WACO, Texas (SMU) - During the month of February, Nora Gray, Kirsten Ostling and Holly Lansidel rose to new heights. The trio capped off their fantastic February campaigns with UEC Rider of the Month honors. The Mustangs have tallied five Rider of the Month awards in 2018-19, with Aubrey Alderman and Vivian Yowan each earning the accolade in October. 

    Lansidel, too, won NCEA Rider of the Month in her event, Reining. The 2018 NCEA National Reining Rider of the Year, went 3-0 in February and earned MOP for three consecutive meets, At the close of the month, the Red & Blue's Reining squad led the team with five event wins.
 
    In addition to being named UEC Rider of the Week once throughout the month's meets, the NCEA Reining All-American and All-UEC rider won two points over ranked opponents, earned the event-high score twice, and her largest margin of victory was five points. In February, she rose to a 5-3 winning record, and has garnered four MOPs from meets this season (most on SMU's roster) for her junior year, so far. Lansidel posted a personal, season-high score of 75 at Texas A&M.
    
    Gray also accumulated UEC Rider of the Week winnings in February. The senior team captain opened up SMU's spring season by earning the most wins in program history, surpassing the previous mark of 70. Besides breaking records, Gray maintained a near perfect 8-1 record, along with notching three wins and two ties on the flat for SMU by the end of February. Her margins of victory against ranked opponents in all of her wins during the month was five points.
 
    She is an Ariat NCEA Equitation Over Fences Honorable Mention All-American honoree, as well as a first team Academic All-American. Gray was also named to the Mustangs' University Honor Roll in February.

   With energy and poise, Ostling earned back-to-back MOPs and went undefeated in February action for the Red & Blue. She combined for an average season score of 75 on the flat and rose to a 3-4-1 season record in her event. The 2018 UEC Equitation on the Flat Freshman of the Year clinched the largest margin of victory by an SMU rider in the UC Davis duel, outscoring her competitor by 29 points. She was also crowned UEC Rider of the Week in the month, as well.
 

    The UEC is the largest conference in the NCEA, and the Mustangs (7-4, 3-0 UEC) are the defending league champions. Currently, they sit atop the conference standings at No. 1 and are the only team in the conference with an undefeated and/or winning record. 

    The Mustangs brace to fight for the tournament title on March 22 in Martin, Tennessee.


EQUITATION ON THE FLAT RIDER OF THE MONTH
Kirsten Ostling • SMU

• Went 2-0 in equitation on the flat for the Mustangs during the month of February, while also earning two Most Outstanding Performer awards.
• Earned an 85-78 victory at Oklahoma State on February 16 while being named Most Outstanding Performer.
• Defeated her UC Davis opponent, 83-54, on February 22.

 
EQUITATION OVER FENCES RIDER OF THE MONTH
Nora Gray • SMU

• Went 3-0 in equitation over fences for the Mustangs during the month of February, while also earning one Most Outstanding Performer award.
• Defeated her Texas A&M opponent, 85-80, in College Station on February 2, earning the Most Outstanding Performer award.
• Won her point on the road at Oklahoma State, 82-77, on February 16.
• Earned a 78-75 victory at home over UC Davis on February 22.

 
REINING RIDER OF THE MONTH
Holly Lansidel • SMU

• Went undefeated in reining for the Mustangs with a perfect 3-0 record while also winning three Most Outstanding Performer awards.
• Earned a 75-74.5 road victory against Texas A&M on February 2 while also winning M.O.P. honors.
• Defeated her Oklahoma State opponent on the road, 72-70, and was named reining M.O.P.
• Closed out the month with her third victory and third M.O.P. with a 72.5-67.5 victory over UC Davis.

NCEA NODS
Holly Lansidel, NCEA Rider of the Month - Reining (February)
Dillon, NCEA Horse of the Month (January)

CONFERENCE HONORS THIS SEASON
Holly Lansidel, UEC Reining Rider of the Month - February
Kirsten Ostling, UEC Equitation on the Flat Rider of the Month - February
Nora Gray, UEC Equitation Over Fences Rider of the Month - February
Nora Gray, Ashley Mauney, Haley Zimmerman, UEC Riders of the Week, Week Fourteen
Michaela Dinger, Kirsten Ostling, UEC Riders of the Week, Week Eleven
Nora Gray, Holly Lansidel, UEC Riders of the Week, Week Nine
Megan Waldron, Devin Seek, Vivian Yowan, UEC Riders of the Week, Week Seven
Mary Elizabeth Cordia, Equitation on the Flat UEC Rider of the Week, Week Six
Vivian Yowan, Equitation on the Flat UEC Rider of the Month - October
Aubrey Alderman, Reining UEC Rider of the Month - October
Kelsie Brittan, Vivian Yowan, Jill Pfisthner UEC Riders of the Week, Week Four
Aubrey Alderman, Ashley Mauney, Vivian Yowan –UEC Riders of the Week, Week Three
Nora Gray, Haley Zimmerman, Savannah Ostner, Haylee Schoonover – UEC Riders of the Week, Week One