MARTIN, Tenn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference awards keep piling up for the University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian squad as the Skyhawks claimed all four Rider of the Week accolades today. Elizabeth Becker (fences), Gabby Adams (flat), Lexi Bailey (horsemanship) and Elise Mason (reining) each won this week’s award.
UT Martin has now accounted for 10 ECAC Riders of the Week this season as Becker, Mason, Adams and Bailey have now each won the award twice in 2024-25. They join Bridget Vieau (flat on Oct. 22) and Logan Putvinski (reining on Oct. 8) as Skyhawk representatives to claim the league’s weekly accolade this season.
The four ECAC Rider of the Week winners competed once this past week as No. 10 UT Martin fell 14-6 against No. 1 Auburn last Saturday.
A senior out of Grosse Pointe, Mich., Becker won her head-to-head fences decision against Ariana Marnell, securing an 87-84 victory aboard Bond. It marked a new career-high score in that event for Becker, who won her team-best fourth decision of the 2024-25 campaign in the process.
Adams produced the highest score (86) of any Skyhawk against Auburn in flat, posting MOP accolades after a two-point triumph over Sophee Steckbeck on Pork Chop. The performance was the fourth consecutive flat win of the season for the sophomore out of Burton, Ohio – topping the squad in victories in that event.
Hailing from Union Mills, Ind., Bailey was responsible for a 76-point horsemanship effort against Auburn. That score was good enough for her team-high fourth horsemanship triumph of the 2024-25 season as the senior standout defeated Caroline Frendenburg’s 75-point effort aboard Jim.
Mason claimed her second MOP in the last four meets, accumulating a career-best 73 on Chloe. Mason topped Auburn’s Olivia Bradley by two points in head-to-head action as the Olympia, Wash. native equaled Putvinski for a team-high in victories (four) during her sophomore campaign.
The Skyhawks return to action on Nov. 15-16 when they travel to Felton, Del. to take on Delaware State and South Dakota State.
