April 14, 2010

DALLAS (SMU) - For the sixth time in school history and second year in a row, the SMU Equestrian team will head to Waco for the Varsity Equestrian National Championships. The team will open for the second straight year as the No. 11 seed and face No. 6 seed Oklahoma State, Thursday at 8:30 a.m., at the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo Complex.

Last year the Mustangs fell in the first round to the Cowgirls 6-2. In October the two teams met in Stillwater, with Oklahoma State winning 7-3. Lindsay Strafuss, Lauren Lieberman and Claire Wenholz all earned victories for the visitors, in the hard fought contest.

Scheduled to compete for SMU in the equitation over fences are Jordyn Pettersen, Mallory Olson, Kristen Collins and Marissa Djernes. In the flat will be Collins, Wenholz, Maia Van Dyke and Danielle Gersh.

The berth to the national championships is the sixth in school history. The No. 11 seeding ties the team for the best start in the event, matching the 2009 and 2006 squads. The winner of Thursday's contest will advance to face South Carolina in the second round of the tournament.