Final Score: (2) UC Davis 13, (1) UT Martin 7
Location: Murieta Equestrian Center - Rancho Murieta, Calif.

RANCHO MURIETA, Calif. — The UC Davis equestrian team successfully defended the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference title, defeating top seed UT Martin, 13-7, in the Championship meet on Wednesday. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Marin Gilliland scored the first point of the ECAC Championship with a score of 77 on Calvigo in Flat. UT Martin followed up with the next two points, scoring on Cappo and Calypso. Maggie Franke picked up the MOP with a score of 75.5 on Casper, beating her opponent by 23 points. The Skyhawks finished flat out in front 3-2, earning the final point with a score of 67.5.

In Horsemanship, Maddie Gregory got the Aggies started with a score of 75 on Trey, tying the meet at 3-3. UC Davis soon retook the advantage, winning the next three points behind strong performances from MOP Natasha Replogle, Marcella Bee and Jordan Schween.

UC Davis expanded their 6-4 lead in Fences competition with head-to-head wins by Jessie Rechs, Lauren Kolbe and Carly Sweeney, who scored an Aggie best 84.5.

Lauren Langbaum and Nicole Shroyer scored the clinching tenth and eleventh points in Reining. Langbaum registered a 71.5 and Shroyer a 70.5. With the ECAC title in control, the Aggies added two more points to their total with strong rides from Amber Nusser and Kendal Scheiner. 

NOTABLE
Eight Aggies were named to the ECAC Championship All-Tournament team. Schween headlined the All-Horsemanship team as the tournament Horsemanship MOP. Schween went 2-0 in her rides, earning the MOP against Delaware State. Replogle, Gregory and Bee were also named to the Horsemanship team. 

Rechs, Sweeney and Kolbe were all named to the ECAC Championship All-Tournament Fences team, while Langbaum was named to the Reining team. 

Nancy Renfro, the UC Davis Horsemanship coach, was named the ECAC Assistant Coach of the Year for her outstanding work with the Aggie Horsemanship team.

Nusser received the ECAC Scholar-Athlete award, capping off a stellar career in the classroom and the arena. 

UP NEXT
The Aggies will await a first ever invitation to the NCEA Equestrian National Championship in Ocala, Florida. The tournament, which is set to begin on April 18, will include only the top eight teams in the nation. The Aggies defeated No. 8 UT Martin today.

ALL-TOURNAMENT AWARDS
Tournament All-Fences Team
Sydney Hott - UT Martin - Tournament MOP
Jessie Rechs - UC Davis
Carly Sweeney - UC Davis
Lauren Kolbe - UC Davis
Sophia Kregoski - South Dakota State

Tournament All-Flat Team
Cali Karbler - South Dakota State - Tournament MOP
Sophia Sundem - UT Martin
Olivia Brown - Delaware State
Hannah Steele - South Dakota State
Kate Koehl - South Dakota State

Tournament All-Horsemanship Team
Jordan Schween - UC Davis - Tournament MOP
Emma Schaefer - UT Martin
Natasha Replogle - UC Davis
Maddie Gregory - UC Davis
Marcella Bee - UC Davis

Tournament All-Reining Team
Shelby Cochran - South Dakota State - Tournament MOP
Paige Butterfield - South Dakota State
Claire Andrews - Delaware State
Lauren Langbaum - UC Davis
Annastasia Brugger - Delaware State

ECAC Coach of the Year
Kim Leiter - UT Martin

ECAC Assistant Coach of the Year
Nancy Renfro - UC Davis

ECAC Scholar Athlete of the Year
Amber Nusser - UC Davis