Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Equestrian Set for Big 12 Championships
March 25, 2015 | Cowgirl Equestrian
STILLWATER -
The Oklahoma State equestrian team is set to compete at the 2015 Big 12 Equestrian Championships in Springtown, Texas, this weekend.
The second-seeded Cowgirls will face the Kansas State Wildcats in the tournament semifinals on Friday, March 27, at 10 a.m. If the team wins Friday's meet, they will advance to play the winner of the meet between top-seeded Baylor and fourth-seeded TCU in the Big 12 Championship meet.
About the Cowgirls
The Cowgirls (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) are led by 16th-year head coach Larry Sanchez, eighth year assistant coach Kayla Hrencher and second year assistant coach Stacy Sanderson. The Cowgirls are coming off a 10-9 loss to then No. 9 SMU earlier this month. The squad enters this weekend having won three consecutive meets over Big 12 foes. The Cowgirls will be looking to pick up their fourth-straight Big 12 Championship.
Last Time Out
The Oklahoma State equestrian team came up short in its final meet of the regular season on Sunday, falling to 10th-ranked SMU, 10-9-1, at Sleepy P Ranch in Dallas, Texas.
The Mustangs took an early lead over the Cowgirls (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) with a 5-0 sweep in equitation over fences.
The Cowgirls pushed their perfect record in horsemanship to 8-0 with a 3-2 victory in the event on Sunday. Katy Krshka earned her fourth MOP honor in horsemanship this season with her 72-63.5 win over SMU's Morgan DiGuilio. The win was Krshka's seventh consecutive triumph in horsemanship. Cowgirls Ty Paris and Paris Nottingham each picked up wins as well. Paris defeated Courtney Line of SMU, 67-65.5 to score the Cowgirls' second point. Nottingham scored a 71 on her ride to top SMU's Hannah McCain's 70.5 and clinch the event for Oklahoma State.
The Mustangs notched a 3-2 win in equitation on the flat. Sophomore Jorden Davis picked up her fifth win in equitation this season, topping Leina King, 75-70. Cowgirl Amy White garnered MOP honors in the event after an 80-63 victory over SMU's Greer Hindel.
The Cowgirls took a 4-0-1 decision in reining that nearly forced a tie. Freshman Ebba Lange earned MOP honors in reining, scoring the first Cowgirl point in the event with a 66-65 win over Courtney Line. Erin Willoughy followed, edging SMU's Jaclyn White, 70-69.5. The third and fourth points were scored by freshman Danielle Cohen and senior Katy Krshka. Cohen outgunned Morgan Redwine, 69.5-67, before Krshka bested Mustang Casey Bibbs, 66-56. With each posting a score of 71.5 in the final ride of the day, junior Justine Peters tied Keagan Snively.
In the Rankings
The Oklahoma State equestrian team remained ranked No. 9 in this week's team rankings released by the National Collegiate Equestrian Association on Tuesday.
Once again, all four Big 12 teams are represented in this week's poll. Baylor remains at No. 3 this week, followed by seventh-ranked TCU. Kansas State rounds out the poll at No. 10.
The Series with Each Big 12 Opponent
The Cowgirls currently hold a 22-10 advantage in the overall series with the Wildcats. Oklahoma State was triumphant in the last meeting between the two teams, knocking off the Wildcats in a 13-7 victory in Stillwater in February. The programs have split their two meetings this season, with the home team winning each contest. The Cowgirls are 10-4 against the Wildcats in neutral meets.
The Cowgirls hold an 18-6 advantage in the overall series with Baylor. The Cowgirls took the last meeting between the two programs earlier this season, knocking off the ten top-ranked Bears, 11-8, in Stillwater. Oklahoma State is 4-1 against Baylor in neutral meets. In the Big 12 Championship last season, the top-seeded Cowgirls defeated the Bears, 10-9, in Waco to win their third-straight Big 12 title.
TCU currently holds a 7-6 advantage in the overall series between these two programs. The Cowgirls took the last meeting by way of a raw score decision in February. The programs have split their two meetings this season, with the home team winning each contest.
Rider of the Month
Oklahoma State equestrian senior Katy Krshka was named Big 12 Rider of the Month and NCEA Rider of the Month in reining for the month of February, the league offices announced this week.
The honor is Krshka's fourth career Big 12 Rider of the Month honor in reining, and first of the season in the event. It is Krshka's second overall Big 12 monthly honor this season. She was named Big 12 Rider of the Month in horsemanship for November.
Krshka had an outstanding February, riding to a perfect 3-0 mark in reining while also picking up three MOP (Most Outstanding Performer) honors in the event. The senior Cowgirl helped push the Cowgirls to a 3-0 record in February, with all three wins coming over ranked opponents.
In her senior season, Katy Krshka is 14-2 overall with a 7-1 record in both reining and horsemanship. Krshka has also picked up nine MOP honors on the year.
Cowgirls at the Big 12 Championships
As four-time champions and the first-ever winners of three consecutive Big 12 titles, the Oklahoma State equestrian program has built a tradition of success at the Big 12 Championships.
The Cowgirl equestrian program has notched an impressive 10-2 all-time mark at the Big 12 Championships since 2009. The Cowgirls have appeared in the Big 12 finals in five of the tournament's six years of existence.
Hitting the Books
Fifteen members of the Oklahoma State equestrian team were named to the 2015 Academic All-Big 12 Equestrian Team, the league announced Tuesday.
Cowgirls Katy Krshka and Amy White were two of four athletes to finish with a 4.00 GPA. Leighona Bernstein , Jorden Davis, Allison Dooman, Maggie Drysch, Maggie Gampfer, Allison Hurlbut, Allie Joyce, Brooke Klimek, Mackenzie Malone, Lindsey McMullen, Paris Nottingham, Ty Paris and Miranda Reed were also named to the First Team.
Lucky Number Three
The Cowgirls' win over Baylor in last season's Big 12 Championship brought the team its third-consecutive Big 12 Championship. With the win, the squad became the first team in Big 12 history to win three-straight equestrian titles.
The championship was the program's fourth overall, with the first coming in 2009.
Success in Horsemanship
The Cowgirls have yet to be beaten in the horsemanship event this season, tallying an undefeated 9-0 record. The Oklahoma State horsemanship team is led by senior Lindsey McMullen (7-2, one MOP), senior Katy Krshka (8-1,four MOP's) and junior Paris Nottingham (6-3, three MOP's).
Home Conference Streak
With their win against Baylor in February, the Cowgirls have won seven-straight home conference meets going back to the 2012-13 season. The Cowgirls' last Big 12 loss at home was a 10-9 contest to TCU in November of 2012. Even with that loss, the Cowgirls have won eight of their last nine home Big 12 contests.
Super Seniors
Western riders Katy Krshka and Lindsey McMullen have been big for the Cowgirls so far this year. The two seniors have notched a combined 23-4 overall record. McMullen is 7-2 in the horsemanship event with an MOP honor to her credit, while Krshka is an impressive 16-2 overall with an 8-1 record in both horsemanship and reining. Krshka has also picked up 10 total MOP honors this season.
