Nine Tigers Combine for 10 NCEA All-America Honors
AUBURN, Ala. (auburntigers.com) – Nine student-athletes on the No. 1 Auburn equestrian team totaled 10 NCEA All-America honors, the NCEA selection committee announced Thursday.
The 10 All-America selections tied for the most by any program since the honors began in 2011. It is also the most by any Auburn team.
“The amount of All-Americans is a real testament to this team’s No. 1 ranking,” head coach Greg Williams said. “The coaching staff is very proud of these student-athletes and what they have accomplished so far.”
Senior Elizabeth Benson was named a first team All-American in both Equitation over Fences and on the Flat. The Fences honor is the third first-team selection of her career, while the first-team placement on Flat is the first for the Whitehouse Station, N.J., product. She earned second team honors on Flat last season. Benson leads the team with a program-best 14 wins on Flat this year and also has 11 wins over Fences for the Tigers this season.
Joining Benson on the Fences first team is freshman Caitlin Boyle. The Hampshire, Ill., native has a team-leading 13 wins this season in the event and was named to the SEC All-Championship team for her performance in Fences over the two-day meet. Classmates Ashton Alexander and Hayley Iannotti were each placed on the Fences second team.
Junior Ashley Foster earned her first All-America honor on the Flat as the Brookeville, Md., product was selected to the second team. She is second on the team with 12 wins in the event. Junior Tory Hoft picked up her first NCEA honor, being named All-America Honorable Mention on Flat.
On the Western side, seniors Griffin Knight and Hannah Loseke were honored for their efforts in Horsemanship. Knight, of Madisonville, Texas, earned a first team selection for the first time in her career. She set an Auburn single season record after recording 12 wins in the event this season so far. Loseke was named to the honorable mention team, earning the first All-America honor of her career.
Sophomore Alexa Rivard was placed on the second team for her performances this year in Reining. The honor is also the first of her career as the Suwanee, Ga., product has a team-best 10 wins this year.
Auburn heads to the NCEA National Championship as the top seed and will begin competition April 15 in Waco, Texas. The 2016 SEC champions will take on the winner of No. 8 Kansas State/No. 9 Delaware State at 8:30 a.m. CT. The national semifinals and championship final will take place Saturday, April 16, beginning at 2 p.m. CT.
