June 24, 2008

BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – The South Carolina equestrian team, one of the elite programs in the nation on and off the field with two overall national championships, has placed 18 members on the SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll, as announced by Commissioner Mike Slive. The 2008 SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll is based on grades from the 2007 Summer, 2007 Fall and 2008 Spring terms.

Equestrian athletes on the honor roll are Carly Babcock (Sophomore/Business), Amy Biffle (Sophomore/Biology), Katy Biffle (Senior/Political Science), Emily Bookwalter (Sophomore/Business), Allison Bradley (Senior/Marketing), Stacy Cell (Junior/Marine Science), Michelle Grah (Senior/Marketing), Alex Haskell (Sophomore/Business), Eleanor Kunsman (Sophomore/Economics), Megan Massaro (Sophomore/Business), Courtney Reese (Junior/Psychology), Ashley Rohde (Senior/Real Estate), Rebekah Roof (Junior/Business), Rachel Stas (Sophomore/Advertising), Katie Stenberg (Sophomore/Business), Sarah Stephens (Junior/Advertising), Kristen Terebesi (Senior/Advertising) and Lindsay Williams (Senior/Retail Management).

In the five years since equestrian has been included in the SEC Spring Sports Honor Roll listings, Coach Boo Duncan has placed 76 student-athletes on the list, averaging 15.2 selections per year. The University of South Carolina topped the conference with 105 student-athletes on the spring academic honor roll, followed by Georgia with 96 honored. To be eligible, each student-athlete must 1) have a GPA of 3.00 for either the academic year or cumulative; 2) be on scholarship, a letter winner or have participated on a varsity team for two years if non-scholarship; 3) have completed 24 semester hours (freshmen not eligible); and 4) have been a member of the varsity team for the entire NCAA Championship segment.

South Carolina continued its strong performance in competition during the 2007-08 season, highlighted by senior Kristen Terebesi winning individual national championships in equitation on the flat and equitation over fences to become the first individual to win more than one individual championship in the same season. In the four seasons since the current varsity format was established, the Gamecocks have advanced to the Varsity Equestrian National Championships each year and won the overall title in 2005 and 2007. In addition, the Hunter Seat team won the national championship each year from 2005-07, the only program with such a streak.

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