No. 1 Auburn hosts No. 5 Texas A&M in regular season finale

AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn equestrian team will close out the regular season Saturday, March 7, hosting No. 5 Texas A&M at the Auburn University Equestrian Center. The meet is set for 11 a.m. CT and admission is free.

“We have a huge opportunity in front of us that we have to take advantage of,” head coach Jessica Braswell said. “We’re going against a really good Texas A&M team. We lost in a tiebreak at their place in the fall and I think we’re a much better team now. Obviously, we have the advantage of being at home, but we know they’re coming in with absolutely nothing to lose. I expect them to be really tough to beat and we’re going to have to step up.”

The Tigers will honor eight of their seniors at halftime of the meet – Holland Barnett, Caroline Buchanan, Caroline Fredenburg, Lauren Hall, Isabel Litkenhous, Baylee Mckeever, Charlotte McLaughlin and Alexia Tordoff.

“Senior Day is always a lot of fun,” Braswell said. “I want them to reflect on their careers and how they are leaving a legacy with this program. This group is all business that are excited about the moment to celebrate, but they are all focused on coming away with the win.”

With this being the final meet of the regular season, it holds a lot of weight for postseason seeding. A win gives the Tigers the No. 1 seed at the SEC Championship, which the program is hosting at the end of the month.

“There is some pressure this weekend for us because a win will seal the No. 1 seed at the SEC Championship,” Braswell said. “Every week, we’re trying to build towards the postseason. Once you get to the championship season, there is no tomorrow once you lose. We have goals we want to accomplish and these pressure moments this season have helped us grow and prepare for what the rest of the season will feel like.”

FAN INFORMATION
It’s “Go Wild War Eagle Weekend” across The Plains. Fans are encouraged to attend Auburn Athletics events throughout the weekend: softball, baseball, tennis, equestrian and gymnastics. A QR code will be available at the promotions tables for fans to scan. The more events fans attend, the better chance they have at the grand prize: a YETI prize pack.

Fans will also receive a white Auburn equestrian shirt as part of the “Go Wild War Eagle Weekend” and it will be passed out to all fans while supplies last.  

As always, the Kid’s Zone will be open featuring pony rides, a bounce house and more!

For more information on the Auburn University Equestrian Center, please visit HERE.

AUBURN LINEUP
The Auburn lineup will once again be consistent this spring as the same group of three seniors, four juniors, four sophomores and three freshmen will ride for the Tigers vs. Texas A&M.

The Jumping Seat side has four Tigers set to compete in both Fences and Flat. Junior Avery Glynn and freshman Caroline Olsen lead the way as Olsen is 17-3-0 overall with a 9-1-0 mark in Fences and an 8-2-0 record on the Flat. Glynn is 16-4-0 with a 9-1-0 record on the Flat.

Joining them in both events will be sophomores Kate Hagerty and Ariana Marnell. Hagerty is 6-4-0 in Fences and was recently named the SEC Fences Rider of the Month for February. Marnell has 12 wins on the year with a 7-4-0 record in Fences.

Freshman Emily Jurnovoy will ride in Fences and sophomore Sadie Berkhout is set to go on the Flat for the Tigers Saturday.

On the Western side, senior Alexia Tordoff and junior Callie Hogg will go in both Horsemanship and Reining. Tordoff has 13 wins in Western, while Hogg has 10 wins between the two events.

Three experienced riders in senior Caroline Fredenburg and juniors Brooke Jolstad and Sydney Swallom will join the pair in Horsemanship. The trio along with Tordoff all have seven wins in Horsemanship so far this season.

Reining will feature senior Caroline Buchanan, sophomore Michelle Fumagalli and freshman Sofia Tieche along with Tordoff and Hogg. Tieche is coming off an MOP performance at Georgia, scoring a career-high 72.25.

AUBURN-TEXAS A&M SERIES
Auburn leads the overall series, 31-10, with a 15-0 record on the Plains.

The two teams met up in the fall in Bryan-College Station, Texas with the Aggies taking the 10-10 tiebreak win.

UP NEXT
Auburn will host the 2026 SEC Equestrian Championship, March 27-28. The two-day, three-meet tournament will be held at the Auburn University Equestrian Center and admission will be free. Stay tuned for more information on the conference meet.