2018-19 Season Recap
April 29, 2019 | Equestrian
ATHENS, Ga.— The University of Georgia equestrian team finished as the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Reserve National Champions and claimed four out of seven event national titles to complete the 2018-19 season.
Georgia won national titles in Horsemanship, Reining and Equitation Over Fences at the 2019 NCEA Championship. The Bulldogs were also crowned overall Western discipline champions.
It marked the third consecutive year the Bulldogs finished as reserve champion.
Bulldog senior Graysen Stroud earned Southeastern Conference (SEC) Reining Rider of the Year. Freshmen Courtney Blumer and Sara Lewis received SEC Freshman Riders of the Year for Reining and Horsemanship, respectively.
Three Georgia riders received All-SEC accolades: Maddy Darst (Equitation on the Flat and Equitation Over Fences), Stroud (Horsemanship and Reining) and Jordan Carpenter (Reining). Lewis, Taylor Burgess and Miller Lantis were named to the SEC All-Freshman Horsemanship Team. Two more rookies -- Blumer and Colleen Bridges -- were named to the league's All-Freshman Reining Team.
Nationally, Stroud, Darst and Carpenter claimed four Ariat All-America honors. Darst earned Second-Team honors for Equitation Over Fences and Honorable Mention for Equitation on the Flat. In Reining, Stroud and Carpenter earned First-Team and Second-Team honors, respectively.
Junior Ali Tritschler (Flat- October) and sophomore Hayley Mairano (Fences- January) earned the NCEA Rider of the Month award this season. A trio of Georgia riders received recognitions for SEC Rider of the Month: Tritschler (Flat- October), Stroud (Reining- November) and Mairano (Fences- January).
At nationals, Carpenter (Reining), Payne (Reining) and Stroud (Reining and Horsemanship) made the NCEA All-Championship team.
In addition, junior Stella Martin was named to the SEC Community Service Team.
Numerous riders collected accolades for the 2018-19 season at the annual end of the year banquet. Senior Maddie Anger was named the Iron Dawg for her outstanding performance and dedication to strength and conditioning. Anger also picked up the Western Sportsmanship Award. Fellow senior Jessica Blum was awarded the Sportsmanship Award for the Hunter Seat discipline. For the coaches' award, juniors Julia Spreng and Maddie Fiorante received the Western portion and seniors Emma Mandarino and Madison Newman collected the Hunter Seat Coaches' award. The Rookie of the Year award is for the rider in their first competitive year who has excelled athletically for their team—Mariano (Hunter Seat), Blumer (Western) and freshman Sara Lewis were recognized. The Most Valuable player award was given to Darst (Hunter Seat) and Stroud (Western).
Twelve seniors will be graduating on May 10th, the Bulldogs will return a dozen starters for the 2019-20 season.
Georgia won national titles in Horsemanship, Reining and Equitation Over Fences at the 2019 NCEA Championship. The Bulldogs were also crowned overall Western discipline champions.
It marked the third consecutive year the Bulldogs finished as reserve champion.
Bulldog senior Graysen Stroud earned Southeastern Conference (SEC) Reining Rider of the Year. Freshmen Courtney Blumer and Sara Lewis received SEC Freshman Riders of the Year for Reining and Horsemanship, respectively.
Three Georgia riders received All-SEC accolades: Maddy Darst (Equitation on the Flat and Equitation Over Fences), Stroud (Horsemanship and Reining) and Jordan Carpenter (Reining). Lewis, Taylor Burgess and Miller Lantis were named to the SEC All-Freshman Horsemanship Team. Two more rookies -- Blumer and Colleen Bridges -- were named to the league's All-Freshman Reining Team.
Nationally, Stroud, Darst and Carpenter claimed four Ariat All-America honors. Darst earned Second-Team honors for Equitation Over Fences and Honorable Mention for Equitation on the Flat. In Reining, Stroud and Carpenter earned First-Team and Second-Team honors, respectively.
Junior Ali Tritschler (Flat- October) and sophomore Hayley Mairano (Fences- January) earned the NCEA Rider of the Month award this season. A trio of Georgia riders received recognitions for SEC Rider of the Month: Tritschler (Flat- October), Stroud (Reining- November) and Mairano (Fences- January).
At nationals, Carpenter (Reining), Payne (Reining) and Stroud (Reining and Horsemanship) made the NCEA All-Championship team.
In addition, junior Stella Martin was named to the SEC Community Service Team.
Numerous riders collected accolades for the 2018-19 season at the annual end of the year banquet. Senior Maddie Anger was named the Iron Dawg for her outstanding performance and dedication to strength and conditioning. Anger also picked up the Western Sportsmanship Award. Fellow senior Jessica Blum was awarded the Sportsmanship Award for the Hunter Seat discipline. For the coaches' award, juniors Julia Spreng and Maddie Fiorante received the Western portion and seniors Emma Mandarino and Madison Newman collected the Hunter Seat Coaches' award. The Rookie of the Year award is for the rider in their first competitive year who has excelled athletically for their team—Mariano (Hunter Seat), Blumer (Western) and freshman Sara Lewis were recognized. The Most Valuable player award was given to Darst (Hunter Seat) and Stroud (Western).
Twelve seniors will be graduating on May 10th, the Bulldogs will return a dozen starters for the 2019-20 season.
