Cowgirls ranked 5th ahead of season opener

STILLWATER — The Oklahoma State Cowgirl equestrian team has been ranked No. 5 in the 202324 National Collegiate Equestrian Association preseason poll, the association announced Wednesday.

It’s the ninth straight season the Cowgirls have been ranked inside the preseason top 10. Texas Christian University and Baylor are the other Big 12 teams joining the Cowgirls in the top 10, with TCU coming in at No. 3 while Baylor is No. 7.

One year removed from its first overall NCEA national championship, OSU had yet another successful season in 202223, highlighted by its third straight Big 12 title and another trip to the national semifinals.

The Cowgirls finished last season 11-5, including a 6-2 overall record in conference play.

After a difficult fall season, the Cowgirls had made the necessary improvements and started its spring season ready to compete. OSU won its first four spring meets, including a win against Georgia and securing the regular season sweep of Baylor.

Led by seniors Sydney North, Molly Mitchell and Jojo Roberson, the Cowgirls came away with three tight wins in the month of February. North earned Big 12 Fences Rider of the Month for February after going 3-0 and earning two MOPs, while Mitchell also earned recognition as the NCEA Reining Rider of the Month for March with two wins and one MOP.

OSU entered the Big 12 tournament with an 8-4 record and a strong spring season. Hosted in Stillwater for only the third time since 2006, the Cowgirls took advantage of competing in their stomping grounds.

The Cowgirls bested Baylor, 128, in the first round, then TCU in the championship round with the same score. For the Cowgirls, it marks the ninth ever conference title, and the second time in their history they’ve won three straight Big 12 titles.

Fresh off a conference title, the Cowgirls took on Georgia for the second time of the year in the first round of the national tournament. They bested the Bulldogs 13-7, securing a spot in the semifinal round, but the Cowgirl’s season ended with a 14-6 loss to Auburn.

Six Cowgirls earned All-American honors on the season. Roberson and Claire McDowall took home second team honors in horsemanship, while North and Riley Hogan claimed that status in fences. Roberson also claimed an honorable mention in reining. Quincee Clark and Emma Pacyna earned an honorable mention in reining and fences, respectively. McDowall, Hogan and Clark earned All-American status for the first times in their careers, while North and Pacyna earned it for the second time. With her two recognitions, Roberson became the fifth Cowgirl in OSU history to earn All-American status four times in her career.

McDowall, North, Hogan and Clark are all set to return to Stillwater for the 2023-24 season.

With several key starters returning to the lineup and new additions to the staff, OSU is poised to compete for another national championship.