AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 2 Auburn equestrian team kicks off the postseason this weekend, competing at the 2023 Southeastern Conference Championship held at One Wood Farm in Blythewood, South Carolina, March 24-25.
"The team is riding really well," head coach Greg Williams said. "We really try to peak at the end of the season and coaches Jessica Braswell and Taylor Searles have done a good job at preparing this team."
The Tigers are the No. 1 seed in the tournament for the fifth time in program history. Auburn will face No. 4 seed and this year's host South Carolina on Friday, March 24 at 8 a.m. CT. The next semifinal match will feature No. 2 seed Texas A&M vs. No. 3 seed Georgia. The winner of the two semifinal match ups will go head-to-head for the championship on Saturday, March 25 at 1:30 p.m. CT.
"We're competing in South Carolina's home environment so Friday is going to be tough for sure," Williams said. "You don't want to leave anything on the table in the postseason and the focus is to keep the edge going. This team is really ready to go and everyone's attitude is to make sure we put ourselves in a position to win."
AUBURN AT SECS
Auburn has five Southeastern Conference titles and has claimed the last four SEC crowns.
Auburn's first SEC championship came in 2016 when the Tigers toped Georgia at the UGA Equestrian Complex. The league began sponsoring the sport in 2013.
Prior to the SEC, Auburn had won three Southern Equestrian Conference titles.
AUBURN LINEUP
Not much will change for the Tigers (9-2, 4-1 SEC) this week and the squad will rely on a wealth of experience in the postseason highlighted by one fifth year, three seniors and four juniors.
The Jumping Seat corps will once again be led by fifth year Emma Kurtz, senior Ava Stearns and junior Ellie Ferrigno. Stearns is 10-1-0 in Fences this year, while Ferrigno is 9-2-0. Kurtz has eight wins in Fences for the squad.
Joining the trio in both Fences and Flat will be sophomores Mary-Grace Segars and Sophee Steckbeck. Segars stands at 8-3-0 in Flat this year and Steckbeck stands at 9-2-0 in Fences.
Reining will go first in Western competition and the Tigers will be led by juniors Kate Buchanan, Olivia Marino and Isabella Tesmer. Buchanan has seven wins on the year in the event, while Marino is coming off a MOP performance in the regular season finale three weeks ago.
Joining the trio will be freshmen Caroline Buchanan and Alexia Tordoff. Tordoff is tied for second on the team with six wins and leads the squad with four MOPs in the event.
The Horsemanship squad is full of experience for the Tigers. Seniors Maddie Spak and Olivia Tordoff will guide the squad as Spak is unbeaten in the event this season with a 9-0-2 mark. Tordoff recently broke the Auburn MOP record in Horsemanship as her four this season moved her to 16 total in her career.
Junior Madison Parduhn and freshmen Caroline Fredenburg and Alexia Tordoff will also compete for the team. The younger Tordoff is second on the team with eight wins in the event so far this season.
UP NEXT
The postseason continues at the 2023 NCEA Championships, April 13-15. The three-day tournament will be held at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida and Auburn will be the host institution once again.
