By Alex Riley
Special to SMUMustangs.com
DALLAS – There are still moments left to celebrate what happened last spring.
On September 30, the SMU equestrian team will take the field during the home football game against Charlotte and be presented with their rings, commemorating the 2023 NCEA National Championship.
A banner will be hung at the Dallas Equestrian Center prior to the first home match of the season noting the accomplishment.
A final display for the championship trophy still needs to be determined. There is signage to be hung and displays to create at various athletic department spots.
The celebration might not be completely over, but for SMU the mindset has already shifted.
"Something I feel we've done really well as a team is being proud of that accomplishment but kind of keeping our heads down and moving on to this year," said junior Hensley Humphries. "We know it's a completely new year and it's hard to stay at the top once you're at the top. That's what we're focused on right now."
When Carol Gwin took over the SMU program 10 years ago, her goal was to establish a culture that could maintain a level of consistency. That steady build started with the regular season results. Since the 2017-18 season, SMU has won 10 or more matches in five of the six seasons. Along the way, they picked up four conference championships before competing as an independent program last year. The Mustangs also qualified for the NCEA Championship every season under Gwin's guidance, winning at least one match at the event in each of the last three visits.
All of that built to a moment that brought SMU its first varsity team national championship since men's outdoor track and field in 1986.
"Coming off a national championship, the first thing everybody wants to know is what are you going to do this year? I think that my goal for this team and our athletics department is to now rebound with consistency," Gwin said. "We had a great season, it was record-setting in every way you can imagine. But the thing about college athletics is you've got to prove yourself season after season after season. I think we've built a powerhouse and this season, I hope, will affirm that."
While much can happen between now and April's NCEA Championships, the Mustangs certainly have the tools necessary to remain competitive. The program returns seven riders who earned some level of All-America distinction last season and two other riders who have previously been selected as All-Americans in prior campaigns. It's a big reason why the team opened the 2023-24 season ranked No. 1 in the dual discipline preseason rankings.
Additionally, SMU's road to a repeat has a slightly more hospitable path this season. Last year, the Mustangs got just five home matches all season, only two of which featured foes who would qualify for the NCEA Championship. SMU also went more than a month without competing at home in the spring, traveling to five straight road contests, including a three-day gauntlet at South Carolina, Georgia and Auburn.
This year, the home slate has seven matches, including four against NCEA qualifiers from last year. It all starts on Friday with Metroplex rival TCU in Fort Worth. The goal is to see it end in a similar place – with another national championship trophy hoisted overhead.
"This year's schedule is still pretty difficult. We're competing against some very strong teams and it is a good balance because we're competing away just as much as we're competing at home, which is nice," said senior Chalyce Head. "I know we always love to have meets at home because we're able to show the horses that we've worked hard to prepare. However, I know that going away to tough schools is just as important because it prepares us for what we'll be riding at nationals."
