AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 2 Auburn equestrian team will close out a busy fall season this weekend, traveling to the state of Texas for a pair of big match ups. The Tigers will first head to Bryan-College Station to take on No. 4 Texas A&M Friday and will follow with a meet at No. 3 SMU Saturday in Dallas.
"The team is ready for these two big meets on the road," head coach Jessica Braswell said. "Both Texas A&M and SMU are going to present a good test for us. We are looking for the same consistency we've had at home this semester and great execution of the things within our control."
The Aggies and the Mustangs handed the Tigers two of their three losses last year and Auburn will look for redemption this weekend.
"They are both great teams and we know they will be prepared," Braswell said. "We've got to stay focused on executing the best rides we can."
At the conclusion of the weekend, Auburn (5-0, 2-0 SEC) will have competed against nationally-ranked teams in every contest this fall.
AUBURN LINEUP
Auburn's lineup will feature one fifth year, five seniors, two juniors, four sophomores and five freshmen.
The Fences and Reining lineups will remain the same over the two meets, while Flat and Horsemanship lineups will see a mix up between Friday and Saturday.
Riding for the Tigers in Fences both days will be fifth year Ava Stearns, senior Ellie Ferrigno, juniors Mary-Grace Segars and Sophee Steckbeck and freshman Avery Glynn. Ferrigno and Steckbeck lead the way with a 5-0-0 record each.
Reining will feature three seniors and two sophomores against the Aggies and the Mustangs. Leading the squad will be senior and SEC Reining Rider of the Month Isabella Tesmer. The Mount Orab, Ohio product is a perfect 5-0-0 on the year with two MOPs.
Sophomore Caroline Buchanan is unbeaten at 4-0-1 and has captured back-to-back MOPs leading into the weekend. Senior Olivia Marino has three wins, while senior Kate Buchanan and sophomore Alexia Tordoff each have two.
Competing in Flat both days for the Tigers will be Stearns, Ferrigno, Segars and Glynn. Stearns and Ferrigno each have a team-best three wins in the event, while Glynn is undefeated at 2-0-0.
Joining the four against the Aggies Friday will be freshman Alex Ryden. It'll be her first time competing in the event this season. Sophomore Baylee Mckeever will go against the Mustangs and is coming off a win against South Carolina last month.
Going for the Tigers in Horsemanship in both meets will be sophomores Caroline Fredenburg and Tordoff as well as freshmen Brooke Jolstad and Alexis Potts. Tordoff has a team-best four wins, while Potts is undefeated at 3-0-0. Jolstad is coming off a perfect month of October and was named the SEC Rider of the Month for her efforts.
Senior Madison Parduhn is slated to compete against the Aggies on Friday, while freshman Sydney Swallom will ride against the Mustangs Saturday.
AUBURN – TEXAS A&M SERIES
Auburn leads the all-time series, 27-8, against the Aggies and has won 13 of the last 15 meetings. All eight of the Aggie wins in the series have come in Bryan-College Station.
The two teams last met in the regular season in Texas where the Aggies downed the Tigers, 13-5. Auburn and Texas A&M met up again in the postseason when the Tigers topped the Aggies in the SEC Championship, winning their fifth-straight conference title with a 13-6 victory.
AUBURN – SMU SERIES
Auburn leads the series with SMU, 11-2, including a 7-0 record in Dallas.
The teams met up twice last season with the first coming in February. The Mustangs traveled to Auburn and the Tigers handed SMU its first loss of the year with a 15-5 win. SMU responded with a win in the postseason, topping Auburn in the 2023 NCEA Championship match, 11-8.
UP NEXT
The Tigers take a couple months off before kicking off the spring season on the road, traveling to South Carolina on February 3.