The South Carolina equestrian team has released their 2015-16 schedule.
The defending national champions open up their calendar on September 25 against South Dakota State. For the first time in the dual-meet era, the defending champions will open the season on the road. It is the second straight season the Gamecocks have opened their season away from home.
The Gamecocks schedule features five competitions against teams that advanced to the semifinals in last year’s national championship. Head coach Boo Major anticipates some changes this season.
“We were a senior-heavy team last year,” Major said. “It was a great feeling to win the National Championship last year, but that means that we were going to lose some faces and gain new ones for the upcoming year. A lot of riders are going to start more than are accustomed to and we have to start the season in the right direction.”
Equestrian, also known as riding or horseback riding, consists of various areas of competition including dressage, vaulting, jumping and endurance riding and reining.
The Gamecocks went 12-5 overall in the last season, finishing 4-2 in the SEC Conference. The Gamecocks began the season with a rocky 0-2 start, falling to Kansas State and SEC Champion Georgia. They quickly rallied and won their next seven matchups, including three SEC meets. After a quick exit from the SEC tournament, the Gamecocks rode their way through the National Championship to bring home the hardware.
“It was a great feeling to get that National Championship,” Major said. “We had a good group of seniors on the team and it was nice to know that they finished their last season with a national championship.”
The Gamecocks are now looking toward the 2015-2016 season with the hopes of another National Championship.
The Gamecocks will have their first home meet when they host the TCU Horned Frogs on October 2 in the second meeting between the schools since 2011. The Gamecocks will also travel to College Station to face the Texas A&M Aggies on October 29. The Gamecocks will try to snap a four-meet losing streak against the Aggies.
The Gamecocks will close out the fall season on November 20 in Bishop, GA where they will compete against Georgia in a rematch of the last two national championships.