WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association recognized the University of Tennessee at Martin for its special 2023-24 season today, ranking the Skyhawks at No. 9 in its year-end poll.
The final rankings tabbed SMU at No. 1 while No. 2 TCU, No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 5 Auburn, No. 6 Georgia, No. 7 South Carolina, No. 8 UC Davis, No. 9 UT Martin and No. 10 Delaware State followed.
Today’s announcement means that the Skyhawks were nationally ranked in all 19 NCEA polls for the 2023-24 campaign, reaching as high as No. 8 for five straight weeks to cap off the regular season.
UT Martin won its fourth straight ECAC reserve championship this season, posting a 6-8 overall mark against a loaded schedule that featured 10 nationally ranked squads. The Skyhawks went 4-1 in Eastern College Athletic Conference play, topping the league standings and securing the No. 1 seed in the ECAC Championship tournament for the second consecutive year.
On an individual front, UT Martin boasted ECAC Reining Rider of the Year Emma Schaefer, ECAC Fences Freshman of the Year Kate Mills, ECAC Championship Fences MOP Sydney Hott and ECAC Coach of the Year Kim Leiter. The Skyhawks collected a school-record six All-ECAC recipients and a trio of ECAC All-Tournament selections after 12 separate UT Martin riders combined for a whopping 27 ECAC Rider of the Week or Rider of the Month mentions in 2023-24.
