No. 2 Auburn vs. Fresno State
MEET
| Saturday, March 10 | 11 a.m. CT | |
| #2 Auburn vs. Fresno State | ||
AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 2 Auburn equestrian team closes out the 2017-18 regular season Saturday, March 10, at the Auburn University Equestrian Center, hosting Fresno State at 11 a.m. CT. The contest will serve as the team's Senior Day and the three seniors will be honored at intermission.
"Saturday is our final home meet and our fans have been tremendous with great crowds so we're really looking forward to it," head coach Greg Williams said. "We've been riding so well and the team has really captured their identity right now, owning the momentum we're on right now. And with it being Senior Day, we're excited to have a great day against Fresno State."
PROMOTIONS
In addition to Senior Day, free Auburn equestrian t-shirts will be handed out to fans while supplies last! As usual, pony rides and inflatables will be out and admission is free!
AUBURN LINEUP
The Auburn competition lineup remains junior and freshman heavy, featuring eight juniors and four freshmen. Joining the group will be two seniors and one sophomore.
Junior All-Americans Ashton Alexander, Caitlin Boyle, and Hayley Iannotti are set to compete in both Equitation Over Fences and Equitation on the Flat for the Tigers. Boyle leads the team with a 18-5-1 overall record on the year, including a 9-3-0 mark in Flat. Iannotti leads the team with 10 wins in Flat with six in Fences, while Alexander has six wins in Flat and Fences, separately.
Joining the trio in both events is freshman Taylor St. Jacques. The Glen Allen, Va., product recently was awarded the NCEA and SEC Fences Rider of the Month for February as well as both Fences and Flat Rider of the Month honors from the SEC.
Junior Alex Ladove is slated to compete in Equitation Over Fences, having six victories in the event this season. Senior Caitlin Creel will go in Equitation on the Flat.
On the Western side of competition, freshman Deanna Green earned the starting nod in both Horsemanship and Reining vs. the Bulldogs. Green leads the team with nine victories in Horsemanship and owns six MOP nods in the event. Redshirt junior Kelsey Jung has eight victories in Horsemanship with one MOP.
Junior Lauren Diaz, sophomore Kara Kaufmann, and freshman Taylor Searles are set to join Green and Jung in Horsemanship. Diaz has seven wins to her credit, while Searles has won four of her last five match ups. Kaufmann has scored 75+ points in her last two wins for the Tigers.
Senior Alexa Rivard, junior Betsy Brown, and freshman Terri-June Granger highlight the Reining corps. Rivard has now set both the career wins (37) and career meets competed (59) records, having six victories this season in the event. Brown, the SEC Reining Rider of the Month in February, and Granger lead all Tigers with seven wins. Granger has a team-best four MOPs in Reining this season.
Junior Blair McFarlin will also go for the squad in Reining and has four wins on the year.
HONORING THE CLASS OF 2018
During intermission of Saturday's meet, the Tigers will honor three seniors - Caitlin Creel, Alexa Rivard, and Abby Wagner.
Creel is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree and was placed on the 2017 NCEA Academic Honor Roll. She has provided points for the team over her career in both Equitation Over Fences and Equitation on the Flat, including four wins in Flat this season.
Rivard is a two-time All-SEC rider in Reining and will conclude her career as the winningest Tiger in the event. The 2016 NCEA Second Team All-American enters Saturday with 37 wins to her credit. In addition, Rivard has also exceled in the classroom with multiple academic accolades to her credit.
Wagner has brought academic excellence to the squad all four years with multiple SEC and NCEA academic awards under her belt. The two-time "Team Workhorse Award" winner has spent many hours securing the safety and success of both her teammates and the team's four-legged athletes.
UP NEXT
Auburn takes a couple weeks off before the 2018 SEC Championships. The two-day tournament will be held in Blythewood, S.C., and will be hosted by South Carolina, March 30-31.