By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference has recognized a University of Tennessee at Martin performer with a Rider of the Week accolade for the 10th time this season as Skyhawk sophomore Emma Schaefer captured that award in horsemanship today.
A New Virginia, Iowa native, Schaefer becomes the seventh different UT Martin individual to win an ECAC weekly award in 2021-22. She is only the second Skyhawk to garner the ECAC Rider of the Week accolade in horsemanship, joining teammate Kate Davis (Oct. 19).
Schaefer had a breakout performance over the weekend for UT Martin as the Skyhawks defeated UC Davis by an 11-8 margin on Feb. 11 before falling 13-7 to No. 1 ranked Oklahoma State on Feb. 12. Competing for the first time since the Sept. 24 season opener against Baylor, she was unfazed as she registered back-to-back MOP honors while averaging a score of 75.3 points.
Against UC Davis, Schaefer posted a career-best 76.5 points, a score that topped all 10 competitors in the event and was 2.5 points better than her head-to-head opponent. The following day against the top-ranked Oklahoma State squad, she came away with 74 points for a two-point margin of victory over her opponent.
Schaefer took over the UT Martin lead in horsemanship MOP’s (two) while also ranking second on the team in scoring average (71.7).
The Skyhawks, ranked No. 9 in today’s NCEA top-10 poll, return to action this Friday, Feb. 18 when they collide against Miami (Ohio) for a road exhibition.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information