All Time Coaches Casie Maxwell, Head Western (2006-2009) Head Coach (2009-present) Anna Schierholz, Assistant Coach, Hunt Seat (2012-present) Lydia Placzek, Assistant Coach, Western (2012-present) Casey Finnell, Assistant Coach (2007-2012) Head Western (2010-present) Tara Hallan, Assistant Coach (2010-12) Gardner Powell, Associate Head Coach (2009-2010) Ashley Foster, Head Hunt Seat Coach (2005-2009) Teresa Slough, Head Coach (1999-2001, 2004-2007) Nichole Tiffany, Western (2004-2006) Meghan Cunningham, Hunt Seat (2001-2005) Lindsay Briedenthal, Head Coach (2001-2004) Maryanne Thomas-Funk, Hunt Seat (2000-2001)  Competition Highlights 2006 National Champion Reining Sara Weller 2006 National Champion Intermediate Horsemanship Sarah Coomes 2003 National Champion Intermediate Horsemanship - Elaine Cobb 2003 National Champion Advanced Horsemanship - Kristen Tanney 2002 National Champion-Brandi Vogel List of All Time Awards Kendall Marvin Morgan Campbell Tara Hallan

The Kansas State Equestrian Team started out as a club sport in 1999 with Teresa Slough as the sole coach. Although the team had just about 20 members that first year, the Wildcats won their first national title with Kelly Gratny earning the Reserve National Championship in Individual Western Horsemanship. Since becoming a varsity sport on campus in 2000, the team has since earned 9 national titles and sees around 120 girls try out for the team each year.

With the new requirements Title IX placed on schools to ensure equal opportunities for female athletes, K-State added Equestrian as their newest sport in 2000. The agricultural background of the school was a clear influence, as well as a strong interest from club members and other students on campus.

The team started out in a unique position competing in Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) competitions. This format required a team to show riders with all levels of experience, which allowed girls with little or no previous experience to compete as much as those with more knowledgeable backgrounds.

Later, the team competed simultaneously in Varsity competitions where schools showed their best riders against each other. In 2006, however, the NCAA ruled that varsity schools could only compete in one national championship, which meant choosing between IHSA and Varsity. Due to the more competitive nature of the Varsity competitions, this is the format KSU currently competes in.

"This has been an unbelievable experience having the chance to make it into the final round at Nationals for two years in a row," said Wildcat head coach Casie Lisabeth. I am so proud of this team for working so hard and being patient in their progress through the regular season because they definitely peaked at the right time. They have been so humble through this show and really kept their focus in the moment which is a real challenge especially with seven of our eight competitors performing here for the first time."

Saturday's Reserve National Championship tied for the highest finish in school history for K-State, matching last season's performance for the Western squad at the 2010 VENC - also against top-ranked Texas A&M.

Kansas State, which came into the tournament as the seventh seed, advanced to Saturday's championship dual against A&M by capturing three victories in two days with wins over 10th-seeded UT-Martin, second-seeded Oklahoma State and third-seeded Auburn.

In Horsemanship, K-State got off to a rough start by falling to the Aggies, 3-1. Wildcat sophomore Hannah Ribera picked up the lone win for her squad by walloping A&M's Amanda Brightwell, 151.5-139. Saturday's win marks Ribera's fourth win of the weekend and her 10th overall win of the year.

On the Reining side, sophomore Sam Etsell continued her terrific late-season run by besting Randi Standley of Texas A&M, 144.5-141.5. Since February 26, Etsell has won seven out of eight matches, including three out of four at this weekend's National Championships. Tallying the second and final point of the discipline was freshman Jordan Cox, who slipped past A&M rider Abigail Grabein, 143.5-143. Like Etsell, Cox went three-for-four this weekend in Waco.

"We have big plans for the future and plan to really build on this experience for the rest of their collegiate careers," said Lisabeth. "I also really want to congratulate Texas A&M for such great performances today. Their riders and coaches are amazing and we have so much respect for them. We love playing them and to play them twice for the National Championship has been a great experience."