AUBURN, Ala. – Seven student-athletes on the No. 2 Auburn equestrian team totaled 11 National Collegiate Equestrian Association Ariat All-America honors, the NCEA selection committee announced Thursday.
The 11 All-America recognitions are the third-most in Auburn history and the most by any school this season.
"Something we talk about all the time here is that when you buy into the team mentality, the individual accolades will also come," head coach Greg Williams said. "I'm proud of this group of student-athletes and the wins they've accumulated competing in the toughest conference in the country."
Fifth year Taylor Searles and junior Ava Stearns each earned a pair of first team recognitions this season. Searles was honored in Horsemanship and Reining, while Stearns picked up awards in Fences and Flat.
Searles has had an outstanding season on the Western side of competition, holding an 11-1-1 record in Horsemanship and an 8-4-0 mark in Reining.
The recognition in Horsemanship is her fourth straight and the third first-team honor of her career. She has one MOP this season and her wins total is a team-best in the event. The Scottsdale, Arizona, product earned Reining All-American for the first time in her career as she leads the team in victories and has three MOPs.
Stearns picked up first-team recognition in both Jumping Seat events after putting together a 24-6-1 overall mark in the discipline. Her 13 wins in Flat is a team best, while her 12 in Fences is also among the best on the team.
The Chilmark, Massachusetts, native had four Fences MOPs on the year and totaled a team-high 91 and 90 this year. She added one MOP in Flat to go with her team-leading 13 wins.
Joining Stearns in both Fences and Flat was senior Emma Kurtz and sophomore Ellie Ferrigno. Kurtz secured first-team recognition in Fences and second team in Flat, while Ferrigno picked up second team in Fences and first team in Flat.
Kurtz holds a 13-2-1 mark in Fences and an 11-4-1 record in Flat, having four MOPs in both. Ferrigno has 12 wins in Fences and 11 in Flat for the squad, earning the first All-America honors of her career.
Fifth year Helen Ulrich picked up honorable mention in Flat, having seven wins and two MOPs. It was also the first All-America recognition of her career.
Joining Searles in Horsemanship was junior Olivia Tordoff and sophomore Madison Parduhn. Tordoff picked up her third-straight first-team recognition in the event, having a 10-3-0 record with eight MOPs on the year.
Parduhn, of Norman, Oklahoma, was awarded honorable mention after having a 9-4-0 mark this season. The honor was the first of her career.
