This weekend, March 5th and 6th, 2022, the Seton Hill University Women's Equestrian Team traveled to Willow Brook Stables in Fombell, PA to compete in their final two regular season shows. On Saturday, the show was hosted by University of Pittsburgh and on Sunday, by Mercyhurst University. Over the two days, twelve collegiate teams came out for one last double header in preparation for the IHSA Regional Finals hosted by Slippery Rock University at the end of the month. By the end of the weekend, Seton Hill had clinched the IHSA Conference Championship for their sixth time after being High Point Team on Saturday and Reserve High Point Team on Sunday.

On Saturday, Senior's Summer Black and Kate Krueger started the day by securing wins in the Open, allowing Seton Hill to take the lead early on in the competition. Top placings from Junior Kasey Beres and Sophomore Riley Miller assisted, and then Freshman Hannah Burgess and Hannah Wheaton secured the High Point Team win for Seton Hill. Senior Sarah Davidson also made her debut in the Introductory Flat. Individual placings are as follows:

Summer Black (Senior)- 1st Open Fences, 1st Open Flat

Kate Krueger (Senior)- 1st Open Fences, 2nd Open Flat 

Kasey Beres (Junior)- 3rd Intermediate Flat

Riley Miller (Sophomore)- 3rd Limit Fences, 2nd Limit Flat 

Hannah Burgess (Freshman)- 1st Novice Flat

Hannah Wheaton (Freshman)- 2nd Novice Flat 

Lexi Kupic (Alumni)- 2nd Alumni Fences, 1st Alumni Flat

Also on Saturday, Black won High Point Rider with teammate and captain Krueger being awarded Reserve High Point Rider. Black and Wheaton both qualified for the IHSA Regional Finals, with Black in the Open Flat and Wheaton in the Novice Flat. Hannah also pointed into the Limit division. Alumni and GA Lexi Kupic qualified for Regionals in both her fences and flat class, as well, and was awarded High Point Alumni Rider.  Overall, Seton Hill secured the High Point Team championship, further extending their lead in the conference.

On Sunday, Seniors Black and Krueger again brought the heat to start the day, but strong performances from Beres, Miller, and Burgess rounded out a Reserve High Point Team win. Maddie Hill also made her showing debut in the Introductory Flat!

Individual placings are as follows:

Summer Black (Senior)- 1st Open Fences, 3rd Open Flat

Kate Krueger (Senior)- 1st Open Fences, 2nd Open Flat

Kasey Beres (Junior)- 1st Intermediate Flat

Maddie Hall (Sophomore)- 4th Introductory Flat

Riley Miller (Sophomore)- 3rd Limit Fences, 3rd Limit Flat

Hannah Burgess (Freshman)- 2nd Novice Flat

Hannah Wheaton (Freshman)- 4th Limit Flat

Lexi Kupic (Alumni)- 2nd Alumni Fences, 2nd Alumni Flat

Also on Sunday, Senior Summer Black qualified for IHSA Regionals in Open Fences, which secured her title as the 2021-2022 Zone 2 Region 5 Cacchione Cup champion. This award is granted to the open rider in each region with the most combined points in the fences and flat. Black will represent Region 5 in the Cacchione class at the Zone 2 Finals at St. Lawrence University in the beginning of April. There, she will compete for a seat at the National Finals later on in Harrisburg, PA. 

Captain Kate Krueger was again awarded Reserve High Point Rider on Sunday after her stellar first and second place finishes. The Griffs then ended the day as Reserve High Point team, finishing three points behind West Virginia University. 

At the conclusion of the regular season, Seton Hill captured the IHSA Conference Championship for their sixth time, and thus will be proceeding to the Zone Finals at St. Lawrence University next month to try to secure a seat at the IHSA National Finals! We could not be more thrilled with our team's performance this season and are incredibly grateful to have gotten to compete at all after COVID captured our 2020-2021 season. From here, we look forward to sending four individual qualifiers to the Regional Finals at Slippery Rock on March 27th, 2022 where we will be competing next!

Regional Qualifiers:

Summer Black (Senior)- Open Fences and Open Flat

Kate Krueger (Senior)- Intermediate Fences and Intermediate Flat

Kasey Beres (Sophomore)- Limit Fences and Limit Flat

Hannah Wheaton (Freshman)- Novice Flat

Lexi Kupic (Alumni)- Alumni Fences and Alumni Flat