DANBURY, Conn. – Coming off a pair of big wins over the weekend, the University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian program picked up two Eastern College Athletic Conference Rider of the Week honorees today in Lexi Bailey (horsemanship) and Emma Schaefer (reining).
Today’s announcement marks the fourth ECAC Rider of the Week award of the season for Bailey (three in horsemanship, one in reining). It is also the third such honor for Schaefer in 2023-24 as she was also voted ECAC Rider of the Month for October. Overall, the Skyhawks have combined for 16 ECAC Riders of the Week this season.
Bailey and Schaefer were integral parts of a successful UT Martin weekend that included home two-point victories over No. 8 Delaware State and No. 9 UC Davis.
A junior from Union Mills, Ind., Bailey was a perfect 2-0 with one MOP in horsemanship over the weekend. She began with a team-best 74-point effort on Friday against Delaware State, defeating her competitor by nine points. The following day against UC Davis, she registered her team-high fifth win (and first MOP) courtesy of a 71.5-point performance.
Schaefer also produced an unblemished 2-0 record with one MOP medal in reining over the weekend. The senior out of New Virginia, Iowa started off with 71.5 points – good enough for her team-best third MOP of the 2023-24 campaign – against Delaware State. She followed that with her team-high seventh victory of the season with a team-best score of 70.5 points against UC Davis.
The Skyhawks are back in action this weekend when they head to Auburn, Ala. for matchups against nationally ranked Auburn and Dartmouth on Saturday, Feb. 17.
