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Feb. 6, 2012

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COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina junior Kimberly McCormack has been invited to participate in the third annual Collegiate Equitation Challenge at the Winter Equestrian Festival this weekend in Wellington, Fla. The Collegiate Equitation Challenge will take place on Friday in the International Arena of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

“This is a great opportunity for Kimmy to go out and compete on the national stage,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “Kimmy has had a strong season both on the Flat and Over Fences for us, and WEF is one of the top tier events so I know she’s excited about it.”

The tournament will be run in the NCEA head to head, bracketed format with sixteen top collegiate riders from all over the country. Riders will compete over an equitation course with heights up to 3’6″. Competition will start at 2 pm with all sixteen riders in the Preliminary Round. The eight winners will qualify for the finals in the evening, and the remaining eight will compete in a consolation bracket immediately following the Preliminary Round. The horses will be on loan from local professionals and unfamiliar to the riders. The winner of the Consolation Bracket will receive a trophy donated by Pierre and Martha Jolicoeur and the Champion will be presented a trophy sponsored by the South Florida Hunter Jumper Association. The competition will also expand this year to include a four rider equitation on the flat tournament that will be run during the finals.

McCormack has been a critical piece to the Gamecocks’ success in Hunt Seat action this season. The Hunt Seat team is currently 6-2, thanks in part to strong performances by both the Flat and Over Fences teams.

McCormack currently leads the team with a 12-3 overall record with two MVP’s. She is 6-1 in Equitation on the Flat and and 6-2 in Equitation Over Fenes. She is coming off an impressive 2-for-2 showing at No. 2 Georgia on Saturday, winning both of her rides in Hunt Seat action. Shepicked up a 74-72 win over her Bulldog opponent in Equitation Over Fences, and then completed her perfect day by by earning a 74-69 win in Equitation on the Flat.

Last year, Gamecock fans overwhelmingly voted McCormack as the AgSouth Female Athlete of the Year.

As a freshman and sophomore, McCormack has led the equestrian team in wins. As a sophomore last season, she picked up 17 wins while claiming seven MVP’s. During her freshman campaign, she posted 15 wins while winning three MVP’s, and was named the Hunter Seat MVP at the National Championships.

McCormack’s Statistics
2011-2012: 12-3 overall record with two MVP awards… 6-1 in Equitation on the Flat… 6-2 in Equitation Over Fences… In the season opener against Fresno State on Sept. 23, she went 2-0 in Hunt Seat action, picking up a 85-67 win in Equitation on the Flat and a 79-77 win in Equitation Over Fences, while earning her first MVP of the season on the Flat. Improved to 4-0 a week later, as she went 2-0 again, sweeping both of her TCU opponents. Went 2-for-2 for the third straight time of the season on Oct. 8 at Auburn, improving her record to 6-0. She won a 79-73 decision in Flat action, and cruised to an 80-78 victory Over Fences… Went 1-for-2 at SMU on Oct. 28, defeating her Mustang opponent, 65-61 in Equitation on the Flat, as her seven-point winning streak came to an end… On Oct. 29 at New Mexico State, she earned a 78-77 win in Equitation Over Fences… picked up her second MVP of the year on Nov. 4 against Georgia in a 85-73 win in Equitation on the Flat… Finished the fall semester with a 9-2 overall record while going 5-0 on the Flat… went 1-for-2 against Oklahoma State on Jan. 29, defeating her Cowgirl opponent 80-78 in Equitation Over Fences… Went 2-for-2 as the Hunt Seat team beat No. 2 Georgia on Feb. 4 at the UGA Equestrian Complex, winning her rides in Equitation Over Fences and Equitation on the Flat.

2010-2011 AgSouth Female Athlete of the Year… 17-13-2 regular-season and post-season combined record… 4-6 regular-season record in Equitation on the Flat… 5-7-1 regular-season record in Equitation Over Fences… 3-0-1 post-season record… 1-0-1 post-season record in Equitation on the Flat… 2-0 post-season record in Equitation Over Fences… Seven MVP awards (6 during the regular-season, 1 during the post-season at the 2011 Southern Equestrian Championships)… Started off the season with two wins against SMU in the season opener on 9/24… Won both Hunter Seat MVP awards on 9/24 against SMU with a 91-80 win in Equitation on the Flat and a 84-77 win in Equitation Over Fences… defeated her South Dakota State opponent 84-69.5 in Equitation Over Fences on 9/25… Named AgSouth Athlete of the Week on 9/27… Defeated her Auburn opponent 85-79 on 10/1 while winning her third MVP of the season… Lost her ride 95-94 at No. 1 Texas A&M on 1/28, but was named MVP for the fourth time of the season… at Baylor on 1/30, beat her opponent 88-80 and won her fifth MVP of the season… Selected to compete at the Second Annual WEF Collegiate Equitation Challenge at the Winter Equitation Festival… won 76-65 at Auburn on 2/19… went 2-0 against No. 5 TCU on 2/26 at the Best of the West Tournament, picking up a 70-67 win in Equitation, and then a 79-78 MVP win in Equitation Over Fences… went 1-for-2 against Baylor on Day 2 of the Best of the West Tournament on 2/27, picking up a 72-40 win against Baylor… closed out the regular season on 3/19 riding her New Mexico State opponent to a 78-78 tie in Equitation Over Fences… member of the S.E.C. team… went 2-for-2 at the 2011 Southern Equestrian Championships on 3/25 against Georgia, starting with a 159-142 win in Equitation on the Flat, also earning MVP on the Flat, followed by a 165-118 win in Equitation Over Fences… Member of the VENC team… Defeated her Delaware State opponent in Equitation Over Fences in the opening round 4/14… Against Baylor the next day, she defeated her opponent, 167-151… Went 2-for-2 against Tennessee-Martin on 4/15, winning her rides in Equitation on the Flat and Equitation Over Fences… Went 2-for-2 again the following day, sweeping Texas A&M in both Hunt Seat events in the fifth-place competition… Second-year letter winner… SEC Academic Honor Roll… Fall 2010 President’s List.

2009-2010: Competed in Equitation and Equitation Over Fences… 15 total wins… one regular season MVP award in Equitation on the Flat… two regular season MVP’s in Equitation Over Fences… Member of the Southern Equestrian Championships competition team… Member of the Varsity Equestrian National Championships competition team… 4-0 record at VENC’s… Named Varsity Equestrian National Championships Hunter Seat MVP, the highest individual honor a rider can receive.