COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The 11-time National Champion Texas A&M equestrian team will return to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Championships to defend a pair of national titles, April 18-20 in Waco, Texas. The Aggie western squad is seeded sixth, while the hunter seat team is the No. 10 seed, the NCEA announced.
A&M is coming off of a National Championship season, winning both the western and overall titles last April. The four-time defending National Champion western squad has won nine total national titles, and the Aggies' overall crown last year was the program's second. The Aggie hunter seat squad was also a major contribution to the overall title after it battled from a No. 7 seeding in 2012 to reach the championship round after upsets of No. 2 seed South Carolina and No. 3 seed Georgia. A&M became the first school in NCEA history to place both teams in the championship round.
Quarterfinals in both disciplines are scheduled for April 18, with semifinals April 19 and the championship April 20. The championships are run in a bracket-style format by seed, much like that seen in college basketball. Each discipline crowns a team national champion with an overall national champion determined via point system.
Quarterfinal pairings are to be announced at a later date. Fans will be able to watch live streaming video of each event via the NCEA web site, starting with the opening ceremonies on April 17.
2013 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE EQUESTRIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS FIELD
April 18-20 ● Extraco Events Center ● Waco, Texas
WESTERN
1. Oklahoma State
2. Kansas State
3. Georgia
4. TCU
5. South Carolina
6. Texas A&M
7. South Dakota State
8. Baylor
9. Auburn
10. Tennessee-Martin
11. Fresno State
12. New Mexico State
HUNTER SEAT
1. Baylor
2. South Carolina
3. Georgia
4. Auburn
5. Texas Christian
6. Southern Methodist
7. Oklahoma State
8. Kansas State
9. Tennessee-Martin
10. Texas A&M
11. New Mexico State
12. South Dakota State