DANBURY, Conn. – All four Eastern College Athletic Conference Riders of the Week unveiled today suit up for the University of Tennessee at Martin as Payton Lussen (fences), Bridget Vieau (flat), Mia McAfoos (horsemanship) and Kate Davis (reining) brought home those accolades today.
The No. 9 ranked Skyhawks have now combined for a whopping 16 ECAC Rider of the Week honors by nine different riders. Today’s recognition marks the second award of the season by Vieau (who also won on Oct. 22) and McAfoos (also winning on Nov. 19) and first of the 2024-25 campaign by Lussen and Davis.
These four UT Martin representatives helped the Skyhawks increase their lead atop the ECAC standings over the weekend, improving to 5-0 after a 13-6 triumph over Minnesota-Crookston on Friday in Auburn, Ala. The following day, UT Martin pushed No. 1 Auburn to the brink before falling by a narrow 11-6 margin.
Lussen made her collegiate debut over the weekend and immediately showed out, garnering an MOP medal against Minnesota-Crookston. The freshman out of Columbia, Conn. piled up 86 points for a commanding 14-point victory against her head-to-head competitor.
Also achieving an MOP award on Friday was Vieau, who was responsible for a score of 80 – 11 points better than her opponent. The graduate from Syracuse, NY set the tone for a Skyhawk sweep in that event as UT Martin snared all five points against Minnesota-Crookston.
Hailing from Alton, Ill., McAfoos was a flawless 2-0 on the weekend. The senior began with a 72.5-point MOP effort against Minnesota-Crookston on Friday and followed that with another victory, posting 70.5 points against her head-to-head competitor from Auburn.
Davis additionally boasted a perfect 2-0 mark over the weekend as the senior out of Williamston, Mich. started with a 70-point performance against Minnesota-Crookston. The next day, she accrued 70.5 points to edge out her opponent from Auburn.
The Skyhawks take a step back from official competition until resuming its spring slate at home on Feb. 21-22. UT Martin will host ECAC rival Delaware State and nationally ranked SMU on back-to-back days at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex.