EQUESTRIAN: Georgia’s Meghan Boenig Named SEC Coach of the Year, Riders Earn All-SEC Honors

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EQUESTRIAN: Georgia’s Meghan Boenig Named SEC Coach of the Year, Riders Earn All-SEC Honors

Georgia head coach Meghan Boenig talks with her team during the Bulldogs’ competition with Fresno State at the UGA Equestrian Complex in Bishop, Ga. on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. (Photo/David Barnes)
Georgia head coach Meghan Boenig talks with her team during the Bulldogs’ competition with Fresno State at the UGA Equestrian Complex in Bishop, Ga. on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. (Photo/David Barnes)

 
 
The University of Georgia equestrian team raked in SEC awards and honors for their performance this season with 11 riders earning All-SEC and Head Coach Meghan Boenig being named SEC Coach of the Year. Five Bulldog riders earned Rider of the Year honors, including SEC Freshman of the Year, and Georgia also had nine riders named to ALL-SEC teams, including five named to the All-Freshman Team. In addition, one rider was named to the SEC Community Service Team for her outstanding work.
 
 
Boenig was named the SEC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. She led the Bulldogs to a 10-2 regular season record and a second place finish at the SEC Championship. The Bulldogs earned a No. 2 seed for the NCEA National Championship taking place this week in Waco, Texas. Under Boenig’s direction, Georgia is the six-time overall NCEA National Champion.
 
 
Bailey Anderson (Horsemanship), Liza Finsness (Equitation on the Flat), Lauren Garmon (Reining), and Meg O’Mara (Equitation Over Fences) were named the SEC Riders of the Year. Anderson shares the award with Griffin Knight, while Finsness shares the award with Elizabeth Benson, both from Auburn. Graysen Stroud (Reining) was named the SEC Freshman Rider of the Year.
 
 
Anderson rode to an 11-3 record and earned 3 MOPs this season. She rode to a season-high score of 76.5 against both Texas A&M and South Carolina. Anderson was named SEC and NCEA Rider of the Month in February and earned NCEA First Team All-American honors.
 
 
Finsness compiled an 11-3 record in Equitation on the Flat with four MOPs, including two wins and an MOP during the SEC Championship. She posted a career-high score of 92 at home against South Carolina. Finsness was named as an NCEA Second Team All-American for Equitation on the Flat. For the third year in a row, Finsness earned a spot on the All-SEC Team in both Equitation on the Flat and Equitation Over Fences.
 
 
Garmon rode to a 10-2 record, picking up two additional wins at the SEC Championship, and earned one MOP. She rode to a season-high score of 74 against Texas A&M and was named SEC Rider of the Month in November. She also earned NCEA Second Team All-American Honors.
 
 
O’Mara finished the season with 9-5 record in Equitation Over Fences and earned five MOP honors, including two wins and one MOP during the SEC Championship. She rode to career-high score of 93 on the road against South Carolina. She earned the highest score of all competitors throughout the SEC Championship with a 177. She was named NCEA All-American Honorable Mention.
 
 
Stroud compiled a 7-4 record and earned one MOP honor for the year. She rode to a career-high 72 against South Carolina.
 
 
Seven Georgia riders earned All-SEC Team accolades including O’Mara (Equitation Over Fences, Equitation on the Flat), Finsness (Equitation Over Fences, Equitation on the Flat), Addy Cord (Equitation Over Fences), Anderson (Horsemanship), Heather Schmidt (Horsemanship), Kyndall Harper (Reining), and Garmon (Reining).
 
 
Madison Newman (Equitation Over Fences, Equitation on the Flat), Madison Anger (Horsemanship), and Stroud (Horsemanship, Reining) were each named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
 
 
Olivia Gaude was named to the Community Service Team.
 
 
Georgia will compete for the program’s seventh national title this week in Waco, Texas. The Bulldogs received a first round bye and will take on the winner of No. 7 South Carolina/No. 10 SMU at 8:30 a.m. CT on Friday, April 15. The national semifinals and championship final will take place Saturday.
 
 


 
 
 
 

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