Layla Choate

2014-2015: 12-3 record in reining with three MVPs… In the season opener at Kansas State on Sept. 19, she defeated her Wildcat opponent, 70-59.5… In the Gamecocks’ SEC opener vs. No. 1 Georgia on Oct. 3, she posted a team-high score, defeating her Bulldog opponent, 72.5-66.5… In the 10-9 upset win at No. 3 Auburn on Oct. 10, she improved to 3-0 on the season with a 69-67 win over her Tiger opponent… Improved to 4-0 on Oct. 31 in Carolina’s win over Texas A&M, winning her point, 72.5-70.5… Won her fifth straight point of the season and her first MVP of the year on Nov. 7 in South Carolina’s win at Fresno State as she knocked off her opponent, 72.5-68… Closed out the fall semester by improving to 6-0 with a 71.5-70 win at No. 8 Oklahoma State on Nov. 21… Won her seventh straight point of the season in the Gamecocks’ win at No. 5 Georgia on Feb. 7 while earning her second MVP of the year with her 71-69.5 victory… Picked up a 68.5-67 win over No. 4 Auburn on Senior Day… In the regular season finale win over No. 3 Baylor, she defeated her opponent, 70-68.5… Competed at the SEC Championship… Was the only Gamecock to earn an MVP at the 2015 SEC Championship, earning the honor in the semifinal round against Texas A&M with a 143-140.5 win over her Aggie opponent… Competed at the NCEA National Championship… In the semifinal win over No. 2 Baylor, she cruised to a 140.5-137 win over her opponent… In the national championship meet against No. 1 Georgia, she beat her Bulldog opponent, 137.5-135.5.

2013-2014: Led the reining team with a 13-4-1 record with two MVPs… Opened the season with 71-68.5 victory over No. 5 Kansas State on Sept. 20, while also winning her first MVP of the year… Improved to 2-0 on Sept. 27 with a 71-69.5 victory against Fresno State… Improved to 3-0 on Oct. 4 in the first road meet of the season when she defeated her Delaware State opponent, 68.5-67… Won her fourth straight point of the season on Oct. 5, with a 70-64 victory over SMU in a neutral site meet in Dover, Del… Won her team-leading fifth reining point of the season on Oct. 25 at No. 9 Texas A&M, defeating her Aggie opponent, 71.5-70… In the 12-6 win at No. 2 Auburn on Nov. 9, she knocked off her Tiger opponent, 71.5-71… In the fall finale at South Dakota State on Nov. 23, she won her second MVP of the season with a 72.5-70 win, giving her a team-leading seven reining wins during the fall… Opened the spring with a 68-66.5 win at New Mexico State on Feb. 1… Held her Texas A&M opponent to a 66-66 tie on Feb. 22… In the regular season finale at UT-Martin on March 8, she picked up a 68.5-64.5 win over her Skyhawk opponent… In the SEC semifinal victory over Texas A&M on March 28, she cruised to a 137-134.5 win… Went undefeated with a 3-0 record at the NCEA National Championship in Waco, Texas… Picked up a 142.5-141 win over TCU in the quarterfinals… Earned a 143.5-141.5 win over Auburn in the semifinals… In the national championship meet against Georgia, she defeated her Bulldog opponent, 139-135.5… Third-year letter winner… Voted “Reining MVP” at the team banquet.

2012-2013: 8-4-4 overall record in Reining with one MVP… 6-3-2 regular season record in Reining with one MVP… 2-1-2 postseason record… Started the season with a 73.5-71.5 victory over No. 4 Oklahoma State on Sept. 29… Improved to 2-0 on Oct. 4 with a 71.5-71 victory over No. 3 Auburn… Improved to 3-0 on Nov. 2 in the upset win at No. 1 Georgia, as she defeated her Bulldog opponent, 68.5-63… Closed out the fall with a 70-70 tie at No. 8 Baylor on Nov. 17… Began the spring semester with a 70-70 tie against her Georgia opponent on Feb. 2… Picked up her fourth point of the season on Feb. 14 at No. 2 Auburn, as she defeated her Tiger opponent, 67.5-61… Won her fifth point of the season on March 1, as she picked up a 70-69 victory over Delaware State in the home finale… Earned her sixth point and first MVP of the season on March 8 at No. 8 Kansas State, where she defeated her Wildcat opponent, 75.5-74.5… Competed at the inaugral SEC Championship, going 1-0-1… In the opening round meet vs. No. 1 Georgia, she held her Bulldog opponent to a 140-140 tie… In the SEC Championship meet vs. No. 2 Auburn, she picked up a 139.5-135 win… Competed at NCEA Nationals, going 1-1-1… In the opening round vs. New Mexico State on April 18, she held her opponent to a 138.5-138.5 tie… In the quarterfinals vs. TCU on April 19, she picked up a 138-133 victory over her Horned Frog opponent… NCEA Academic Honorable Mention… NCEA Academic Honor Roll… Fall 2012 Athletic Director’s Honor Roll… Voted Reining MVP at the team banquet… Second-year letter winner.

2011-2012: 9-6-1 record with three MVP’s (two regular season, one postseason)… 5-5 regular season record in Reining with two MVP’s… 4-1-1 postseason record with one MVP… began her career as a Gamecock with her first win and first MVP ever as she defeated her Fresno State opponent, 74-71 on Sept. 23… Improved to 2-0 a week later when she defeated her TCU opponent, 73-65.5 on Sept. 30… Won the NRHA Youth (14-18) Reining Championship at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio on Oct. 8, joining Alison Bradley (2005 – Horsemanship) as the only other Gamecock to win a championship at Congress… Defeated her opponent 69-62.5 at No. 10 UT-Martin as part of a 4-1 win for the Reining team… Won her second MVP of the season on Feb. 25 as she defeated her opponent, 71-69, in 12-6 upset over No. 1 Auburn… Closed out the regular season with a win at Delaware State on March 16… Competed at the Southern Equestrian Championships, going 2-0… In the opening round victory over Auburn on March 30, she picked up a 143-137.5 victory over her opponent while being named MVP… In the Southern Equestrian Championship meet on March 31, she won her point, 141.5-138 as the Gamecocks upset No. 1 Georgia… Competed at Nationals, going 2-1-1… Went 2-for-2 on Day-1 at Nationals on April 12, as she picked up wins over Tennessee-Martin and Auburn… Held her Texas A&M opponent to a tie on April 13… First-year letter winner.

High School: 2011 – Dixi National Youth and Intermediate Non-Pro Champion… 2010 – USEF Reining National Champion… NRHA Youth Year End Top-5 (3rd). Held a 3.9 GPA during her career at Calloway County High School.