HARRINGTON, Del. —  No. 9 UC Davis equestrian has claimed the 2026 ECAC Championship title, defeating South Dakota State in the Championship Final on Saturday afternoon at the Delaware State Fairgrounds.

The victory caps off a perfect conference season for the Aggies, who went undefeated through the regular season before sweeping their way to the title. This marks the third ECAC Championship in program history and serves as the definitive exclamation point on a historic run where UC Davis won every single conference meet of the season to cement their status as the premier program in the league.

The Aggies jumped out to an early lead in Fences, securing the discipline 3-2. Sabine Close put Davis on the board first with a 75 aboard Cici, followed by Lauren Kolbe who delivered a 78.5 on Gino to take her point. Anna Donovan anchored the event with a massive 89—the highest score of the discipline—aboard Cooper to defeat her opponent by 23.5 points and clinch the third point for the Aggies. 

In Flat, the Aggies fought to a 2-2 draw to maintain their advantage. Carmen Gonzalez delivered a standout performance, scoring a 78 aboard Choco to defeat her opponent by 16 points. Anna Donovan continued her stellar championship weekend by posting an 80 on Sandaro to claim the second Aggie point of the event. 

The momentum stayed with UC Davis as the meet moved to the Western side, starting with a dominant 4-1 statement win in Horsemanship. Eliza Plum set the tone with a 75 on Wilson, while Katya Dundas secured a 73.75 on Maverick. Laura Kate Holliday rode a 74.25 on Felon to take her point, and Kylie Jacobson sealed the event victory with a 75 aboard Ellie Mae.

UC Davis officially clinched the championship in Reining, battling the Jackrabbits to a 2-2 draw to maintain their overall lead. Avery Adamson earned a crucial point for the Aggies with a 61.5 aboard Julip, while Mya Clader delivered under pressure on Tully, posting a 65.5 to secure the final point needed to seal the title. Ada Hirschfeld added to the gritty team effort by fighting to a 66.25-66.25 tie on Waldo. With the final 10-9 victory, the Aggies finish the 2026 conference slate undefeated and officially bring the ECAC trophy back to Davis.

ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: 
UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27. 

For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.