No. 3 SMU (1-1, 1-1 ECAC) at No. 6 TCU (2-1, 0-1 BIG 12)
Diamond Creek Ranch – Burleson, Texas
Oct. 8, 2021 – 10 a.m. CT
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No. 3 SMU travels across the metroplex to take on No. 6 TCU this Friday, Oct. 8 for the season's first matchup between the two. Action at the Diamond Creek Ranch is slated to start at 10 a.m. CT.

SERIES HISTORY
The Horned Frogs hold a 10-11 series lead over the Mustangs after the two have split wins over the past four seasons, including a 4-8 record when competing in the Fort Worth area. SMU and TCU have competed twice during each regular season since the 2017-18 slate and each team has earned the win on their home turf. After falling 12-6 in Burleson during the 2021 spring season, the Mustangs earned an 11-3 victory in Dallas as the teams closed out their regular seasons. 

SCOUTING THE FROGS
TCU has started the 2021-22 season with a 2-1 record after starting their season last weekend in California. The Frogs dropped results to No. 9 South Carolina and No. 7 Fresno State while in Fresno then traveled to Davis and claimed a win over UC Davis. Friday marks TCU's third ranked matchup of the season and the year's first home meet.

2021-22 MOST OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS
•     Emma Jolly -- Fences: 1
•     Mallory Vroegh -- Horsemanship: 1
•     Nya Kearns -- Horsemanship: 1

MUSTANGS MADE HISTORY
SMU looks to capitalize off momentum set during the 2020-21 season as the program saw many firsts and records broken. The runner-up finish at NCEA Nationals marked the highest in SMU Equestrian history and capped off a season that saw the Mustangs finish 10-2, the best record in program history, and earn a third consecutive conference championship. SMU had two NCEA Riders of the Year, seven NCEA Ariat All-Americans, five NCEA National Championship award winners, five earn ECAC awards and six named to All-ECAC teams.

GOING BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK
SMU earned its third consecutive conference championship at the inaugural ECAC Championship in March of 2021. The Mustangs defeated Delaware State, 8-6, in the semifinal round before defeating UT Martin, 11-4, in the championship matchup. SMU earned five MOPs during the two matchups. The previous two conference championships for SMU came in 2018 and 2019 as members of the United Equestrian Conference before 2020's ECAC Championship was canceled due to COVID-19.

2020-21 ECAC HONORS (current riders)
•     Madigan Eppink – Flat Rider of the Week (Feb. 2)
•     Chalyce Head – Reining Freshman Rider of the Year
•     Nya Kearns – 3x Horsemanship Rider of the Week (Feb. 2, Feb. 9, March 16), Horsemanship Rider of the Month (February), Horsemanship Rider of the Year, Horsemanship Freshman Rider of the Year, All-ECAC Horsemanship
•     Dani Latimer – Reining Rider of the Week (Feb. 9), All-ECAC Reining
•     Taylor Madden – Fences Rider of the Week (Feb. 9), Flat Rider of the Year, All-ECAC Flat
•     Jill Pfisthner – All-ECAC Reining
•     Alex Pielet – Flat Rider of the Week (Feb. 9), Fences Rider of the Week (March 9)
•     Devin Seek – Fences Rider of the Year, All-ECAC Fences
•     Taylor Zimmerman – Reining Rider of the Week (March 9)

2020-21 NCEA HONORS (current riders)
•     Madigan Eppink – Dover Saddlery Flat Rider of the Month (January)
•     Nya Kearns – Shorty's Horsemanship Rider of the Month (March), Horsemanship First Team All-American
•     Dani Latimer – Reining First Team All-American
•     Taylor Madden – Flat Second Team All-American
•     Becky Morris – Standout Athlete of the Month (March)
•     Devin Seek – Dover Saddlery Fences Rider of the Month (January), Fences First Team All-American
•     Mallory Vroegh – Horsemanship All-America Honorable Mention
•     Megan Waldron – Shorty's Horsemanship Rider of the Month (January), Horsemanship All-America Honorable Mention
•     Olivia Woodson – Fences All-America Honorable Mention

50 WINS FOR CAROL GWIN
Head coach Carol Gwin earned her 50^th win at SMU during the 2021 spring season when the Mustangs defeated South Dakota State at home on Jan. 29. Since starting at SMU in 2014, she has led SMU to three 10-win seasons, three conference championships, a national Reining runner-up title and a National Reserve Champion title. Gwin has coached nine NCEA First Team All-Americans, three NCEA Rider and two Co-Riders of the Year and countless Conference Riders of the Year and All-Conference riders. In 2018 and 2019, she was named back-to-back UEC Coach of the Year after sharing the title as Co-Coach of the Year in 2017.

UP NEXT
The Mustangs host the Auburn Tigers for their first home meet of the season on Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Dallas Equestrian Center at 10 a.m. CT.