Oklahoma State University Athletics
2019-20 Team Captains Announced
May 21, 2019 | Cowgirl Equestrian
STILLWATER – Amanda Atkins, Abigail Brayman, Hannah Mitchell and Emma Verplank will serve as the Oklahoma State equestrian team captains for the 2019-20 season, head coach Larry Sanchez announced.
Mitchell returns for her second-straight year as a captain in the Reining arena. The senior boasts an impressive resume, being named the 2017 NCEA Reining Rider of the Year as a freshman and achieving All-America honors every year in Stillwater.
"One thing that I've noticed of girls that have been captains for multiple years is that they're so much better in their second year because of the experiences they gained," Sanchez said. "With Hannah being a captain this last year, she knows what it takes to be a captain and she knows what we expect from her. You're not going to find a more passionate person for this than Hannah."
Mitchell's 7-3-1 regular season record earned her a spot on the All-Big 12 Reining team and NCEA Second-Team All-America accolades. She was also recognized as the Big 12 and NCEA Reining Rider of the Month for March and October.
Representing the Horsemanship team is Emma Verplank, daughter of former Oklahoma State golf standout Scott Verplank. She was an NCEA All-American Honorable Mention last season after posting a 5-2-1 record in the regular season. The senior scored a season-high 76.5 at Georgia, the eventual Horsemanship national champion.
"Last summer is when (Verplank) figured out what she needed to focus on," Sanchez said. "She's always been a very good rider, always been very talented. She's got that killer instinct when she goes into the show pen. She's so brave and aggressive in attacking the patterns that she's doing."
On the Hunter Seat side, Atkins and Brayman hold captaincy.
Brayman, a junior, has proven to be relentless in postseason competition. In the past two years, she owns a perfect 8-0 record and collected both Flat and Fences MOP honors twice at the Big 12 Championship.
"Abigail is very much a team leader even without the title," Sanchez said. "About halfway through her freshman year she started emerging as a team leader. She's one of the top competitors in the country as her statistics have proven. It's wonderful to have someone with that much talent on the team, but to have them be as steady in who they are along with those talents is very special."
A native of Charleston, Rhode Island, Brayman registered a team-high five MOP honors last season to pair with her 20-12-2 record between Equitation on the Flat and Equitation Over Fences. Her top showings included a score of 90 Over Fences against Baylor and an 86 in Flat at the eventual team national champion Auburn.
Atkins hasn't competed in her time as a Cowgirl but has become a vocal leader since stepping on campus. Hailing from Edmond, Oklahoma, Atkins has embodied the Cowboy culture since day one.
"Every coach wishes they had five or six Amanda's on their team," Sanchez said. "She's somebody who's selfless and has a work ethic second to none. She's passionate about her team and her teammates. She's proof that you can be a team leader and you can be somebody who leads by example even if you're not in the competition arena week in and week out."
