Katherine Schmidt Named AgSouth Athlete of the Week

April 1, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina junior Katherine Schmidt has been named AgSouth Athlete of the Week for the week of March 31, it was announced today. Schmidt went 4-for-4 with two MVPs as the Gamecocks won the 2014 SEC Equestrian Championship on Saturday. This is Schmidt’s third time being named AgSouth Athlete of the Week.

On Saturday, Schmidt tied and then broke the Gamecocks’ all-time record for career wins by an individual rider. She is now 72-19-1, making her South Carolina’s all-time winningest rider.

In Friday’s 12-7 semifinal win over Texas A&M, Schmidt went 2-for-2 and swept both hunt seat MVPs, her eight and ninth MVP awards of the season. On Saturday, her 2-for-2 day helped lead South Carolina past No. 2 Georgia to win the 2014 SEC Championship.

Schmidt was named to the SEC All-Championship for the second year in a row.

Last week, Schmidt became the first Gamecock equestrian in the history of the program to earn two NCEA First-Team All-America honors in the same season. She was named NCEA First-Team All-American in both equitation over fences and equitation on the flat.

Schmidt is a three-time SEC Rider of the Month and a four-time NCEA Rider of the Month. She was named SEC Rider of the Month in March 2014, 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.

During the 2011-2012 year, Schmidt was voted AgSouth Female Athlete of the Year, after going 25-7 during her freshman year.

Voting for AgSouth Male and Female Athletes of the Year will begin on Tuesday and run through the end of the week.