Three Big 12 schools were ranked to start the season in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association Preseason Poll. TCU enters the year at No. 3 after advancing to the NCEA Championships Semifinals last season, followed by the defending Big 12 Champion Oklahoma State Cowgirls at No. 5. Baylor rounded out the Conference’s selections coming in at No. 7.
The Horned Frogs begin the season ranked for the 11
th straight year and are ranked No. 3 for the second-consecutive year. Seven of TCU’s eight athletes who earned All-American honors last season return for the 2023-24 campaign including the 2023 Big 12 Horsemanship and Reigning Riders of the Year, Jessica McAllister and Mattie Dukes, respectively. After recording its best single-season winning percentage in program history (.765) with a 13-4 overall record, TCU starts 2023 ranked as the highest Big 12 program on the NCEA poll.
Oklahoma State received its ninth straight preseason ranking after earning its third straight title at the 2023 Big 12 Equestrian Championship. The Cowgirls notched an 11-5 overall record and a Conference-leading 6-2 league record in a season where they reached the NCEA Championship Semifinals for the fourth straight year.
Baylor tallied the final selection for the Big 12 and sit at No. 7 for the second straight year. The Bears earned a combined 10 Big 12 Rider of the Month awards last season with six different student-athletes garnering recognition. Four of those athletes return for the 2023-24 season headlined by fifth-year senior and NCEA Co-Rider of the Year Dominika Silvestri.
TCU will open its regular season against the defending NCEA national champion SMU on Friday, September 22 while Baylor begins with a road meet against Texas A&M on Friday, September 29. Oklahoma State and Fresno State kick off their seasons in October against TCU (October 5) and South Dakota State (October 6), respectively.
2023-24 NCEA Preseason Rankings
Dual Discipline
- SMU
- Auburn
- TCU
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma State
- Georgia
- Baylor
- South Carolina
- UC Davis
- UT Martin