Oct. 1, 2015

MEET INFORMATION
WHO:	No. 2 South Carolina vs. No. 8 Texas Christian
WHEN:	Friday, Oct. 2 • 10 a.m. ET
LOCATION:	Blythewood, S.C. • One Wood Farm
ADMISSION:	Free
LIVE SCORING:	Click Here
	@GamecockEQ
	@GamecockEQ

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 2 South Carolina will host its first home meet of the season on Friday, when the Gamecocks welcome No. 8 Texas Christian to One Wood Farm in Blythewood. Friday’s meet will begin at 10 a.m. ET, and admission is free.

“We’re excited to host our first home show of the season, and I know the girls are looking forward to competing in front of our fans,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “TCU is already off to a great start this season, and I know a lot of folks think they’re going to be the team to beat in the Big 12 this year. They’re a tough road team, and I know they’ll be coming in here ready to go. We had a good week of practice and I think we’ve already seen some improvement in the areas we wanted to work on since the South Dakota State meet last week. Hopefully all of that carries over for us on Friday because we’ll certainly need to ride well.”

SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
• The Gamecocks are 1-0 this season after opening up with a 9-7 win at South Dakota State.
• South Carolina is currently ranked No. 2 in the latest NCEA Rankings.
• The Gamecocks have not lost a home meet since Georgia defeated South Carolina, 11-9, on Oct. 3, 2014.
• Carolina has won 10 of its last 11 regular season meets.
• The Gamecocks have won 8 of their last 10 home meets.
• South Carolina has not lost at home to a Big-12 opponent since Oklahoma State beat the Gamecocks, 10-9, on Jan. 29, 2012.

SCOUTING TEXAS CHRISTIAN
• The Horned Frogs are 1-0 this season after opening up with a 10-9 win at Southern Methodist.
• TCU is currently No. 8 in the latest NCEA Rankings.
• The Horned Frogs have lost seven of their last nine competitions dating back to last season.
• TCU’s last regular season win against an SEC opponent came on Nov. 6, 2010, when the Horned Frogs beat Auburn, 11-7.
• The Horned Frogs’ next three meets are at home.

ONE WOOD FARM RULES
• For the safety of the riders and horses, pets are not allowed at One Wood Farm. This rule does not apply to service animals.
• Noisemakers (spirit sticks, spirit clappers, spirit cowbells, stadium horns, megaphones, speakers, and bullhorns) are prohibited from being used at One Wood Farm.

NCEA RANKINGS – SEPT. 29, 2015
1. Georgia (1-0)
2. South Carolina (1-0)
3. Baylor (0-0)
4. Auburn (1-0)
5. Fresno State (0-0)
6. Oklahoma State (1-0)
7. Texas A&M (0-1)
8. TCU (1-0)
9. New Mexico State (0-0)
10. SMU (0-2)

OUT OF THE GATE
The Gamecocks opened the 2015-16 season with a 9-7 win at South Dakota State on Sept. 25. Led by a 5-0 sweep in equitation on the flat, South Carolina won seven of the last ten points to take the lead and hold off the Jackrabbits for the victory.

FIRST TIMERS
South Carolina had seven riders in its opening day lineup against South Dakota State. Those riders went 5-1-1, including a perfect 4-0 mark by hunt seat riders making their collegiate debuts. Senior Erin Fry (equitation on the flat), junior Amelia Vernon (equitation on the flat), sophomore Raleigh Bacharach, and freshmen Lizzie van der Walde (equitation over fences) and Bridgett White (reining) all won their points in their first competition rides.

Vernon picked up Most Outstanding Player honors in equitation on the flat, the first Gamecock rider to win an M.O.P. in her debut since Kara Guertin (reining) did it against SMU on Jan. 31.

FAR FROM FLAT
Despite having 3-of-5 equitation on the flat riders making their Gamecock debuts last week against South Dakota State, Carolina’s flat team put on a dominating performance, sweeping the Jackrabbits in the event, 5-0. Erin Fry, Samantha Smith, Raleigh Bacharach, Amelia Vernon, and Samantha Kraus all combined to win their flat points, pulling Carolina out of a 5-2 deficit and giving the Gamecocks a lead that they would not relinquish.

DID YOU KNOW?
South Carolina’s last home loss during the month of September came at the hands of TCU. The Gamecocks and Horned Frogs opened up the 2009-10 season on Sept. 20, 2009, and TCU defeated South Carolina, 10-9. The Horned Frogs won 3-of-4 MVPs, with then-Gamecock senior Megan Massaro earning MVP honors in equitation over fences.

OH, CANADA
Gamecock junior Amelia Vernon made the most of her debut for South Carolina last week, winning in her debut and earning M.O.P. honors in equitation on the flat. She is the first Canadian to win a point for the Gamecocks since then-freshman Melia Blakely won her reining point against Baylor on April 15, 2011 in the second round of the national championship. Vernon is also the first Canadian to win a regular season point for South Carolina since Blakely won her reining point against Auburn on Feb. 19, 2011.

NEARING 100
Senior Samantha Smith leads all current Gamecocks in rides (92) and victories (55). She is on pace to become just the third Gamecock rider to compete 100 or more times over a career. The only two Gamecocks that have accomplished that feat are her former teammates Katherine Schmidt (132) Kimberly McCormack (109).

CALIFORNIA GIRLS (WE’RE UNFORGETTABLE)
In the Gamecocks’ 9-7 win at South Dakota State, California natives Erin Fry and Raleigh Bacharach both won their equitation on the flat points, marking the first time South Carolina has had two California riders win points in the same meet.

UP NEXT
The Gamecocks host Auburn next Friday in their final home meet of the fall semester. South Carolina and Auburn will get underway at 2 p.m. in Blythewood.