May 6, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M equestrian team wrapped up a successful 2009-2010 season with its annual team banquet over the weekend at Kyle Field.
Caroline Gunn (Greensburg, Ind.) headlined the list of most valuable rider winners as the top rider in horsemanship. The senior set a school record with a 21-1 mark en route to her third consecutive individual national title in the discipline. Gunn recorded five MVP honors on the year and helped the Aggie western riders to their second straight team title last month at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships. She was also named A&M's first winner of the western MVP award at the VENC show.
Senior Maggie Gratny (Leavenworth, Kan.) took the honors in reining, posting a discipline-best 17-4-1 record and grabbing a team-best six MVP honors. She claimed the school's first individual national title in reining last month and was a big part of the western team's second straight championship.
Sophomore Maggie Earle (Fallbrook, Calif.) claimed most valuable rider honors over fences, leading her squad with 10 wins and four MVP rides. Earle became the first in school history to compete for the individual title over fences last month at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships in Waco.
On the flat, most valuable rider went to Elizabeth Solch (Cincinnati, Ohio). The sophomore led all flat riders with 13 wins and three MVP accolades. She also became the first in school history to compete for the individual national championship in her discipline, advancing to the semifinals.
The Aggie Heart Award, given to the team member who is a leader in community service and who puts the team ahead of herself both inside and outside the arena, was presented to junior Tara Christiansen (Snohomish, Wash.).
Freshmen Kori Pickett and Carey Nowacek were named Rookies of the Year in their respective disciplines. Pickett, from Mount Airy, Md., won eight rides over fences and grabbed two MVP awards to lead all freshmen on the hunter seat side. Nowacek (San Antonio) went 18-2-1 in horsemanship, took home four MVP honors and advanced all the way to the finals of the individual national championship in the discipline.
Earning the most improved awards were sophomores Hannah Soibelman (Evergreen, Colo.) on the hunter seat side and Courtney Dawe (Scottsdale, Ariz.) for western.
The "Miss Aggie" awards, given to those who most represent what it means to be an Aggie, went to sophomores Nancy Sorrell (Lufkin) in hunter seat and Abigail Grabein (Houston) in western.
Texas A&M won the western national championship for the second consecutive season and took home overall reserve national champion honors. The Aggies, who finished the year with an 11-5 mark and placed second at the Big 12 Championships, also claimed two individual national crowns and qualified a school-record five riders for the varsity individual championship show.
2009-10 TEXAS A&M EQUESTRIAN TEAM AWARD WINNERS
Most Valuable Riders
Elizabeth Solch - Equitation on the Flat
Maggie Earle - Equitation over Fences
Caroline Gunn - Horsemanship
Maggie Gratny - Reining
Aggie Heart Award
Tara Christiansen
Rookie of the Year
Kori Pickett - Hunter Seat
Carey Nowacek - Western
Miss Aggie
Nancy Sorrell - Hunter Seat
Abigail Grabein - Western
Most Improved
Hannah Soibelman - Hunter Seat
Courtney Dawe - Western
2010-11 Team Captains
Elizabeth Solch - Equitation on the Flat
Jackie O'Connell - Equitation over Fences
Katie Lisabeth - Horsemanship
Abigail Grabein - Reining