Sept. 19, 2008
DALLAS (SMU) --- The SMU Equestrian team opens the 2008-09 season in a dual meet at Oklahoma State on Saturday at 9 a.m. This begins the Mustangs second season under head coach Ashley Schaeffer. The lineup for the meet includes five juniors, two sophomores, and four freshmen.
Junior Kristen Collins captains the SMU squad. She earned two MVPs last season, both coming in the final three meets of the season as she won matchups against TCU and Stephen F. Austin. Juniors Erica Buie, 4-2 in fences last season, and Kathryn Garvie, two MVPs last season; as well as Melissa Kowalchik and Maia VanDyke will compete for SMU. The sophomores are Lauren Lieberman, MVP against Texas A&M last season, and Kate Wilson, MVP at TCU in 2007-08.
The Mustangs' newcomers from Coach Schaeffer's first recruiting class will have an immediate impact. Emily Gardner, Lucy Needham, Jordyn Pettersen, and Jennifer Weeks will compete in their first collegiate dual meets, but all came to SMU with extensive high-level competition experience.
The team invites all family and friends to celebrate Family Weekend and support the SMU equestrians by travelling to OSU with us via caravan! Anyone who would like to participate should meet us in the parking lot of La Madeleine's at the corner of Mockingbird and Airline at 5 a.m. on Saturday. The caravan will be home that evening in time to see the SMU Football team battle TCU in the State Farm DFW Duel for the coveted Iron Skillet.
