Equestrian Team Wins Region 4 Championship, Leaps Forward to Zones

Middle Island, N.Y. – In their last competition of the regular season, the Golden Eagles equestrian team rose to the occasion and dominated the NYU-hosted event at Island Hills Stables to capture the Region 4 championship. 

With numerous outstanding individual performances, the team set a great foundation for the tail end of their season as they head to Regionals and Zones.  This marked the third regional championship in the history of the SJC program, as head coach Sheila Rodgers' squads also won the 2001 and 2010 crowns.

Adding to the drama of the day, SJC hit the stables under the watch of IHSA founder Bob Cacchione, as he came to commence the end of a nail-biting regular season. 

The Golden Eagles came in first place overall as the high point team for the day, finishing with an outstanding 44 points. In second, came Stony Brook University with 28 points and NYU in third with 24 points.

Prior to Sunday's competition, SBU was in first for the year, but the Golden Eagles were able to close a seven-point deficit and place themselves nine points ahead of SBU and 19 in front of NYU.  The team points ended with SJC at 248 points, SBU with 239 points, and NYU with 229 points.

High point rider of the day on Sunday went to sophomore Rachel Russak (Huntington, N.Y. / Smithtown Christian). Two Golden Eagles also qualified for regionals next week in Leonia, New Jersey – Melissa Mausser (Holbrook, N.Y. / Sachem East) classed up into Open Flat and Leah Uliano (Miller Place N.Y. / Miller Place) classed up into Open Fences.

The Golden Eagles won the most points for their region, which granted them the title "Regional Champions" and qualified them to surpass Regionals as a team and go right to Zones in Rochester, New York. The team's next show will be at Lehman Farms for Zones on Saturday, April 4.

Individual Standings:

Alyssa Converse: Open Flat: Third Place, Open Fences: Fourth Place

Erin DeNicola: Walk Trot Canter: Second Place

Caitlyn Kempsey: Walk Trot: Second Place

Melissa Mausser: Intermediate Flat: First Place, Intermediate Fences: Fifth Place

Lexi Metz: Novice Flat: Fourth Place, Novice Fences: Third Place

Nikki Nobile: Novice Flat: Third Place

Maclain Palumbo: Intermediate Flat: Second Place

Nicole Robinson: Novice Flat: First Place, Novice Fences: Fourth Place

Heidi Rohr: Walk Trot Canter: First Place

Rachel Russak: Novice Flat: First Place, Novice Fences: First Place

Leah Uliano: Intermediate Fences: First Place