Oct. 28, 2015
Samantha Kraus went 2-for-2 in the Gamecocks’ 12-8 win over Texas A&M last season on Halloween.
BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – No. 4 South Carolina continues SEC play on Thursday, when the Gamecocks travel to College Station to face sixth-ranked Texas A&M. Thursday’s meet will begin at 11 a.m. ET at the Hildebrand Equine Complex and admission is free.
“We’ve had a good week of practice and I know the girls are looking forward to competing against a tough Texas A&M team,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “Texas A&M finished as the runner-up in our league last year and earned a bye at nationals, so they’re certainly in that upper echelon of teams that we’ll face this season. Across the board I think they’re a very talented team and I know there are a lot of folks that think they’ll be the team to beat in the SEC this year.”
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
• The Gamecocks are currently 2-1 overall this season, and 0-1 in SEC play.
• Carolina is currently ranked No. 4 in the latest NCEA Rankings.
• The Gamecocks are coming off a 14-6 loss to Auburn on Oct. 9.
• South Carolina has lost four meets in a row in College Station.
• The Gamecocks have not beaten Texas A&M in College Station since Nov. 16, 2012.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
• The Aggies are currently 2-1 overall this season, and 0-1 in SEC play.
• Texas A&M is currently ranked No. 6 in the latest NCEA Rankings.
• The Aggies’ two wins have come against New Mexico State and Fresno State.
• Texas A&M’s 9-9 tiebreaker win at Fresno State on Oct. 24 marked the Aggies’ first true road win since Sept. 22, 2012 at South Dakota State, ending a streak of 15 consecutive road losses.
• Texas A&M finished as the runner-up at last season’s SEC Championship.
LAST MEETING
Texas A&M ended South Carolina’s chances of winning its third straight SEC title when the teams last met on March 27, 2015, when the Aggies defeated the Gamecocks, 11-7, in the semifinal round. A&M edged the Gamecocks, 5-4, in the hunt seat events and 6-3 on the western side. It marked Texas A&M’s first and only victory in six meets at the SEC Championship.
LAST REGULAR SEASON MEETING
Texas A&M defeated then-No. 2 South Carolina, 11-8, in the teams’ last regular season meeting on Feb. 21, 2015. The Gamecocks led the Aggies, 8-6, entering the final event of the competition, but Texas A&M won the last five points to pull ahead for the victory.
NCEA RANKINGS – Oct. 27, 2015
1. Georgia (4-0)
2. Auburn (3-0)
3. Baylor (4-0)
4. South Carolina (2-1)
5. Oklahoma State (2-2)
6. Texas A&M (2-1)
7. TCU (3-1)
8. Fresno State (4-3)
9. New Mexico State (2-5)
10. UT-Martin (1-3)
SEC RIDER OF THE MONTH
Gamecock junior Amelia Vernon became the program’s tenth rider to be named SEC Rider of the Month, as the league office announced its monthly award winners earlier this month. Vernon was named SEC Rider of the Month in equitation on the flat, after winning her first career point and MVP in the Gamecocks’ 9-7 win at South Dakota State on Sept. 25
PACK YOUR BAGS
Thursday’s meet at Texas A&M marks the first of four straight road meets for the Gamecocks. Seven of the Gamecocks’ next 10 regular season meets are on the road. Including the SEC Championship and at least one competition at NCEA National Championship, 10 of Carolina’s next 13 meets will take place away from One Wood Farm.
UP NEXT
South Carolina returns to Texas next week for a pair of back-to-back road meets. The Gamecocks will face Big 12 champion Baylor on Nov. 6 in Waco, and then travel to face UEC runner-up SMU on Nov. 7 in Dallas. Carolina will then close out the fall portion of its schedule on Nov. 20 against No. 1 Georgia in Bishop, Ga.
