The National Collegiate Equestrian Association announced its 2015-16 All-America Teams, as determined by the NCEA Selection Committee, and eight UGA equestrian team riders were named as NCEA All-Americans. The Bulldogs earned one NCEA First Team spot, four spots on the Second Team, and three riders were named as Honorable Mentions.
Sophomore Bailey Anderson was named to First Team All-America in Horsemanship. The Fort Worth, Texas native compiled an impressive 10-2 record this season with three MOP awards, which is the most in the SEC. Anderson was named SEC and NCEA Rider of the Month in February after going 4-0 and earning two MOP honors throughout the month. She had the second highest number of wins in the Southeastern Conference of all competitions during the regular season with 10.
Addyson Cord earned NCEA Second Team All-America honors in Equitation Over Fences. Cord rode to a 9-2 record on the season with two MOP performances and leads the team in wins in Equitation Over Fences. The Loomis, California native scored her season-high of 88 against SEC opponent Texas A&M to start the season. Cord also has the second most individual victories of any SEC rider of all regular season conference competitions with five.
Liza Finsness was also named as a Second Team All-American in Equitation on the Flat. The Wellington, Florida native rode to a 9-3 record, earning MOP three times. Finsness earned the SEC Rider of the Month award for November. She had the second highest number of wins in the Southeastern Conference of all competitions during the regular season with nine. She went 2-0 at the SEC Championship and earned another MOP honor.
Heather Schmidt was named a Second Team All-American in Horsemanship. The senior from Bettendorf, Iowa went 7-4 on the season and earned one MOP honor. Schmidt scored a season-high of 76 first versus Delaware State and then again against SEC opponent South Carolina. Schmidt came just behind Anderson in number of wins in the Southeastern Conference of all competitions during the regular season with eight.
Senior Lauren Garmon rounds out the Georgia NCEA Second Team All-Americans, earning the spot in Reining. The Duluth, Georgia native posted a 10-2 record this season with one MOP performance. She put up 12 individual victories, including two in the postseason, which is the most in the SEC of all competitions. Garmon posted a season-high and MOP-earning score of 74 against Texas A&M in the season opener.
Rounding out the All-America list for the Bulldogs were Meg O’Mara, Rachel Kolb, and Kyndall Harper as Honorable Mentions. O’Mara earned the honors for her 8-4 performance in Equitation Over Fences during the regular season. O’Mara picked up four MOPs with a season-best score of 93 against South Carolina. She also tied for the most MOP honors of any SEC rider with four, which excludes her MOP-earning performance in the SEC Semifinals against Texas A&M. Kolb made the list in Horsemanship after riding to an 8-4 record including two MOPs. Harper was honored for a 9-3 regular season record and two MOP awards in Reining.
The Georgia NCEA All-Americans and the rest of the equestrian team will compete at the NCEA National Championship April 14-16 in Waco, Texas.