AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 6 Auburn equestrian team closed out the 2023-24 regular season with a big win at home, downing No. 2 Texas A&M at the Auburn University Equestrian Center Saturday, 13-5.
Auburn (7-5, 3-3 SEC) took three of four possible Most Outstanding Performer honors. Senior Kate Buchanan took the award in Reining, while junior Mary-Grace Segars was named MOP in Flat. Sophomore Alexia Tordoff secured MOP honors for her win in Horsemanship.
"This team never quits," head coach Jessica Braswell said. "They kept pushing through even after at tough loss last weekend. I thought we rode really well last week, and they continued that today to come out on top. This was a big win against a really great team that we will probably see more of in the postseason."
Auburn honored 12 members of the senior class prior to the start of the meet – Libby Bertelsen, Samantha Briggs, Kate Buchanan, Jacqueline Frimodt, Olivia Marino, Madison Parduhn, Grace Pearson, Hallie Rush, Ava Stearns, Gracie Sullivan, Isabella Tesmer. This group has won a Southeastern Conference championship every year so far and reached the NCEA final last season.
"There is so much leadership in this group and they've been working so hard keeping this team together as we went through some rough patches this semester," Braswell said. "For them to go out with this big win at home is huge for them and huge for our momentum going into the postseason."
Holding a slight lead after Reining and Flat, 5-4, the Tigers poured it on in Horsemanship and Fences in the second half. The squad bested the Aggies 8-1-1 between the last two events to take the 13-5 win.
The Tigers put together a 4-0-1 mark in Horsemanship to close out the meet. Tordoff led off with her MOP win, earning a 76-72.25 win over Hanna Olaussen. Freshman Sydney Swallom followed with a 74.75-74 victory, while senior Madison Parduhn edged her opponent, 73-72.25. Freshman Alexis Potts earned a big win with a 75.25 and sophomore Caroline Fredenburg capped the day with a 68.25-68.25 tie.
The Fences corps went 4-1 over the Aggies in the second half of competition. Freshman Avery Glynn earned an 83.5 to win her point, while Segars had a meet-best 91 to edge out Ali Treuting's 87.5. Senior Ellie Ferrigno and Stearns scored back-to-back 86.5s to win their points for the squad.
Auburn opened the meet with a 5-4 lead after Flat and Reining.
Securing victories in Flat were Segars, junior Sophee Steckbeck and Stearns. Segars took MOP with an 89-79 win over Devan M. Thomas, while Steckbeck scored 85 points in her victory. Stearns bested Devon H. Thomas with an 85.5
Tesmer kicked off Reining with a 68.75-68.25 edge to improve to 11-1-0 in the event. Marino and her opponent rode to a 71-71 tie before Buchanan secured a 71-60.25 victory for MOP.
Auburn will kick off the postseason at the 2024 SEC Championship in Bryan-College Station, Texas, March 29-30.
#6 AUBURN 13, #2 TEXAS A&M 5
FENCES
Avery Glynn (AU) def. Devon H. Thomas (TAMU), 83.5-76
Kate Egan (TAMU)* def. Sophee Steckbeck (AU), 87-86
Mary-Grace Segars (AU) def. Ali Treuting (TAMU), 91-87.5
Ellie Ferrigno (AU) def. Brooke Brombach (TAMU), 86.5-84.5
Ava Stearns (AU) def. Alexa Leong (TAMU), 86.5-80.5
FLAT
Brooke Brombach (TAMU) def. Ellie Ferrigno (AU), 76.5-76
Mary-Grace Segars (AU)* def. Devan M. Thomas (TAMU), 89-79
Sophee Steckbeck (AU) def. Rylee Shufelt (TAMU), 85-82.5
Ava Stearns (AU) def. Devon H. Thomas (TAMU), 85.5-83
Maggie Nealon (TAMU) def. Avery Glynn (AU), 86.5-83
HORSEMANSHIP
Alexia Tordoff (AU)* def. Hannah Olaussen (TAMU), 76-72.25
Sydney Swallom (AU) def. Ellie Gerbrandt (TAMU), 74.75-74
Madison Parduhn (AU) def. Millie Landon (TAMU), 73-72.25
Alexis Potts (AU) def. Ella Petak (TAMU), 75.25-73
Caroline Fredenburg (AU) tied Cori Cansdale (TAMU), 68.25-68.25
REINING
Isabella Tesmer (AU) def. Emmy Lu Marsh (TAMU), 68.75-68.25
Gracie Casebolt (TAMU) def. Caroline Buchanan (AU), 70.75-70.25
Keesa Luers (TAMU) def. Alexia Tordoff (AU), 65.25-64.5
Olivia Marino (AU) tied Mattie Gustin (TAMU), 71-71
Kate Buchanan (AU)* def. Lauren Hanson (TAMU), 71-60.25
