AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn equestrian team won seven SEC Rider of the Year awards and 14 Tigers were honored by the Southeastern Conference for their performances this season as the league announced its postseason awards Wednesday.
"We always talk about that winning is a by-product of doing things right," head coach Greg Williams said. "These individual awards are a by-product of buying into the team. This team continues to amaze me each day at what they are capable of doing."
Auburn took home at least a share of all four Rider of the Year honors and finished with three of four Freshman Rider of the Year accolades.
In addition, Williams was selected as the Coach of the Year for the third straight season. Under his guidance, Auburn won its third consecutive SEC Championship in March and extended its winning streak to 42 meets. The Tigers stand at 8-0 on the year.
Senior Taylor St. Jacques was named the league's Fences Rider of the Year as well as the Flat Rider of the Year. The Glen Allen, Virginia product stands at 8-0-0 in both events, having a perfect 16-0-0 mark on the year so far. She has three MOPs in Fences and another three in Flat this season and was placed on the SEC All-Championship team for her performances in Flat.
The Flat Rider of the Year honor is the third straight for St. Jacques and the Fences award is the first of her career. She was a first team All-American in both events.
Senior Taylor Searles was awarded Co-Horsemanship Rider of the Year after going unbeaten in the event. The first team All-American from Scottsdale, Arizona stands at 7-0-1 this season with two MOPs. She scored a career-high 79 against Georgia in February and went undefeated in the event at the SEC Championships.
Sophomore Boo Kammerer was named the league's Reining Rider of the Year, marking the third time a Tiger took the award. The Mount Sterling, Kentucky native stands at 7-0-1 for the team and set a career high on the road at Texas A&M in February with a 74. She was placed on the SEC All-Championship team following big rides for the Tigers at the conference meet.
Freshman Madison Parduhn secured Freshman Horsemanship Rider of the Year, marking the second straight season a Tiger earned the honor. The Norman, Oklahoma product has a 3-2-0 record in the event with one MOP. She reached a career-high 78 in the event vs. the Bulldogs in February.
Freshman Isabella Tesmer (Mount Orab, Ohio) picked up Freshman Reining Rider of the Year after going 4-2-0. Her 73 vs. Georgia at home gave her MOP and she helped the Tigers sweep the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship in the event.
Freshman Ellie Ferrigno rounded out the individual awards for the Tigers and was named the Freshman Flat Rider of the Year. The Newtown, Connecticut native put together a 3-3-0 record for Auburn after coming to campus in January. She scored a career-high 94 at home in March and secured MOP for the win.
Juniors McKayla Langmeier and Meghan Knapic and sophomore Ava Stearns joined St. Jacques on the All-SEC Fences Team, while Langmeier and St. Jacques earned spots on the Flat squad. Ferrigno was voted to both the Fences and Flat All-Freshman teams.
Joining Searles on the Horsemanship All-SEC team was senior Deanna Green and sophomore Olivia Tordoff. Parduhn earned a spot on the freshman squad.
Kammerer picked up All-SEC recognition in Reining and was joined by Green and Tesmer. In addition, Tesmer and classmate Olivia Marino were placed on the freshman team.