By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
WACO, Texas – A pair of University of Tennessee at Martin standouts were rewarded for spectacular seasons this afternoon as senior Kelby Kane and junior Julia Gilman captured National Collegiate Equestrian Association Ariat All-American accolades.
The talented duo becomes just the 12th and 13th different Skyhawks to nab an All-American nod. Kane was one of five members of the All-American fences first team, joining TCU’s Isabella Baxter, Auburn’s Emma Kurtz, Auburn’s Ava Stearns and Oklahoma State’s Sydnie Ziegler. Meanwhile, Gilman was named an All-American flat honorable mention performer alongside Sweet Briar’s Katherine Atherton, Oklahoma State’s Abigail Brayman, Sweet Briar’s Kacie Freeburg, Oklahoma State’s Katie Pelzel, Auburn’s Helen Ulrich and South Dakota State’s Julia Werkhoven.
Kane is only the third UT Martin rider to ever garner All-American first team accolades – joining Noel Meadows (2019 reining) and Hannah McDonald (2021 reining). She is additionally the third Skyhawk representative to receive an All-American title in fences (alongside Kara Bergenty in 2012 and Abbie Hopkins in 2018).
Today’s news caps off an impressive recent run of awards for Kane, who has claimed Eastern College Athletic Conference Fences Rider of the Year and ECAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors in the last eight days. The Lexington, Ky. native ranked atop the UT Martin squad in wins (13), MOP’s (four) and regular season scoring average (82.1) in fences, winning the ECAC Fences Rider of the Week accolade on four separate occasions. She began the season with nine consecutive victories while posting MOP efforts against Delaware State (Oct. 1), SMU (Oct. 2), Lynchburg (Nov. 13) and Minnesota-Crookston (March 12).
Gilman becomes the eighth Skyhawk to accumulate All-American honorable mention billing and the ninth UT Martin honoree to be spotlighted as one of the nation’s best flat riders.
Hailing from Barrington, Ill., Gilman registered team-highs of nine victories and a 78.8 regular season scoring average in flat. She also tacked on three MOP performances, accomplishing that feat against ECAC rivals Delaware State (Oct. 1), SMU (Oct. 2) and UC Davis (Feb. 11). She was victorious in five straight decisions to close out the fall semester, a span that lasted from Oct. 1 through Jan. 26. For her efforts, she was recognized as ECAC Flat Rider of the Week twice during the 2021-22 campaign.
The top five riders per event were selected and named first team All-Americans by the NCEA selection committee. The next five riders per event earned second team honors while honorable mention honorees were selected via the following criteria: must have 67 percent or higher winning percentage, excluding ties; compete in a minimum of 67 percent of their team’s NCEA qualifying regular season meets; have at least an adjusted NRS score of 85 for flat, 90 for fences, 80 for horsemanship or 75 for reining.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information