UT Martin Set To Defend ECAC Championship This Weekend In Delaware
3/25/2026 3:17:00 PM | Equestrian
MARTIN, Tenn. – The 2026 Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship tournament takes place in Harrington, Del. as the University of Tennessee at Martin looks to defend its league title this weekend.
Delaware State is hosting the three-day, five-team tournament, which starts tomorrow with No. 5 seed Minnesota-Crookston taking on No. 4 seed Delaware State in the quarterfinals. The Skyhawks are the No. 3 seed in the event and will battle No. 2 seed South Dakota State on Friday, March 27 in the semifinals, which also features a matchup between No. 1 seed UC Davis and today's quarterfinal winner. The semifinals winners will then meet to decide the ECAC champion on Saturday, March 28. Both semifinals and the final meet will start at 8 a.m. CT.
UT Martin is coming off its first ECAC championship in school history, hoisting that trophy in front of its home crowd last spring. This season, the Skyhawks posted a 4-4 record in league play, which included a pair of wins over Minnesota-Crookston (10-6 on Oct. 4, 15-4 on Feb. 21), a triumph over South Dakota State (15-5 on Oct. 31) and a victory over Delaware State (15-4 on Feb. 20).
UT Martin's horsemanship lineup accounts for 29 head-to-head wins and six MOP's this season. Kailyn Veale is responsible for three of those MOP's while Ruby Gunderson has notched a team-best nine victories (including five in a row) in 13 starts. Ava Jo Glenn has also provided a recent spark as she has supplied a team-best 73.9 scoring average (all in the last eight meets of the season).
The Skyhawk reining squad is close behind with 28 victories and six MOP's in 2025-26. The lineup is extremely balanced as the trio of Abby Tibbits, Elise Mason (team-high 70.1 scoring average) and Claire Carpenter each share the team lead with two MOP's apiece. Meanwhile, Tibbits joins Stevie Brown and Payton Bundy as the team leaders with six head-to-head victories each.
Four separate UT Martin riders have nabbed a MOP in fences as Daphne Stavig, Audrey Morris, Averey Pritchard (team-best 80.3 scoring average amongst the regulars) and Kate Mills each share the team lead with one medal apiece. Mills has collected a team-best seven wins as the Skyhawks have combined for 25 victories in that event as a team.
In flat, Kathleen DeGenova leads the way for UT Martin as the senior tops the squad in MOP's (two) and head-to-head triumphs (six). Mills' team-best 78.3 scoring average has guided the Skyhawks as that group has collectively managed 20 victories to go along with four MOP's this season.
To watch the 2026 ECAC Championship live on YouTube, click the link above.
Delaware State is hosting the three-day, five-team tournament, which starts tomorrow with No. 5 seed Minnesota-Crookston taking on No. 4 seed Delaware State in the quarterfinals. The Skyhawks are the No. 3 seed in the event and will battle No. 2 seed South Dakota State on Friday, March 27 in the semifinals, which also features a matchup between No. 1 seed UC Davis and today's quarterfinal winner. The semifinals winners will then meet to decide the ECAC champion on Saturday, March 28. Both semifinals and the final meet will start at 8 a.m. CT.
UT Martin is coming off its first ECAC championship in school history, hoisting that trophy in front of its home crowd last spring. This season, the Skyhawks posted a 4-4 record in league play, which included a pair of wins over Minnesota-Crookston (10-6 on Oct. 4, 15-4 on Feb. 21), a triumph over South Dakota State (15-5 on Oct. 31) and a victory over Delaware State (15-4 on Feb. 20).
UT Martin's horsemanship lineup accounts for 29 head-to-head wins and six MOP's this season. Kailyn Veale is responsible for three of those MOP's while Ruby Gunderson has notched a team-best nine victories (including five in a row) in 13 starts. Ava Jo Glenn has also provided a recent spark as she has supplied a team-best 73.9 scoring average (all in the last eight meets of the season).
The Skyhawk reining squad is close behind with 28 victories and six MOP's in 2025-26. The lineup is extremely balanced as the trio of Abby Tibbits, Elise Mason (team-high 70.1 scoring average) and Claire Carpenter each share the team lead with two MOP's apiece. Meanwhile, Tibbits joins Stevie Brown and Payton Bundy as the team leaders with six head-to-head victories each.
Four separate UT Martin riders have nabbed a MOP in fences as Daphne Stavig, Audrey Morris, Averey Pritchard (team-best 80.3 scoring average amongst the regulars) and Kate Mills each share the team lead with one medal apiece. Mills has collected a team-best seven wins as the Skyhawks have combined for 25 victories in that event as a team.
In flat, Kathleen DeGenova leads the way for UT Martin as the senior tops the squad in MOP's (two) and head-to-head triumphs (six). Mills' team-best 78.3 scoring average has guided the Skyhawks as that group has collectively managed 20 victories to go along with four MOP's this season.
To watch the 2026 ECAC Championship live on YouTube, click the link above.
Players Mentioned
Western
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Jumping Seat
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Western
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Western
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