Skip to main content
Partner logo
Mobile Icon Link Mobile Icon Link Mobile Icon Link Gamecocks+

March 3, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 9 South Carolina will close out the regular season Friday, when the Gamecocks travel to Delaware to face Delaware State and No. 6 SMU. Friday’s competitions at the Delaware State Fairgrounds will begin at 10 a.m. ET.

“We’re looking forward to competing against two very talented teams tomorrow,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “We faced SMU in the fall so we know how good of a team they are, and Delaware State is always a tough team to beat on the road, so we’ll have our work cut out for us. I think our western team was pretty strong last week at Auburn so we’re hoping to see them build on that performance, and on the hunt seat side – it’s time for us to put together a really strong meet to show what I think that group is capable of.”

SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
– The Gamecocks are 3-8 overall this season.
– South Carolina is currently ranked ninth in the latest NCEA Rankings.
– Friday’s meet marks the Gamecocks’ first doubleheader since last season’s NCEA National Championship.
– Carolina’s horsemanship team has already picked up two 5-0 sweeps this semester.

SCOUTING SMU
– The Mustangs are 5-5 overall this season.
– SMU is currently ranked sixth in the latest NCEA Rankings.
– The Mustangs have won five of their last seven competitions.
– SMU is on a three-meet road winning streak.

SCOUTING DELAWARE STATE
– Delaware State is at home on Friday for the sixth time this season.
– The Hornets are 3-5 overall this season.
– Delaware State has lost three of its last four competitions.
– The Hornets will compete at the United Equestrian Conference (UEC) Championship March 25-26 in Las Cruces, N.M.

LAST TIME OUT
The Gamecocks dropped a 15-5 decision on the road against No. 1 Auburn last Saturday. South Carolina sophomore Paisley Roberts picked up her first reining M.O.P. as she defeated her Tiger opponent, 70.5-69. The horsemanship team won 3-of-5 points over the Tigers, while the reining team added a pair of points.

LAST TIME VS. SMU
The Gamecocks dropped an 11-9 decision on the road to SMU on Nov. 8, 2015. Despite sweeping both hunt seat M.O.P. awards, the Gamecocks dropped 3-of-4 events to the Mustangs. Samantha Kraus (equitation on the flat) and Sydney Smith (equitation over fences) both won M.O.P. honors in the loss.

LAST TIME VS. DELAWARE STATE
South Carolina knocked off Delaware State, 17-2, in the team’s last head-to-head meeting on Feb. 7, 2015. The Gamecocks swept all of four M.O.P. awards while winning their seventh straight meet of the season. The win also marked Carolina’s six straight victory at the UGA Equestrian Complex. Alexa Anthony (equitation on the flat), Samantha Smith (equitation over fences) Abigail Pait (horsemanship), and Cody McMillion (reining) claimed M.O.P. honors for the Gamecocks.

NCEA RANKINGS – March 1, 2016
1. Auburn (8-1)
2. Georgia (9-2)
3. Texas A&M (9-2)
4. Baylor (9-3)
5. Oklahoma State (6-4)
6. SMU (5-5)
7. TCU (4-7)
8. Kansas State (4-5)
9. South Carolina (3-8)
10. Fresno State (3-7)

UP NEXT
The Gamecocks return to a action in three weeks at the 2016 SEC Championship. This year’s conference tournament will be held March 25-26 at the UGA Equestrian Complex in Athens, Ga.