Sept. 21, 2017
No. 3 Auburn at UT Martin
(0-0) vs (0-0)
MEET
| Friday, Sept. 22 | 10 a.m. CT | |
| #3 Auburn at UT Martin | ||
AUBURN, Ala. -- The No. 3 Auburn equestrian team kicks off the program's 16th varsity season on the road, traveling to UT Martin for a Friday contest. The Tigers and the Skyhawks face off at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex in Martin, Tenn., at 10 a.m. CT.
"This team is going to be very determined this year," head coach Greg Williams said. "We have a roster that will be a very positive and congruent group. It is important to have a roster full of people that ride for Auburn and not themselves and that's what we have. We're going to be able to up the workload because this group really wants to win. It all starts this weekend and we're ready to get things going."
AUBURN LINEUP
The Tigers will have a mix of experienced veterans and fresh faces in the lineup against UT Martin.
The Hunt Seat corps consists of upperclassmen with junior All-Americans Ashton Alexander, Caitlin Boyle, and Hayley Iannotti leading the way in both Equitation Over Fences and Equitation on the Flat. Joining them in both events will be senior Caitlin Creel, who has been a steady contributor for the Tigers during her career.
In addition, junior All-American Alex Ladove will ride for AU in Equitation Over Fences, while sophomore Becky Kozma earned a spot in the team's Flat lineup. Freshmen Taylor St. Jacques and Ericka Koscinski will compete in exhibition in Fences and Flat, respectively.
Sophomore Kara Kaufmann returns to the Auburn lineup in Horsemanship following a very successful freshman campaign. The All-SEC honoree is joined by redshirt junior Kelsey Jung and junior Lauren Diaz in the event. Jung and Diaz were constants in the team's Horsemanship lineup all of last season. Sophomore Drew Rogers will make her third career start for the Tigers, while freshman Deanna Green is set to make her first. Junior All-American Megan Rauh will ride in exhibition.
In Reining, senior Alexa Rivard looks to get her final season off on the right track as she leads the group vs. UT Martin. She'll be joined by juniors Betsy Brown and Blair McFarlin. Brown capped the 2016-17 season on a seven-match winning streak. A pair of decorated freshmen in Terri-June Granger and Savannah Ostner each earned their first start for the Tigers in the event. Junior Ali Fratessa is set to compete in exhibition.
AUBURN-UTM SERIES HISTORY
Friday's meeting is the 12th time the two teams have squared off in a dual format. The Tigers are 11-0 over the Skyhawks with a 7-0 mark on the road.
UP NEXT
Auburn hosts Alabama at the Auburn University Horse Center in a hunt seat-only exhibition meet. The Tigers and the Crimson Tide will face off at 3 p.m., Sept. 29.