Oklahoma State University Athletics
No. 2 Cowgirls Set for NCEA Championship
April 16, 2014 | Cowgirl Equestrian
April 16, 2014
STILLWATER - The 2014 Big 12 Champion Oklahoma State equestrian team returns to Waco, Texas, to participate in the NCEA Championship as the No. 2 seed. The Cowgirls will face the winner of New Mexico State and SMU in the second round on Friday, April 18, at 8:30 a.m. at Extraco Events Center.
Follow the Cowgirls
A full recap and final results will be made available following the end of competition on okstate.com. For all of the most up to date information on the Cowgirls on Twitter, follow @OSUEquestrian for live results of the action. Keep up with all of Oklahoma State athletics on Twitter @OSUAthletics and by using the #Okstate hashtag.
About the Cowgirls
Oklahoma State is 10-3 this season and won the 2014 Big 12 Championship, the third-straight year earning the title and fourth overall. In the semifinal round, the Cowgirls defeated Kansas State and in the finals, OSU defeated Baylor, both by scores of 10-9. With the wins, the Cowgirls have posted a five-game winning streak, with victories in 10 of their last 11 matches. OSU is 5-0 at home this season and 5-3 on the road. The Cowgirls are five-time National Champions, taking the crown in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2013.
Know the Prospective Foe
The New Mexico State Aggies are 9-6 this season and received the seventh seed in the 2014 NCEA Championship. In their last match, NMSU defeated West Texas A&M, 16-4. OSU leads the all-time series with the Aggies, 4-3, and last faced NMSU on April 12, 2012.
The SMU Mustangs are 4-9 this season and earned the 10th seed in the 2014 NCEA Championship. In their last match, SMU defeated TCU, 11-9. OSU is undefeated against the Mustangs, posting a 6-0 record, and last faced SMU on Oct. 1, 2011.
NMSU and SMU will face off on Thursday, April 17, with the winner facing the Cowgirls on Friday, April 18.
OSU in the Rankings
The Cowgirls are ranked second in the latest National Collegiate Equestrian Association Poll. OSU opened the season at No. 4 and dropped after losing the first two matches of the season. The Cowgirls have won three straight and eight of the last nine matchups. It is the highest ranking for OSU this season.
Three Times as Nice
OSU's Big 12 title win was its third straight and fourth overall. The last three were all won at different locations. In 2012, the Cowgirls won at Manhattan, Kan., against Texas A&M in a match that came down to raw scores. 2013 saw OSU capture the crown at home against Kansas State in the final round and this year's competition was held in Waco, Texas. The four overall titles are the most by any team.
Cowgirls Blank Opponents
OSU has kept their opponents off the scoreboard in seven events this season. Against South Dakota State, the Cowgirls posted a 4-0 score in the equitation on the flat and a 5-0 score in the horsemanship event. Against TCU on Nov. 16, the horsemanship squad defeated the Frogs, 5-0. At Delaware State, the equitation over fences and reining teams tallied 5-0 scores in their respective events. On March 1 against Baylor, the horsemanship squad defeated the Bears, 4-0, and on March 15, defeated the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks, 5-0. The Cowgirls are 5-0 overall when they keep their opponents from scoring in one of the four events.
Cornering the Reining Rider of the Month Award
Sophomore Justine Peters earned the NCEA Reining Rider of the Month award for March. During March, she was 4-1 with a Most Outstanding Performer honor after her victory against Baylor on March 1. She heads into nationals with an 11-2 record, winning three straight. The Cowgirls have earning the award in the reining discipline in all three months of 2014. Seniors Mackenzie Fugitt and Jenna Blumer received the honor in January and February, respectively. Senior Samantha Harrison was also named Equitation on the Flat Rider of the Month for January.
Big 12 Postseason Awards
Five Cowgirls brought home extra hardware from the Big 12 Championship. Senior Jenna Blumer was named Reining Rider of the Year as well as All Big 12 Reining, both for the second consecutive year. Senior Samantha Harrison was named to the All Big 12 Equitation Over Fences and on the Flat teams. It was her second year in a row in the Over Fences discipline. Freshman Jorden Davis was also named to the All Big 12 Equitation on the Flat team. Junior Katy Krshka received All Big 12 Horsemanship honors for the third-straight year and earned Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Performer in the reining event. Senior Lindsey McMullen was also named to the All Big 12 Horsemanship team for the second year in a row.
All-Americans
Seven Cowgirls earned NCEA All-America honors. In the equitation on the flat event, freshman Jorden Davis earned First Team honors. Senior Samantha Harrison garnered Second Team accolades in the equitation over fences event. Junior Katy Krshka earned her third consecutive All-American honor. Junior Lindsey McMullen earned her second All-America selection and senior Lauren Halvorson became a four-time All-American award winner. Krshka, McMullen and Halvorson were all named to the First Team in the Horsemanship event. In the reining discipline, sophomore Justine Peters earned Second Team honors and senior Jenna Blumer received Honorable Mention accolades.
Academic All-Big 12
Fourteen Cowgirls were named to the 2014 Academic All-Big 12 Equestrian Team. Jenna Blumer and Justine Peters were two out of three athletes elected to the First Team with a 4.00 GPA. Maggie Gampfer, Lauren Halvorson, Allie Joyce, Katy Krshka, Lindsey McMullen, Paris Nottingham, Ty Paris, Ali Rose, Kaitlyn Skog and Erin Willoughby were also named to the First Team. Samantha Harrison and Andrea Robbins earned Second Team honors.
