MARTIN, Tenn. – It was a successful home opener for the University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian squad today as the No. 10 ranked Skyhawks racked up a 16-4 triumph over Eastern College Athletic Conference rival UC Davis.
UT Martin won at least three points in all four events, improving to 2-1 on the young 2024-25 season. The Skyhawks swept all five points in horsemanship, won four head-to-head decisions in both reining and flat while claiming three victories in fences.
Individually, a pair of UT Martin riders swept all four MOP’s. Elizabeth Becker (84 points in fences, career-best 89 points in flat) won both MOP medals in the Jumping Seat discipline while Lexi Bailey (career-high 77 points in horsemanship, 68 points in reining) earned each MOP accolade in the Western discipline.
In horsemanship, Bailey’s MOP effort and third win of the season set the tone as four separate Skyhawks collected career-highs in points as part of the event sweep. Kailyn Veale posted a career-best 76 points in her season debut and was followed by a career-high 75.5 points from Kate Davis. McAfoos won her third decision of the fall courtesy of 75 points while Lillian Laney was responsible for a career-high score of 72 in a dominant seven-point win.
Elise Mason accounted for a team-best 70.5 points in reining on the way to the head-to-head victory. Bailey’s MOP score followed before Logan Putvinski soared to her third victory of the season, outscoring her competitor by a 68-0 margin. Aubrey Malone additionally improved to 3-0 on the season with a score of 67.5 points while Davis (67.5 points) also represented UT Martin in the lineup.
A pair of Skyhawks established career-high tallies in flat, paced by Becker’s MOP performance of 89 points. Lydia Jordan also compiled a career-best 82 points on the way to her first collegiate victory while Gabby Adams (79 points) and Audrey Morris (61 points) nabbed their second victories of 2024-25 while their counterparts did not record a score. Bridget Vieau also made her season debut today, picking up 71 points.
Equaling Becker’s MOP score of 84 points in fences was Morris, who boasted a career-best 84 points as part of a victory in her season debut in that event. Emerson Maier also earned her second win of the season with an 82-point effort. Adams (82 points) and Kate Mills (75) additionally represented UT Martin in the fences starting lineup.
The Skyhawks resume their three-meet homestand tomorrow, taking on No. 5 Oklahoma State in a showdown of top-10 teams. The meet will start at approximately noon at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex.
