For the opening week of the spring season, sophomores Nya Kearns and Chalyce Head claimed both Western ECAC Rider of the Week awards for their Most Outstanding Performer (MOP) – worthy outings against No. 9 UT Martin and No. 7 Delaware State to open the spring portion of the SMU equestrian team's season.
 
Kearns, earned an MOP in Horsemanship against No. 9 UT Martin, claiming a nine-point win over her Skyhawk opposition to assist the team in claiming four of the five total Horsemanship points in the team's 16-4 win. Kearns also recorded a win against No. 7 Delaware State which was part of a five-point sweep of the Hornets. The award marks her first of the 2021-22 season, and the fourth of her Mustang career.
 
Head earned convincing three-point and two-point wins in Reining against her respective UT Martin and Delaware State opponents. Head's 73-point MOP performance against the Hornets put a stamp on the first ECAC Rider of the Week award of her career as well as her first MOP.
 
SMU resumes competition on Thursday, as it hosts No. 8 TCU at the Dallas Equestrian Center.