Katherine Schmidt Named AgSouth Athlete of the Week

March 10, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina junior Katherine Schmidt has been named AgSouth Athlete of the Week for the week of March 10, it was announced today. Schmidt went 2-for-2 with one MVP on Saturday as the equestrian team closed out its regular season with a 13-7 win at Tennessee-Martin.

Schmidt won her first point of the day in equitation over fences, posting an event-high score and winning her point, 84-55. She was named MVP, her seventh MVP honor of the year. She finished her 2-for-2 day in the flat ring, again posting an event-high score to defeat her opponent, 88-80.

Schmidt leads the Gamecocks this year with a 21-2-1 record, giving her the most wins on the team for the third year in a row. Her seven MVPs this year and 16 career MVPs are second on the team behind senior Johnna Letchworth, who has nine MVPs this year and is the team’s all-time leader in career MVPs (23).

In equitation over fences, Schmidt posted a perfect 12-0 record this year with five MVPs.

Schmidt is a two-time SEC Rider of the Month and a four-time NCEA Rider of the Month. She was named SEC Rider of the Month in October 2013 and March 2013. She was named NCEA Rider of the Month in October 2013, September 2013, and twice in March 2013, sweeping the conference honor in both equitation on the flat and equitation over fences. Last year, she was named to the SEC All Championship Team and the All-SEC Equestrian Team.

Now that she has been named AgSouth Athlete of the Week, Schmidt is a candidate for AgSouth Female Athlete of the Year, which fans will vote on during the month of April on GamecocksOnline, the official website of the South Carolina Gamecocks. During the 2011-2012 year, Schmidt was voted AgSouth Female Athlete of the Year, after going 25-7 during her freshman year.

South Carolina (11-2 overall, 4-2 SEC) returns to action March 28-29 for the 2014 SEC Championship, hosted by the Gamecocks and the Town of Blythewood. The Championship will take place at One Wood Farm, the home of the Gamecocks, and admission is free all weekend. The Gamecocks will face Texas A&M on March 28, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s championship meet to face the Georgia/Auburn winner.