CofC Equestrian Clinches Spot at IHSA Nationals, Earns Team Reserve Champions at Zone 5 Finals

Saturday, April 2

Savannah, GA

College of Charleston

IHSA Zone Finals

CofC Equestrian Clinches Spot at IHSA Nationals, Earns Team Reserve Champions at Zone 5 Finals

4/2/2022 6:59:00 PM | Equestrian

Cougs will compete at Nationals for the 28th time in program history

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston Equestrian squad earned Team Reserve Champions at the Zone 5 Finals hosted by SCAD on Saturday. With the second-place finish as a team, the Cougars clinched a spot at the IHSA National Championship Horse Show from May 5-8 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

With this weekend's strong performance, CofC secured a spot at the IHSA Nationals for the 28^th time in program history. It will mark the Cougars' fifth appearance since 2014 and the first since 2018, when CofC finished eighth nationally.

"So incredibly proud of the hard work & determination of our team," head coach Natasha V. McCarthy said. "The weeks of specialized practice paid off today and every ride was ridden with true intention. We also had the pleasure of riding some really beautiful horses. We'd like to thank SCAD Equestrian for welcoming our team and horses for the weekend and for hosting such a top-notch event. It was honor to earn Reserve Champion honors to such a highly decorated team as SCAD. In the next few weeks, the postseason team will continue their practices as we get ready for the IHSA Nationals."

The Cougars' Team Reserve Championship at Zones was fueled by a pair of wins in the Team Competition from freshmen Kathryn McCarthy and Caroline Berg. McCarthy won the Team Open Fences class before adding a third-place finish in the Individual Open Flat and fourth-place finish in the Individual Open Fences. Berg won the Team Intermediate Fences class to add to what's been a sensational rookie campaign.

Senior veteran Kate Coffey placed second overall in the Team Open Flat and tacked on a pair of fifth-place performances in the Individual Open Fences and Individual Open Flat competitions to round out a solid day. Sophomore Lily Borders bolstered the team score with a second-place outing in the Team Introductory Flat class.

Additionally, CofC's Connelly Grant earned two third-place finishes in the Team Intermediate Flat and Individual Intermediate Fences, respectively. Freshman McLean Holmes took third overall in the Team Limit Flat and fourth overall in the Team Limit Fences. Rounding out Saturday's Zone 5 Finals results was sophomore Natalie Juckett, who finished fifth in the Team Novice Flat.