Equestrian to debut in 2006-07

New coach, performance venue still to be decided.

By: Mark Wright

Horseplay begins in earnest at TCU in the fall.

Women’s equestrian has been added to the ranks of the University’s scholarship sports. Associate Athletics Director Marcy Girton expects to field a squad in time to compete in the 2006-07 season.

An expansion of the women’s athletic program has been in the works for several years. Girton said administrators selected equestrian because of a high level of interest in the sport among female students.

Since announcing the addition of the equestrian team in December, Girton said she has fielded nearly 200 calls and e-mails from people interested in the program. “The interest level is very high,” she said.

The sport is a good fit for TCU, said Athletics Director Danny Morrison.

“There’s a wealth of talent in the North Texas area, and numerous junior riders travel to Fort Worth to compete in national shows at the John Justin Arena and Will Rogers Memorial Complex.”

The University will implement the program over the course of several seasons and plans to eventually devote 15 scholarships — which can each be divided into partial scholarships among multiple riders — to the sport. The team will compete in both Western and English disciplines.

Coaching candidates are being interviewed by the athletics administration and Girton is negotiating to rent a facility where the team can train and possibly host competitions. It will be up to the coach to select the team, which is expected to have about 30 members in its first season.

The NCAA considers equestrian an emerging sport, officially recognizing it as a varsity sport in 1998.

For the NCAA to recognize a national champion in the sport, there must be at least 40 universities fielding a team.

Right now, there are 23 intercollegiate programs in Division I and II. Many of those are in the Southwest, including SMU, Baylor, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Stephen F. Austin and West Texas A&M. — MW

Comment at tcumagazine@tcu.edu.

Mountain High

Swimming and Diving dominates all-Mountain West teams.

By: Rick Waters

Five men and two women from the swimming and diving team were named to the All-Mountain West Conference first team in March. In addition, two men and six women earned second-team mention individually.

Freshman diver R.J. Hesselberg earned first-team all-Mountain West honors this winter. Five men and two women from the swimming and diving teams made the league’s top squad.

Guillermo Ramirez (100- and 200-yard backstroke) and Kelly McCain (1-meter and 3-meter diving) earned first-team accolades in two events. In addition, 100 back champion Jonathon Berrettini, R.J. Hesselberg (platform diving) and George Gooch (200-yard butterfly) grabbed first-team honors in their respective events.

Second-team individual honorees on the men’s side included Teylor Arboleda (100 fly) and Aran Bean in the 100-yard breaststroke. Additionally, the Frogs' 200-yard freestyle relay team (Scott McCracken, Ramirez, Brent Norcross, Berrettini), 200 medley relay squad (Ramirez, Bean, Arboleda, McCracken) and 400 medley relay (Berrettini, Bean, Arboleda, Ramirez) earned second-team accolades.

Diver Kelly Seely earned first-team mention in both the women’s 1-meter and 3-meter springboard diving events, while Jennifer Antisdale snagged first-team recognition in the 200 fly. Antisdale also was a second-team performer in the 100 fly.

Erica Tate was honored on the second team in three events, the 50-yard freestyle, 100 free and 100 fly. Rikki Covey was a second-team selection in the 200 free and the 200 back. TCU's other second-team honorees were Emily Duerringer (200 free), Cheryl Townsend (400 individual medley) and Keilah Walker (1650 free).

TCU's 200 free relay team (Leann Cathcart, Duerringer, Karen Sandifer, Tate) and 800 free relay team (Covey, Tara Sullivan, Duerringer, Sandifer) made the second team as well.

The Frogs’ Wayne Chester, in his ninth year at TCU, was named the conference’s Diving Coach of the Year. — RW

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