By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
The 10th ranked University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian squad kicked off its homestand today with a convincing 14-6 victory over the visiting South Dakota State Jackrabbits at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Pavilion.
A trio of Skyhawks picked up their first MOP’s of the season in their respective events today. Julia Gilman earned that title in fences after an 83-point effort while Katelyn Schultz (career-best 76.5 points in horsemanship) and Aubrey Malone (career-high 71 points in reining) received top accolades in the Western discipline.
As a team, UT Martin swept all five points in fences and followed with four victories in horsemanship, three wins in reining and a pair of triumphs in flat.
Gilman’s top score in fences was good enough for her seventh victory of the season. Elizabeth Becker followed with 82 points for her fifth triumph of the 2021-22 campaign. Kelby Kane managed an 81 on the way to her team-best 11th win of the year while Haley Kane’s 80-point effort earned the junior from Lexington, Ky. her eighth victory of the season. Emmy Reed additionally posted her first collegiate victory after racking up 72 points.
In horsemanship, Schultz was dominant on the way to her first career MOP and fourth head-to-head victory of her senior campaign. Kate Davis managed her co-team-high fifth win of the year after equaling a career-high with 75 points. Emma Schaefer built up 74 points on the way to her third victory in 2021-22 while Keely Seiter’s 71 points was good enough for her fifth triumph of the season, tying Davis for the team lead in that category. Paige Benson also represented the Skyhawks in the event, scoring 71.5 points.
Malone cruised to her second victory of the year following her MOP ride. Brooke Bradley secured her fourth win of the season after a 70.5-point performance while Davis posted her team-best fifth victory after earning 69.5 points. Logan Putvinski and Lexi Bailey also made up UT Martin’s scoring lineup with 69.5 and 66.5 points, respectively – each falling by just one point.
Navigating her team-high eighth flat win of the season was Gilman, who was responsible for 86.5 points. Sophia Sundem came away with her third victory of the 2021-22 campaign after she was awarded 78 points by the judges. Mahalia Alascio (79.5 points), Haley Kane (67.5 points) and Kelby Kane (64.5 points) also took part in the event for the Skyhawks.
On an emotional Senior Day where six University of Tennessee at Martin riders were taking part in the final home meet of their careers, the Skyhawk equestrian team put forth a commanding 15-1 victory over Minnesota-Crookston at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Pavilion.
Natalie Armstrong, Brooke Bradley, Shelby Jackson, Kelby Kane, Kyra Petty and Katelyn Schultz were sent out on top this evening as the UT Martin seniors were recognized following the win. The Skyhawks swept all four points in fences, flat and reining and were just one head-to-head point shy of a sweep in horsemanship, instead taking three of the four matchups.
UT Martin garnered all four MOP’s – three of which were fittingly filled by seniors. Kelby Kane registered MOP medals in both Jumping Seat events (85 points in fences, 85 points in flat) while Schultz claimed the horsemanship MOP with a career-best 77 points. Logan Putvinski made it 4-for-4 in Skyhawk MOP’s after the freshman out of Knoxville, Tenn. garnered 72 points in reining.
Kelby Kane’s 85 points in fences set the tone for the day as it was her team-high 12th victory and fourth MOP of the 2021-22 campaign. Haley Kane followed with 77 points for her ninth win of the year while Emmy Reed earned her second victory in as many days with 75 points. Tyler Anderson (70 points) completed UT Martin’s perfect performance in the event with her second triumph of the season.
Generating her team-best third MOP of the season and sixth overall victory in flat was Kelby Kane, who collected 85 points. Mahalia Alascio was responsible for a team-high 87.5 points on the way to her second win of the year. Julia Gilman’s 81-point effort resulted in her team-high ninth victory of 2021-22 while Haley Kane posted 78 points for her third win of the season.
Putvinski came away with her team-high second MOP and sixth head-to-head win in reining after her 72-point performance. Kate Davis equaled Putvinski in season victories after a score of 70 was her sixth victory of the season. The freshman duo of Lexi Bailey (tying a career-high with 68.5 points) and Aubrey Malone (67.5 points) dialed up their second and third wins of the season, respectively.
In horsemanship, Schultz earned her second straight MOP of the weekend following a career-high 77 points, giving the West Bend, Wis. native a team-high two MOP’s and five wins in the event in 2021-22. Keely Seiter set a career-high with 76 points for her team-best sixth victory of the year while Emma Schaefer’s 75 points was her fourth win of the season. Davis managed a 71 but was narrowly edged out by one point.
The Skyhawks will step aside from official competition for nearly two weeks before traveling to Harrington, Del. for the 2022 Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship. This year’s event – hosted by Delaware State – will take place on March 24-26.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information