Seven Carolina Freshmen Named to SEC Postseason Teams
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The South Carolina equestrian team has seven different freshmen honored on postseason teams as announced by the league off on Friday afternoon.
Grady Lyman picked up three honors on the day, first being named to the All-SEC Equitation on the Flat Team. She also earned spots on the All-Freshman Equitation on the Flat and Equitation Over Fences teams.
This season, Lyman has tallied a 5-3 record on the flat, also earning two MOPs. Lyman began her season by winning five-straight rides including an exhibition competition; her first two rides of the season also served as her MOP winning rides.
In Equitation Over Fences, Lyman is at 6-3 with four MOPs. Lyman opened her collegiate career as a Gamecock with three-straight fences victories. At the SEC Championship, Lyman was named the MOP in Carolina’s meet against Georgia after downing Ali Tritschler by 111 points, 261-150.
Mackenzie Suffy and Trinity Hammerschmidt were also named to the All-Freshman Equitation on the Flat team.
Suffy went undefeated on the season, tallying a pair of wins in both of her starting rides. She earned an eight-point victory over Sweet Briar’s Charlotte Hadley, 76-68. Against No. 10 Fresno State on the road, Suffy notched her second win of the season, topping Brooke Nelson, 72-69.
For Carolina, Hammerschmidt went 2-9 with one MOP. Her first win of the season came against No. 2 Georgia’s Stella Martin, 76-71. Her high-scoring ride also earned Hammerschmidt MOP honors. Her second victory came in a 23-point win over Sweet Briar’s Maggie Fraley, 79-56. Hammerschmidt also earned a 20-point victory in an exhibition meet against Liberty, 61-41, opposite of Morgan Faber.
Seeing their names on the All-Freshman Equitation Over Fences team, Hammerschmidt and Caroline Bald joined Lyman on the list.
Hammerschmidt went 2-3 over fences this season. She won her first ride in the team’s first meet of the year, topping No. 6 SMU’s Vivian Yowan, 85-84. Taking her second victory of the season, Hammerschmidt downed Charlotte Hadley, 78-72, at Sweet Briar. She also tallied a win in an exhibition meet with Lynchburg, taking her point, 67-64, over Cameron Sabolovic.
This season, Bald went 1-2 over fences for the Gamecocks. Bald won her only point of the year against No. 6 TCU’s Raegan Rast, 84-82, to open the spring season. Bald also earned a victory in South Carolina’s exhibition meet with a 37-point win over Liberty’s Morgan Faber, 82-45.
Carolina had three student-athletes named to the All-Freshman Horsemanship team in Sloane Vogt, Mackenzie Matthews and Alexa Thorpe.
Toward the second half of the season, Vogt became a staple in South Carolina’s starting lineup. She went 2-5 on the season. Vogt took her first point of the year in a road win against UT Martins’ Devon Woods, 73.5-73. Closing out the season with a victory, Vogt topped Shelbe Jarrett, 74.5-74, of Delaware State. Vogt also earned a win in an exhibition meet with Liberty, edging out Megan Brandt, 64.5-64.
Matthews amassed a record of 1-5-1 in Horsemanship for the Gamecocks. Matthews’ one win of the season came on the road at No. 2 Texas A&M when she downed Sarah Orsak, 76-75.5. Matthews also took a point in an exhibition meet with Ohio State, topping Jillian Channell, 70-66.
Thorpe had some close rides this season, ending with a mark of 0-8. She fell by just a half of a point to No. 1 Auburn’s Deanna Green, 69.5-69. Thorpe did earn a win in the Ohio State exhibition meet, taking her point against Marissa Schneider, 70.5-69.5.
Continue to check back with gamecocksonline.com for more updates or follow the team on social media (@GamecockEQ).
