The defending national champion Auburn equestrian team will enter the 2016-17 season ranked No. 1 according to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association Preseason Poll, the association announced Tuesday.
“I would always prefer not to start at No. 1, but this team has earned it,” head coach Greg Williams said. “I don’t know who to be more amazed at right now, the team or Coach [Jessica] Braswell and Coach [Mary] Meneely. They constantly keep bringing riders to new height while keeping the hard-nose work that I love in play.”
The Tigers hold the top spot and SEC rival Georgia follows at No. 2. TCU, Texas A&M and Baylor are ranked third through fifth, while Oklahoma State, SMU, South Carolina, Fresno State and Delaware State round out the Top 10.
The Tigers have six returning NCEA All-Americans from last year’s championship squad. Sophomore Caitlin Boyle is coming off an outstanding freshman season where she was the SEC Freshman Rider of the Year in both Fences and Flat. She was placed on the NCEA All-Championship team in both events, while being named the championship’s MOP in Fences.
Joining Boyle in Hunt Seat are seniors Ashley Foster and Tory Hoft and sophomores Hayley Iannotti and Ashton Alexander. Foster and Hoft were All-Americans in Flat, while Iannotti and Alexander were honored in Fences.
On the Western side, sophomores Lauren Diaz and Blair McFarlin and junior Alexa Rivard highlight the talented crew returning to The Plains this season. Rivard is a NCEA All-America honoree in Reining, earning All-SEC honors in the discipline as well. Diaz was named the conference’s Horsemanship Freshman Rider of the Year, while McFarlin was placed on the NCEA All-Championship Team after going undefeated in Reining at the national meet.
Auburn kicks off the 2016-17 season Friday, Sept. 23, with a 3 p.m. CST exhibition match against Ole Miss at the Auburn University Horse Center.
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