TCU
No. 1 SMU
PREVIEW: TCU HOSTS NO. 1 SMU IN SEASON OPENER
9/21/2023 2:49:00 PM | Equestrian
First time in program history TCU will kick off the season hosting the top ranked team
FORT WORTH – TCU's equestrian team is set to host No. 1 SMU in season opener at 10 a.m. on Friday at Bear Creek Farms. This is the first time in program history that the Horned Frogs will host the No. 1 team in their season-opener.
The last time the cross-town rivals went head-to-head was during the NCEA National Semi-finals where TCU fell to SMU 14-6.
Currently, the series between the Horned Frogs and Mustangs is tied 12-12. The last regular season matchup between the rivals dates back to the 2021-22 season resulting in a road victory for TCU, the first at SMU since the 2015-16 season.
In their last meeting in Ocala, the western team remained a powerhouse for TCU scoring five of the six total points. Returners Jessica McAllister, Shea Graham, Mattie Dukes, and Giorgia Medows secured their points between both reining and horsemanship events.
There will be a breakfast hosted by the Frog Club starting at 8:30 a.m. and the Cousins Maine Lobster food truck for lunch.
LAST SEASON IN REVIEW
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TCU notched the greatest single-season winning percentage in program history (.765) after finishing the 2022-23 campaign with a 13-4 overall record.
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The Horned Frogs set program records for most NCEA All-American recipients and NCEA first team All-American citations. A total of 12 athletes achieved All-American status. Five athletes combined to earn seven first team citations, which were the most of any team nationwide.
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The Horned Frogs maintained a top-three NCEA ranking for the entirety of the regular season for the first time ever.
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TCU finished as the runner-up at the Big 12 Championship for the second straight season.
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TCU notched its second consecutive NCEA semifinal appearance and sixth-ever under director of equestrian Haley Schoolfield.
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TCU became the first program in NCEA history to sweep National Rider of the Year awards in Western.
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Dukes and Scully were the first Horned Frogs to be named NCEA Rider of the Year in their respective events.
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McAllister joined Laska Anderson (2018) as one of only two athletes in the 18-year history of the program to earn NCEA Horsemanship Rider of the Year credentials.
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Melissa Dukes was NCEA Dual Discipline Western Coach of the Year.
For more information on TCU Equestrian, visit gofrogs.com and follow the team on social media: @TCUEquestrian on Instagram and Facebook and @TCUWEquestrian on Twitter.
Players Mentioned
