Six Skyhawks Collect All-Eastern College Athletic Conference Equestrian Accolades
3/26/2026 6:36:00 PM | Equestrian
DOVER, Del. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference unveiled its equestrian postseason awards this evening as six University of Tennessee at Martin riders brought home accolades.
Ruby Gunderson and Kailyn Veale were each named to the All-ECAC horsemanship squad while Kate Mills (fences), Kathleen DeGenova (flat) and Payton Bundy (reining) additionally earned All-ECAC status. Madison Wachtel rounded out the Skyhawks' successful haul by receiving the ECAC Sportsmanship Award.
Tonight's announcement marks the third straight season that UT Martin has boasted multiple All-ECAC horsemanship honorees and fourth consecutive season that the Skyhawks touted at least one All-ECAC recipient in each of the four events. Mills receives her second ECAC postseason recognition (also was named the 2024 Fences Freshman of the Year) while Gunderson, Veale, DeGenova, Bundy and Wachtel are each honored for the first time in their careers.
Gunderson has started in all 13 of UT Martin's meets in 2025-26, topping the squad with nine horsemanship victories. That includes a current five-meet winning streak that began on Feb. 20 against Delaware State and ran through the season finale at No. 9 UC Davis on March 7. The sophomore out of Ephrata, Wash. also tacked on a MOP victory against No. 2 Georgia on Jan. 30 and went 6-2 against ECAC rivals this season. She ranks second on the team by decimals with a 73.9 scoring average, which includes a career-best 80 points in a Feb. 21 victory over her counterpart from Minnesota-Crookston. She was named ECAC Horsemanship Rider of the Week on March 10.
A senior from Ooltewah, Tenn., Veale also appeared in the Skyhawk horsemanship lineup for all 13 meets this season. She garnered a team-best three MOP's (all against ECAC foes), accomplishing that feat against South Dakota State (Oct. 31), Minnesota-Crookston (career-best 81.5 points on Feb. 21) and at No. 9 UC Davis (March 7). She averaged 73.6 points per ride while dialing up six victories and a tie, winning four of the final five meets of the season with an additional triumph on Nov. 1 against No. 2 South Carolina. She claimed ECAC Rider of the Week accolades on Nov. 4 and Feb. 24 while also bringing home ECAC Rider of the Month honors for February.
Mills started in each of the first 12 meets of the season in fences, generating a team-best seven victories. Six of those wins came against ECAC competition – capped off with a MOP performance against Delaware State on Feb. 20 – while tacking on a season-best 84.5 points in a triumph at No. 8 Fresno State on March 6. The junior out of Charlotte, NC was also responsible for another win over a ranked opponent on Nov. 7, claiming a victory over ECAC foe and No. 10 ranked UC Davis. She emerged victorious in five of the first six meets of the season and averaged 78.1 points on the season – tallying a score of 80 or above on eight separate occasions.
Hailing from Cape May Court House, NJ, DeGenova was one of UT Martin's most valuable Jumping Seat options in 2025-26. The senior earned a start in flat for each of the final 12 meets of the season, topping the squad in victories (six) and MOP's (two). Both of her MOP's came against ECAC rivals (Oct. 31 against South Dakota State, Feb. 21 against Minnesota-Crookston) as she went 5-1-1 against league competition. She also picked up a victory in the Jan. 30 spring opener against No. 2 Georgia. Her 76.7 scoring average included a career-best 86 points in the aforementioned MOP performance against South Dakota State. She brought home the ECAC Flat Rider of the Week award on Feb. 24.
Bundy logged 11 starts in the Skyhawk reining lineup this season, tying for the team lead with six victories. All six of those wins came during a torrid eight-meet stretch that lasted from Oct. 31 against South Dakota State through Feb. 21 against Minnesota-Crookston, a span that included triumphs over No. 2 South Carolina (Nov. 1), No. 2 Georgia (Jan. 30) and No. 1 Auburn (Jan. 31) to go along with a trio of ECAC head-to-head victories. The sophomore out of Tallahassee, Fla. averaged 69.1 points per ride, which included a career-high 78 points in the previously mentioned outing against Minnesota-Crookston. She was hailed as ECAC Reining Rider of the Week on Nov. 4.
A junior from Wells, Nev., Wachtel serves on the program's Game Day Relations Committee and helped lead various team efforts and activities, including the upcoming Frappe 5K and Fun Run set for April 12. Her impact extends into the classroom as well as she sported a flawless 4.0 Grade Point Average during the fall 2025 semester and currently holds a 3.77 cumulative GPA while majoring in agricultural business.
UT Martin opens its pursuit of a second consecutive ECAC title tomorrow when it faces No. 2 seed South Dakota State in the 8 a.m. CT semifinals at Quillen Arena, located at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, Del.
Ruby Gunderson and Kailyn Veale were each named to the All-ECAC horsemanship squad while Kate Mills (fences), Kathleen DeGenova (flat) and Payton Bundy (reining) additionally earned All-ECAC status. Madison Wachtel rounded out the Skyhawks' successful haul by receiving the ECAC Sportsmanship Award.
Tonight's announcement marks the third straight season that UT Martin has boasted multiple All-ECAC horsemanship honorees and fourth consecutive season that the Skyhawks touted at least one All-ECAC recipient in each of the four events. Mills receives her second ECAC postseason recognition (also was named the 2024 Fences Freshman of the Year) while Gunderson, Veale, DeGenova, Bundy and Wachtel are each honored for the first time in their careers.
Gunderson has started in all 13 of UT Martin's meets in 2025-26, topping the squad with nine horsemanship victories. That includes a current five-meet winning streak that began on Feb. 20 against Delaware State and ran through the season finale at No. 9 UC Davis on March 7. The sophomore out of Ephrata, Wash. also tacked on a MOP victory against No. 2 Georgia on Jan. 30 and went 6-2 against ECAC rivals this season. She ranks second on the team by decimals with a 73.9 scoring average, which includes a career-best 80 points in a Feb. 21 victory over her counterpart from Minnesota-Crookston. She was named ECAC Horsemanship Rider of the Week on March 10.
A senior from Ooltewah, Tenn., Veale also appeared in the Skyhawk horsemanship lineup for all 13 meets this season. She garnered a team-best three MOP's (all against ECAC foes), accomplishing that feat against South Dakota State (Oct. 31), Minnesota-Crookston (career-best 81.5 points on Feb. 21) and at No. 9 UC Davis (March 7). She averaged 73.6 points per ride while dialing up six victories and a tie, winning four of the final five meets of the season with an additional triumph on Nov. 1 against No. 2 South Carolina. She claimed ECAC Rider of the Week accolades on Nov. 4 and Feb. 24 while also bringing home ECAC Rider of the Month honors for February.
Mills started in each of the first 12 meets of the season in fences, generating a team-best seven victories. Six of those wins came against ECAC competition – capped off with a MOP performance against Delaware State on Feb. 20 – while tacking on a season-best 84.5 points in a triumph at No. 8 Fresno State on March 6. The junior out of Charlotte, NC was also responsible for another win over a ranked opponent on Nov. 7, claiming a victory over ECAC foe and No. 10 ranked UC Davis. She emerged victorious in five of the first six meets of the season and averaged 78.1 points on the season – tallying a score of 80 or above on eight separate occasions.
Hailing from Cape May Court House, NJ, DeGenova was one of UT Martin's most valuable Jumping Seat options in 2025-26. The senior earned a start in flat for each of the final 12 meets of the season, topping the squad in victories (six) and MOP's (two). Both of her MOP's came against ECAC rivals (Oct. 31 against South Dakota State, Feb. 21 against Minnesota-Crookston) as she went 5-1-1 against league competition. She also picked up a victory in the Jan. 30 spring opener against No. 2 Georgia. Her 76.7 scoring average included a career-best 86 points in the aforementioned MOP performance against South Dakota State. She brought home the ECAC Flat Rider of the Week award on Feb. 24.
Bundy logged 11 starts in the Skyhawk reining lineup this season, tying for the team lead with six victories. All six of those wins came during a torrid eight-meet stretch that lasted from Oct. 31 against South Dakota State through Feb. 21 against Minnesota-Crookston, a span that included triumphs over No. 2 South Carolina (Nov. 1), No. 2 Georgia (Jan. 30) and No. 1 Auburn (Jan. 31) to go along with a trio of ECAC head-to-head victories. The sophomore out of Tallahassee, Fla. averaged 69.1 points per ride, which included a career-high 78 points in the previously mentioned outing against Minnesota-Crookston. She was hailed as ECAC Reining Rider of the Week on Nov. 4.
A junior from Wells, Nev., Wachtel serves on the program's Game Day Relations Committee and helped lead various team efforts and activities, including the upcoming Frappe 5K and Fun Run set for April 12. Her impact extends into the classroom as well as she sported a flawless 4.0 Grade Point Average during the fall 2025 semester and currently holds a 3.77 cumulative GPA while majoring in agricultural business.
UT Martin opens its pursuit of a second consecutive ECAC title tomorrow when it faces No. 2 seed South Dakota State in the 8 a.m. CT semifinals at Quillen Arena, located at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, Del.
Players Mentioned
Western
/ Equestrian
Jumping Seat
/ Equestrian
Western
/ Equestrian
Jumping Seat
/ Equestrian
Western
/ Equestrian
Western
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