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June 11, 2008

DALLAS (SMU) --- SMU Head Coach Ashley Schaeffer announced that six riders signed National Letters-of-Intent to ride for the Mustangs beginning with the 2008-09 season. Schaeffer looks toward her second season on the Hilltop after signing Emily Gardner (Tallahassee, Fla.), Mallory Olson (Newport Coast, Calif.), Jordyn Pettersen (Fallbrook, Calif.), Jennifer Weeks (Los Angeles, Calif.), Lucy Needham (Naples, Fla.), and Claire Wenholz (Austin, Texas).

"This will be our strongest freshmen class at SMU and includes members from coast to coast," says Schaeffer. ""We received attention from quite a few elite riders in the country and are elated to have this group join our team. They have all trained with some of the best trainers and gone to the toughest competitions. We couldn't be happier to welcome these athletes to SMU."

In 2007, Gardner placed third out of 31 in the Open Hunter Classic at the Atlanta Summer Classic in Conyers, Ga. She finished fifth at the ASPCA Maclay Equitation Finals in Syracuse, N.Y., and was 12th at the Capital Challenge Equitation Finals in Washington, D.C.

Olson has ridden four consecutive years on the Grand Circuit and, in 2007, placed ninth at the USEF Hunt Seat Equitation Finals in Harrisburg, Pa. She also competed alongside Gardner at the Maclay Equitation Finals in Syracuse and placed 10th. Olson also finished 12th at the Washington International Equitation Finals in Washington, D.C.

Pettersen qualified for multiple hunt seat equitation finals and finished well at prestigious venues such as Showpark in Conyers, Ga., and The Oaks in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Total in 2007, Pettersen qualified for and rode in five medal finals.

Weeks was the Captain of her Equestrian team at Marlborough School and led her team to a sixth place finish in the Varsity Medal Finals for 2008. Along with Gardner and Olson, Weeks qualified for and showed at the Maclay Finals in Syracuse. Weeks was named Circuit Reserve Champion in Equitation at HITS Thermal. At Menlo, Weeks placed 11th in the $10,000 challenge, where she was one of only three Juniors to place among a group of mostly professionals riders.

Needham, who will be a Hilltop Scholar at SMU, is a well rounded athlete. At the Community School of Naples in Florida, Lucy was a swimmer and a basketball player. Needham won the title of Champion, Reserved Champion and Classic Winner in various classes at WEF in 2008. Needham cites a highest score of the day catch ride at HITS Ocala as being one of her greatest accomplishments as a rider.

Wenholz is one of Texas' leading Junior riders. She was a Presidential Scholar (given to students who maintain grades above 91 percent), was President of the National Honor Society and was an eight-time All-State honoree in track.

The Mustangs will hold open tryouts on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2. For more information on SMU Equestrian, visit SMUMustangs.com and go to http://smumustangs.cstv.com/sports/w-equest/smu-w-equest-body.html. There is a questionnaire linked on the left side for those interested in the tryouts.

SMU, the only Division I athletic program in Dallas, Texas, sponsors 17 sports and has been ranked as the top school in its conference for 10 of the last 11 years in the Director's Cup overall athletic rankings. More information about SMU and its coaches, student-athletes and teams is available at www.SMUMustangs.com.