SIGNEE SPOTLIGHT: Mary Margaret Coats
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina equestrian head coach Boo Major has announced the addition of Mary Margaret Coats as a Reining rider with the Gamecocks as a part of the 2019 signing class.
Background
Coats joins Carolina from Smithfield, N.C., where she is currently a senior at Greenfield School. Coats has three sisters, Lauren, Addison and Avery. So far in high school, Coats has won the Citizenship Award, as well as the Michelangelo Art Award. In addition to riding, Coats also plays varsity volleyball.
Equestrian Accomplishments
Coats trained at Sunny Pines Farms for three years with Josaine Gauthier and is now training with Gilad Susman at her personal farm, Hillcrest. Coats has done a lot with the IEA, including being a Nationals Qualifier for three-straight years in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2016, Coats finished top-20 in the NRHA national rankings. In the same year, she was a top-15 finisher at Congress. Coats was named the Southeastern Reining Youth Year End Champion in 2015, as well as the Virginia Reigning Youth Year End Reserve Champion in 2016. In 2017, Coats was the Level 1 Youth Reserve Champion and the Rookie Youth Champion.
At Carolina
Once at South Carolina, Coats will compete in Reining with associate head coach Ruth Sorrel. Coats intends to major in advertising.
Quotable
Head coach Boo Major
On Mary Margaret Coats joining the program:
“We’re really looking forward to having Mary Margaret join us. We think over the years she has gotten better and better and better. She comes from a horse family so they have really been behind her 100 percent.”
On what Major sees from Coats:
“We think she’s going to be able to add a lot to our program as far as both in the classroom and in the arena. She has a lot of mileage as far as helping with inside the barn and with the girls who may not have as much knowledge as far as horse management is concerned. We’re looking forward to having Mary Margaret become a part of our team next year.”
Mary Margaret Coats
On choosing South Carolina:
“Everything lined up for South Carolina. The school has a great business school, a competitive equestrian team, great teammates and coaches, and is the perfect distance from home.”
