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Equestrian

All-ODAC Single-Discipline Equestrian Awards Announced

Wright Named Fences Top Rider, Zemp Claims Flat Honor, Two Share Rookie Awards

FOREST, Va. --- The ODAC single-discipline equestrian season comes to a close this weekend with competition set for the third ODAC Single-Discipline Equestrian Championship tournament. As a prelude to that three-day event, the conference is please to recognize its All-ODAC Single Discipline Equestrian Awards.

Bridgewater College standout Willow Wright continued her the strong to her career, backing up last year's rookie award on the flat with this season ODAC Fences Rider of the Year award. University of Lynchburg star Abigail Zemp was tabbed the ODAC Flat Rider of the Year, while Hornets' teammate Amaya Bellfield not only collected ODAC Flat Rookie of the Year laurels, but shared ODAC Fences Rookie of the Year plaudits with Sweet Briar College newcoming Sadie Swift.

Equestrian has long been part of the conference's framework with several schools featuring national caliber programs. The addition of single discipline competition -- head-to-head matchups under NCEA guidelines -- has furthered the league's sponsoring and showcasing of the sport in an exciting manner. The ODAC footprint for equestrian expanded this season with the league's traditional event conducted during the fall semester for the first time.

Competition in the third ODAC single-discipline championship is slated for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 19-21, at SBC's Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center. The bracket-style event features five teams with Berry, Bridgewater, Lynchburg, Sewanee, and Sweet Briar set for competition. For more information on the event, visit the championship hub.

Wright went 6-0 during the regular season over fences with four away wins. She posted an 82.2 average score with a high 88. She earned one MOP honor during a meet and owns an adjusted National Rider Score (NRS) of 94.8, which will be used as a central metric for determining All-America status at the close of the full single-discipline season.

Zemp was stellar in her third season in the Hill City, going 10-0 on the flat with six home wins on her résumé. She had one MOP honor and registered an average session score of 81.6 with a high of 89. She boasts a 99.3 NRS, the second-highest of any eligible rider in the country.

Bellfield starred in both areas of concentration throughout her first season in Lynchburg. Over fences, Bellfield went 7-3 with a pair of MOP honors and an 83.4 average score powered by a season-high of 88.5. She owns a strong 93.8 NRS. On the flat, Bellfield posted a 6-4 record with three MOP honors. She notched a 79.6 average score with a season-high of 89. Her NRS score on the flat is also strong at 86.8.

Swift has had a stellar first season at Sweet Briar, especially during fences competitions. During the regular season, Swift went 7-2 with one MOP honor. She posted a 79.8 average score with a high of 85. Much like the other riders on this list, her NRS is quite high at 90.4.