SMU Set For Ranked SEC Opponents
Nov 5 | Equestrian
DALLAS (SMU) -
| South Carolina Gamecocks (2-2, 0-2 SEC) at SMU (1-3, 1-1 UEC) | |
| Date & Time | Sat, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. |
| Location | Sleepy P Ranch -- Bartonville, TX |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Meet Info | SMU Meet Notes (.pdf) |
| Auburn Tigers (3-0, 0-0 SEC) at SMU (1-3, 1-1 UEC) | |
| Date & Time | Sun., Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. CT |
| Location | Sleepy P Ranch -- Bartonville, TX |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
THIS WEEK: The SMU equestrian team continue its five-meet homestand hosting a pair of ranked SEC opponents, the No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks, Sat., Nov. 7, and the No. 2 Auburn Tigers, Sun., Nov. 8, at the Sleepy P Ranch. Both meets are slated for a 10 a.m. CT start.
 | SETTING THE SCENE |
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA: The South Carolina Gamecocks hold a 2-2 record (0-2 SEC) entering a non-conference meet in Waco, Texas against Baylor, Fri., Nov. 6, before heading to Dallas to square off against the Mustangs the following day. The Gamecocks opened the season strong with wins over South Dakota State and TCU, before dropping two-straight conference meets against Auburn and Texas A&M. Last season, South Carolina posted a 12-5 (4-2 SEC) record and went the distance to claim its third NCEA National Championship. The Gamecocks returned three hunt seat riders and five western riders from its National Championship team, including all three of its riders that were named SEC All-Freshman -- Megan Overberg, Bailey Walters and Paisley Roberts.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE GAMECOCKS: This will be the seventh time these two forces square off. The Gamecocks hold a 5-1 all-time advantage over the Mustangs, with the first head-to-head meeting dating back to 2007. The last time the two met was last season in Blythewood, South Carolina, where the Gamecocks won, 13-2. The lone SMU victory came in 2012, where the Mustangs edged the Gamecocks, 5-4. This will be the first meet in Dallas since 2012.
HEAD COACH CAROL GWIN'S THOUGHTS ON SC: "I am excited to have South Carolina to our home base. I love the coaches and the kids but we hope to add a W in our column. They are always a quality team and we will have to ride very well to beat them."
SCOUTING AUBURN: The Auburn Tigers hold a perfect 3-0 record (0-0 SEC) entering its Texas-leg of the schedule. The Tigers will compete in their first conference meet in College Station, Texas against Texas A&M, Fri., Nov. 6, before heading three hours north to Dallas on Sun., Nov. 8. Auburn has posted victories over Tennessee-Martin, South Carolina and Oklahoma State. Last season, the Tigers posted a 9-8 (1-5 SEC) record and advanced to the NCEA National Championship, before falling to Georgia in the semifinals. The Tigers are led by senior Elizabeth Benson, who was named the SEC's Equitation over Fences Rider of the Year last season and was named an NCEA First Team All-American in Fences and a Second Team All-American in Flat.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE TIGERS: This will be the sixth meeting between SMU and Auburn, where the Tigers hold a 5-0 all-time advantage. The last time the two battled came last season, where Auburn outrode the Mustangs, 14-6, in Auburn, Alabama. In Dallas, the Tigers are 3-0 with Sunday's meet marking the first event in Dallas since 2013. The two first squared off in 2009.
HEAD COACH CAROL GWIN'S THOUGHTS ON AU: "In my opinion, this is one of the strongest teams in the NCEA currently. However, with a home field advantage and some great riding, I believe we can get the win. We need to be mistake free and dig a bit deeper. This team is capable of that and has the talent to force an upset."
LAST TIME OUT: The SMU Mustangs opened a five-meet homestand against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and captured a 13-5 contest for the first win of the season. Six different hunt seat riders and five different western riders earned victories in a team effort for the Mustangs. The hunt seat riders managed an impressive 8-2 margin of victory, losing only one point in each discipline, while the western riders managed a 5-3 margin of victory. Along with the first win of the season, the Mustangs swept the MOP honors -- Schaefer Raposa (5) over fences, Leina King (1) on flat, Hannah McCain (1) in horsemanship and Madison Steed (1) in reining. King and Steed received their first collegiate MOP awards, while McCain earned her third.
UP NEXT: Following the meets with South Carolina and Auburn, SMU will wrap up its fall schedule against the Baylor Bears. The meet between the Mustangs and the Bears is slated for Nov. 20 at Sleepy P Ranch with a scheduled start time of 10 a.m. CT. The two saw each other in a pre-season meet, where the Mustangs came out victorious in a tiebreaker decision.
RAPOSA ROLLING IN MOPs: With the MOP honor over fences against South Dakota State, Schaefer Raposa now has 12 MOPs during her collegiate tenure. The MOP against South Dakota State marks her fifth of the season, tying her with teammate Sylvia de Toledo for the single-season MOP record. Earlier this season, Raposa claimed both of the hunt seat MOP honors, Sept. 24 against TCU, and became the second rider in SMU history to claim the feat. Emma Roberts (2011-14) managed the achievement as a freshman, March 9 of the 2011-12 season against top-ranked Georgia.
STAND OUT FRESHMEN: Nora Gray and Madison Steed are making names for themselves as the two stand above the rest of the underclassmen, posting for a combined record of 10-2. Gray, a true freshman, leads the Mustangs with a 7-1 standing, including a perfect 4-0 equitation on the flat record. Along side with junior Morgan Redwine, redshirt-freshman Madison Steed is helping lead the SMU western team and has inked a 3-1 record all in reining. Steed collected her first collegiate MOP honor, Fri., Oct 30, against South Dakota State with a 71-66.5 victory.
COVERAGE OF THE MUSTANGS: Fans can follow the Mustangs all season long with live stats available at SMUMustangs.com. You can also follow the equestrian team on Facebook (/SMUEquestrian) and on Twitter (@SMUEquestrian).
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