WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) has announced the 2023-24 Ariat All-Americans, released Tuesday.
 
The top five riders per event were selected and named the Ariat First-Team All-America by the NCEA Selection Committee. The next five riders per event earned Second Team honors. Honorable Mention honorees were selected via the established criteria below.
 
There shall be no limit on how many riders receive this award, provided they meet the following criteria:

• Must have a 67 percent or higher winning percentage, excluding ties
• Must have competed in a minimum of 67% of team's NCEA qualifying regular season meets as defined in 9.2.1
• Have at least an adjusted NRS score of:
  • 85 for flat
  • 90 for fences
  • 80 for horsemanship
  • 75 for reining

 
TCU recorded six first team honors, Auburn tallied four, SMU and Georgia had three, while South Carolina, UT Martin, Texas A&M and Fresno State each had one.
 
Fences
First Team
Ellie Ferrigno, Auburn
Augusta Iwasaki, SMU
Catalina Peralta, Georgia
Ashleigh Scully, TCU
Sophee Steckbeck, Auburn
                       
Second Team
Katherine Atherton, Sweet Briar
Ella Bostwick, TCU
Maranda McCarthy, Delaware State
Isabelle Mesiarik, Sweet Briar
Ava Stearns, Auburn
 
Honorable Mention
Fallyn Belcastro, Lynchburg
Olivia Brown, Delaware State
Naomi Dachis, Sweet Briar
Riley Hogan, Oklahoma State
Emma Jolly, UC Davis
Emma Schweizer, Lynchburg
Brynley Smith, Lynchburg
Carly Sweeney, UC Davis
Elizabether Toensing, College of Charleston
 
Flat
First Team
Lilly Goldstein, TCU
Mary Hunter Millet, South Carolina
Ava Stearns, Auburn
Sara Tuck, Fresno State
Jordan Toering, Georgia                       
 
Second Team
Maggie Franke, UC Davis
Sophie Mitchell, South Carolina
Ella Peterson, Sweet Briar
Sophia Pilla, Georgia
Samantha Takacs, Dartmouth
 
Honorable Mention
Fallyn Belcastro, Lynchburg
Ella Bostwick, TCU
Brooke Brombach, Texas A&M
Katy Merchant, SMU
Lucy Metzler, Lynchburg
Maggie Nealon, Texas A&M
Catalina Peralta, Georgia
Kelsey Ann Quinn, Bridgewater
Emma Sameth, Sewanee
Rylee Shufelt, Texas A&M
Julia Werkhoven, South Dakota State
 
Horsemanship
First Team
Mattie Dukes, TCU
Shea Graham, TCU
Nya Kearns, SMU
Jessica McAllister, TCU
Jillian Stopperich, Georgia
                       
Second Team
Claire Andrews, Delaware State
Carolina Fredenburg, Auburn
Claire McDowall, Oklahoma State
Giorgia Medows, TCU
Alexia Tordoff, Auburn
 
Honorable Mention
Payton Boutelle, TCU
Alexis Potts, Auburn
Paige Wellendorf, South Dakota State
 
Reining
First Team
Lexi Bailey, UT Martin
Shea Graham, TCU
Mattie Gustin, Texas A&M
Isabella Tesmer, Auburn
Taylor Zimmerman, SMU
 
Second Team
Lily Anderson, SMU
Claire Andrews, Delaware State
Kaylene Cunningham, TCU
Macey Newkirk, UC Davis
Kendal Scheiner, UC Davis
 
Honorable Mention
Shelby Lynch, Georgia
Emilia Reutimann, South Carolina
Emma Schaefer, UT Martin
 
About the NCEA
A non-profit corporation, the NCEA is a governing body to advance the sport of equestrian. The NCEA is responsible for the development and administration of equestrian rules and guidelines. Equestrian is subject to all NCAA policies and procedures in the same manner as other sports. In 1998, Equestrian was identified and adopted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) as an emerging sport for women at the Division I and II levels. 
 
NCEA competitions are in a head-to-head format, and schools may choose to compete as a single or dual discipline team (Jumping Seat and Western). Each discipline has two events: in Jumping Seat, Fences and Flat, and in Western, Horsemanship and Reining. Teams can have five riders per event, with horses assigned by random draw at the start of the competition. Riders from opposing teams compete on the same horse, and whichever rider receives the higher score earns one point for her team. The level of difficulty is demonstrated by the accuracy of the pattern and how the competitor uses the horse to the best of her ability.
 
To stay up to date all year long on all things NCEA Equestrian, follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @NCEA_Equestrian and @ncea_eq.