FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 10 Fresno State equestrian team opens its 2024-25 season in South Dakota this weekend, taking on South Dakota State and No. 8 UT Martin in a tri-meet on Friday and Saturday.
No. 10 Fresno State (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) at South Dakota State (0-0, 0-0 ECAC)
Friday, Oct. 4 • 7:00 a.m. PT • Brookings, S.D. • DeHaan Equestrian Center
Series History: Fresno State leads, 9-3
Last Time: South Dakota State 10, Fresno State 9 (Oct. 7, 2023)
Live Scoring: HERE
No. 10 Fresno State (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs No. 8 UT Martin (0-0, 0-0 ECAC)
Saturday, Oct. 5 • 7:00 a.m. PT • Brookings, S.D. • DeHaan Equestrian Center
Series History: Fresno State leads, 12-4
Last Time: Fresno State 14, UT Martin 4 (Feb. 7, 2020)
Live Scoring: HERE
Schedule of Events
Friday
7 a.m. PT - flat & reining vs South Dakota State
9:30 a.m. PT - fences & horsemanship vs South Dakota State
12:25 p.m. PT - flat & reining vs No. 8 UT Martin
Saturday
7 a.m. PT - fences & horsemanship vs No. 8 UT Martin
FULL SCHEDULE
Bulldog Bones
Fresno State was ranked No. 10 in the preseason and Week 1 National Collegiate Equestrian Association team rankings.
It is the first time the Bulldogs find themselves in the Top 10 since the Spring of 2023.
Fresno State added 11 newcomers to the roster for the 2024-25 season, including 10 true freshmen and a sophomore. Of the newcomers, five are western riders and six are on the jumping seat team.
The Bulldogs also have 10 seniors on the roster this season with Olivia Ferro and Grace Mathias returning as fifth year riders.
Ferro and Shelby Robinette return as All-Big 12 selections from last season with Ferro earning the honors in fences and Robinette in the reining.
Alana Becker returns to the reining lineup as a second-year rider this season after totaling a 7-5-0 reining record with one MOP as a true freshman in 2023-24.
Fresno State enters its 10th season led by Eric Hubbard as head coach. Prior to his time as the full time head coach, he spent three seasons as the interim. Hubbard retained both assistant coaches from last season as Mary Brown returns for year number eight as the western assistant coach and Sierra Swaffar, a former Bulldog equestrian herself, is back for year two leading the jumping seat crew.
A look back at last season
Fresno State finished the year with a 3-10 record and 1-1 mark in conference competition. The Bulldogs defeated then-No. 2 SMU to close out the fall season, then earned wins over Baylor and UC Davis in the spring.
About the Opponents
South Dakota State
The Jackrabbits also open their season this weekend, hosting the tri-meet. Fresno State leads the all-time series with South Dakota State 9-3 but lost the last meeting on the opening weekend of the 2023-24 season. The Jackrabbits are lead by first-year head coach Kamerra Brown.
UT Martin
This weekend's meet with UT Martin is the first between the programs since 2020. The Bulldogs have won three in-a-row against the Skyhawks, not allowing more than seven points to them in those meetings. The Bulldogs' last loss to UT Martin came on Nov. 9, 2017.