Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Travel to NCEA National Championships
April 15, 2013 | Cowgirl Equestrian
April 15, 2013
STILLWATER-- The Oklahoma State equestrian team will take on the nation's best at the National Collegiate Equestrian Association's Championship this week in Waco, Texas, at the Extraco Events Center, beginning Thursday at 9 a.m.
"The goal for our team, since the beginning of this season, has been to win the championship," coach Larry Sanchez said. "The girls are very focused right now and are working hard. I am looking forward to next week and ready to see how our girls compete."
About the Cowgirls
Oklahoma State is 11-5 on the season and ranked second in the nation in the latest NCEA coaches poll. The Cowgirls earned their second-consecutive Big 12 Championship last time out after they defeated Kansas State, 8-6, at the Animal Science Arena on March 30.
National Seeding
The NCEA is divided into two disciplines - Hunter Seat and Western, and each discipline will have its own bracket with 12 teams. Each of the two divisions has a 12-team seeded bracket similar to that of the NCAA basketball championships. Teams are seeded from one through 12 and placed accordingly into the bracket.
In the Western bracket, the Cowgirls earned the No. 1 seed with a 14-2 record. Oklahoma State received a first-round bye and will face the winner of the opening round meet between eighth-seeded Baylor and ninth-seeded Auburn.
In the Hunter Seat bracket, Oklahoma State earned the No. 7 seed with a 9-7 record. The Cowgirls will face 10th-seeded Texas A&M in the opening round.
Individual Honors
Sophomore Katy Krshka headlined the class with first-team selections in both horsemanship and reining as she helped lead the Cowgirls to a 14-2 overall record in western. This marks the second consecutive season that Krshka was selected as a horsemanship and reining first-team All-American.
Junior Lauren Halvorson picked up NCEA All-American honors for the third consecutive year when she was named a first-team All-American in horsemanship. Sophomore Lindsey McMullen was also named a horsemanship first-team All-American.
Junior Jenna Blumer was selected to her second-consecutive reining All-American team.
Sophomore Allie Joyce was named an All-American honorable mention in both equitation on the flat and equitation over fences. Junior Andrea Robbins was also selected as an honorable mention to the equitation over fences All-American team.
In western, freshman Kaci O'Rourke was named an All-American honorable mention in reining, giving the Cowgirls 5 NCEA All-Americans in western.
Championship History
Oklahoma State has won three western national championships (2003, 2004, 2006) and earned a second-place finish last season after losing in a tiebreaker to Texas A&M, 1116.5-975.5.
Follow Live
Be sure to keep up with the Cowgirls throughout the week live on Twitter @OSUEquestrian for all the latest updates.
Players Mentioned
