BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M equestrian's Abby O'Mara, an assistant Jumping Seat coach on head coach Tana McKay's staff since 2018, has been promoted to associate head coach, McKay announced.
"Coach Abby has worked hard and is well deserving of this promotion," McKay said. "In her five seasons here, I have seen how she has grown not only as a coach but as a person and that has been a reflection on our student-athletes' success in and out of the arena. I'm ecstatic to see what the future has in store for Abby!"
During her time in Aggieland, O'Mara's athletes have produced 10 National Collegiate Equestrian Association All-America mentions and 10 All-Southeastern Conference honors. She's coached Caroline Dance to a school record 15 MOPs in Flat and Haley Redifer to a school record 11 MOPs in Fences. O'Mara has also coached two of the winningest Fences riders in Aggie history in Rebekah Chenelle and Rachael Hake, who amassed 46 and 41 wins, respectively.
"I am honored to step into this role as associate head coach," O'Mara said. "Coach Tana has been such a mentor to me over the past five seasons and I could not have done this without her support. I have enjoyed every second I've spent coaching this team and look forward to many more successful seasons with this team!"
In 2021, O'Mara led senior Nicole Leonard and junior Kaitlyn Lovingfoss to recognitions on the All-NCEA Championship Flat team after the pair each posted a 2-1 record at the NCEA Championships. Junior Morgan Rosia and sophomore Devon Thomas each earned NCEA All-Championship team for Fences after Rosia posted an undefeated 3-0 record and Thomas a 2-1 record.
At the conference level, O'Mara coached senior Caroline Dance to a recognition on the All-SEC Flat team after going 3-3 in SEC play and freshman Brooke Brombach to the All-Freshman Fences team with a 3-1-1 record in league action.
O'Mara helped lead the Aggies to a No. 1 overall ranking and to runner-up finishes at the SEC and NCEA Championship meets.
A four-year letterwinner at Georgia from 2011-14, O'Mara earned two NCEA All-America honors and two All-SEC selections in Equitation over Fences. As a freshman, O'Mara went undefeated in the event, going 13-0-1 with one MOP and won all three of her points at Varsity Nationals. For her efforts, she was named Georgia's Hunt Seat Rookie of the Year at the Bulldogs' postseason awards banquet.
O'Mara was named an NCEA Honorable Mention All-American in 2011-12, finishing the campaign with a 5-2 mark and two MOPs. In the 2012-13 season, she was named to the All-SEC team with a record of 9-6 and two MOPs.
The Rumson, N.J., native helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2014 NCEA Championship, earning All-America and All-SEC distinctions. O'Mara finished her career with a 38-14-1 record in Fences, which ranks fourth all-time in Georgia history.
Following graduation, O'Mara served as Georgia's graduate assistant from 2014-16, earning her master's degree in education psychology while also volunteering in the academic center. In 2016, O'Mara was an assistant academic coordinator at South Florida working with the football team.
To learn more about Texas A&M equestrian, log on to 12thMan.com or follow @AggieEquestrian on Twitter and Instagram.
"Coach Abby has worked hard and is well deserving of this promotion," McKay said. "In her five seasons here, I have seen how she has grown not only as a coach but as a person and that has been a reflection on our student-athletes' success in and out of the arena. I'm ecstatic to see what the future has in store for Abby!"
During her time in Aggieland, O'Mara's athletes have produced 10 National Collegiate Equestrian Association All-America mentions and 10 All-Southeastern Conference honors. She's coached Caroline Dance to a school record 15 MOPs in Flat and Haley Redifer to a school record 11 MOPs in Fences. O'Mara has also coached two of the winningest Fences riders in Aggie history in Rebekah Chenelle and Rachael Hake, who amassed 46 and 41 wins, respectively.
"I am honored to step into this role as associate head coach," O'Mara said. "Coach Tana has been such a mentor to me over the past five seasons and I could not have done this without her support. I have enjoyed every second I've spent coaching this team and look forward to many more successful seasons with this team!"
In 2021, O'Mara led senior Nicole Leonard and junior Kaitlyn Lovingfoss to recognitions on the All-NCEA Championship Flat team after the pair each posted a 2-1 record at the NCEA Championships. Junior Morgan Rosia and sophomore Devon Thomas each earned NCEA All-Championship team for Fences after Rosia posted an undefeated 3-0 record and Thomas a 2-1 record.
At the conference level, O'Mara coached senior Caroline Dance to a recognition on the All-SEC Flat team after going 3-3 in SEC play and freshman Brooke Brombach to the All-Freshman Fences team with a 3-1-1 record in league action.
O'Mara helped lead the Aggies to a No. 1 overall ranking and to runner-up finishes at the SEC and NCEA Championship meets.
A four-year letterwinner at Georgia from 2011-14, O'Mara earned two NCEA All-America honors and two All-SEC selections in Equitation over Fences. As a freshman, O'Mara went undefeated in the event, going 13-0-1 with one MOP and won all three of her points at Varsity Nationals. For her efforts, she was named Georgia's Hunt Seat Rookie of the Year at the Bulldogs' postseason awards banquet.
O'Mara was named an NCEA Honorable Mention All-American in 2011-12, finishing the campaign with a 5-2 mark and two MOPs. In the 2012-13 season, she was named to the All-SEC team with a record of 9-6 and two MOPs.
The Rumson, N.J., native helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2014 NCEA Championship, earning All-America and All-SEC distinctions. O'Mara finished her career with a 38-14-1 record in Fences, which ranks fourth all-time in Georgia history.
Following graduation, O'Mara served as Georgia's graduate assistant from 2014-16, earning her master's degree in education psychology while also volunteering in the academic center. In 2016, O'Mara was an assistant academic coordinator at South Florida working with the football team.
To learn more about Texas A&M equestrian, log on to 12thMan.com or follow @AggieEquestrian on Twitter and Instagram.