WACO, Texas (NCEA/SMU) – Five members of the top-ranked SMU equestrian team have earned Ariat All-America accolades from the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA), the governing body announced in a release on Tuesday afternoon.
 
SMU earned four spots on the First Team, with Elli Yeager (Flat), Alexa Black (Horsemanship), Nya Kearns (Horsemanship) and Chalyce Head (Reining) earning the recognition. In addition, Yeager earned Honorable Mention honors in Fences, while Augusta Iwasaki picked up the same honor on the Flat.
 
The six brings the Mustangs' total number of All-America honors to 56 all-time. All five of the riders are being honored for at least the second time in their career.
 
Yeager has enjoyed a breakout season on the Flat to lead to her earning First Team recognition. This season, she has posted a record of 11-3 with a total of seven MOPs. The seven brings her career total on the Flat to eight, tying the school record for MOPs in the event. She also has been highly successful this season in Fences, posting a mark of 10-4 along with two MOPs to earn Honorable Mention recognition. This is the second time she's earned All-America honors in Fences, previously being named to the Second Team in 2022.
 
For the second time in her career, Black is earning All-America honors in Horsemanship, previously being named as an Honorable Mention in 2023. This season the Cedarville, Ohio, native has posted a remarkable record of 11-1-2, along with two MOP honors.
 
Kearns is earning First Team All-America honors for an improbable fifth straight season. This year, the Grayslake, Illinois, native has posted a record of 14-0 with nine MOPs to become the NCEA All-Time leader in MOPs across all events.
 
Head is also a repeat All-American, previously earning Second Team accolades in 2023. This year, she is a First Team All-American in Reining after posting a 11-2-1 record during the season. She also has recorded three MOPs during her fifth season as a Mustang.

This season, Iwasaki has earned a record of 9-4-1 along with one MOP to earn Honorable Mention accolades on the Flat. This is the third straight season Iwasaki has earned All-America recognition, but the first time on the Flat.
 
The top-seeded SMU equestrian program will begin its hunt for its third straight National Championship on Thursday, April 17, at 7:30 a.m. CT against No. 8 UT-Martin at World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida.