AUBURN, Ala. – The nationally-ranked Auburn equestrian team had nine sign National Letters of Intent for the 2024-25 season, head coach Jessica Braswell announced Wednesday.
"We are excited to officially add these student-athletes to the Auburn Family," Braswell said. "Coaches Taylor Searles and Emma Kurtz have put together a really talented class that we think will have an immediate impact."
Joining the Tigers on the Western side will be Abigail Eddy (Rocheport, Mo.), Michelle Fumagalli (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Addisyn Schmersal (Scottsdale, Ariz.). Set to compete for Auburn in Jumping Seat will be Kate Hagerty (Terrebonne, Ore.), Ariana Marnell (Las Vegas, Nev.), Frankie Nicklaus (Duluth, Ga.), Kate Parker (Laguna Beach, Calif.), Eleanor Rudnicki (The Woodlands, Texas) and Eve Westfall (Boulder, Colo.).
ABIGAIL EDDY
Hometown: Rocheport, Missouri
High School: David H. Hickman High School
Event: Western
HIGHLIGHTS: AQHYA First Vice President and NSBYA President Elect … 2023 AQHA Congress Champion in L2 14-18 Trail … 2023 NSBA World Champion in L1 14-18- Trail … Finished second in L1 14-18 Showmanship at 2023 AQHA Youth World Show … Top 10 finishes in Western Pleasure, Horsemanship and Trail at the 2023 AQHA Youth World Show.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "Abby brings not only great riding skills to Auburn, but tremendous leadership skills as well. She is a well-rounded athlete with experience in both Reining and Horsemanship, which will add immediate depth. We've gotten to know Abby in camp and she will be a great contributor in and out of the arena."
MICHELLE FUMAGALLI
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
High School: Cactus Shadows High School
Event: Western
HIGHLIGHTS: Best of the West Non Pro Derby Champion – L1,2,3,4 and Youth 14-18 … NRHA Derby L1-4 Non-Pro Finalist … AQHA Youth Reserve Champion … Sun Circuit Youth Circuit Champion … 2022 AZRHA Youth Champion.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "As soon as we had Michelle on campus for her visit, we knew she'd be a great fit. She is a very talented reiner that we know will help bolster a Reining line up graduating a lot of seniors this season. She comes from a family that rides and has a lot of experience on different types of horses."
KATE HAGERTY
Hometown: Terrebonne, Oregon
High School: Upper Echelon Academy
Event: Jumping Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: Multiple Top 10 finishes at USET Finals East – seventh in 2022 and 10th in 2023 … Finished third at the 2023 USEF Medal Finals … Top 20 at the 2023 North American Equitation Cup … Finished sixth in the junior division at the 2023 Young Riders … Reserve champion in Large Younger 3'6 at 2022 Junior Hunter Finals.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "Kate has really come on the scene the last couple of years. She had consistent finishes in equitation finals this fall as well as success in the jumpers. Her ability to ride a variety of horses will be an asset when she gets to college."
ARIANA MARNELL
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
High School: Bishop Gorman High School
Event: Jumping Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: 2023 Prix De States Gold Medalist … Grand Champion at all four Indoor National Championships – Capital Challenge, Harrisburg, WIHS and The National Horse Show … 2023 Best Junior Rider at The Hampton Classic, Capital Challenge and Harrisburg.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "Ariana is a fierce competitor. She will be joining her dad and brothers as a college athlete, so she is familiar with what it takes to compete at this level. Ariana is another rider that has high-level experience in hunters, jumpers and equitation and has won a lot."
FRANKIE NICKLAUS
Hometown: Duluth, Georgia
High School: Rivers Academy
Event: Jumping Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: Finished fifth at the 2022 USEF/NCEA Medal Final … Came in eighth at the 2022 Maclay Regionals … 2022 Circuit Champion Junior Hunter – Aiken Springs … 2022 Circuit Champion Children Jumpers – Blowing Rock.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "We first saw Frankie in one of our camps and have been able to watch her develop over the years into a very versatile rider. She has brought a young horse along in the equitation ring and that experience will translate well to the different types of horses she will see in college."
KATE PARKER
Hometown: Laguna Beach, California
High School: Laguna Beach High School
Event: Jumping Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: Finished third overall at the 2023 Jump Seat Medal Final-West … Fourth at the 2023 Region 8 Maclay Regionals … Tenth at R.W. Mutch Equitation Championship … Reserve Champion at the 2022 WCHR Challenge at Capital Challenge and 2022 Southwest Derby Championship … Finished third overall at the 2022 Junior Hunter Finals West.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "Kate is another athlete we first saw in camp and have watched have a great junior career on the West Coast. She has demonstrated the ability to get along with a lot of different horses which is necessary for success in college."
ELEANOR RUDNICKI
Hometown: The Woodlands, Texas
High School: Laurel Springs High School
Event: Jumping Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: Took second at the 2023 WIHS Junior Equitation Finals … Came in second at the 2023 Maclay Finals … Second place at WEF Equitation Championship … Top 10 finishes at the 2021 and 2023 USEF Medal Finals … Finished sixth at the 2021 USET Finals.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "Eleanor has spent her entire junior career as a catch rider. From week to week, she is always competing on a different horse. There is no better preparation for college. Eleanor had a tremendous fall season in the equitation championships, and we are looking forward to her bringing that experience to Auburn."
ADDISYN SCHMERSAL
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
High School: Scottsdale Unified School District
Event: Western
HIGHLIGHTS: 2023 TRFAM Reserve Champion … 2022 TRFAM Reserve Non-pro Champion … 2020 Reserve NRBC Non-pro Champion … 2019 TRFAM Rookie Champion.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "Addi comes from a family of reining professionals and is a very talented and accomplished reiner. She has ridden so many different horses throughout her youth career and is such a competitor. All of her experience on different horses both in practice and competition will be a huge asset in college."
EVE WESTFALL
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
High School: Score at the Top Academy
Event: Jumping Seat
HIGHLIGHTS: Third at the 2023 Gladston Cup … Finished 10th at the USET Finals in 2022 … 2022 and 2023 WEF Equitation Championship qualifier … Finished Top 20 at 2022 North American Equitation Championship … Top placings in equitation at the Devon Horse Show.
BRASWELL THOUGHTS: "Eve is another athlete that has had success in the equitation as well as the jumper arenas. All of that experience makes her a very well-rounded rider. She has also brought along a young equitation horse over the last year and that experience should translate well to college."