34 career victories, team-high 12 wins and one MOP this season). Bailey (22 career triumphs, seven wins and team-best four MOP's in 2024-25), Davis (26 career victories, nine wins and one MOP this season) and Aubrey Malone (four triumphs, one MOP) have all contributed to the UT Martin attack.
Student-athletes aren't the only Skyhawk representatives in the 2025 NCEA Championship field as four UT Martin horses were selected to make the trip. Lance (donated by Amy Groefsema) and Mickey (leased by the Veale family) will take part in horsemanship while Chloe (donated by Jeffery Gross) and Shiner (donated by Peggy Lovejoy) are set for the reining event.
Links to watch on ClipMyHorse.TV/ESPN3 and follow along with live scoring can be found at the 2025 NCEA Championship Central website above.
Players Mentioned
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Western
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Western
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Western
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Western
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Western
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Western
/ Equestrian
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Western
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Western
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Jumping Seat
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