University of Georgia Athletics

Bresch Named SEC Flat Rider of the Year, Seven Bulldogs Receive All-SEC Honors
April 10, 2023 | Equestrian
ATHENS, Ga. --- Senior Ceci Bresch of the University of Georgia equestrian team was named the Southeastern Conference Flat Rider of the Year and seven Bulldogs received All-SEC honors for their efforts this season, as the conference office announced its postseason awards Monday. Â
Â
Bresch, a native of Barrington, Illinois, was named SEC Rider of the Year in Flat after riding to a 12-4 record overall.  During the regular season she went 2-4 against SEC opponents but went undefeated and took home two Most Outstanding Performer honors on her way to being named to the All-Championship Team at the conference championship two weeks ago.  She won a total of six MOPs this season and received NCEA First Team All-America honors. This season she rode to four scores that were higher than any other SEC Flat rider and a total of six scores of 90 or better.  She scored a 97 twice in the same day against South Carolina and Sweet Briar, which is the fourth highest Flat score in Georgia program history. Â
Â
Bresch also received All-SEC honors in Flat and was joined by Sophia Pilla.  Pilla rode to a 13-3 overall record this season, including seven away wins and two MOP honors.  She also received NCEA First Team All-America honors and was named the NCEA and SEC Rider of the Month in February.  She rode to six scores of 90 or better with an average score of 87.2.  Her high mark of 99 against South Carolina was the highest among all SEC riders this season and is tied for the best score in program history.  She is only the third Bulldog to achieve the near-perfect score and the first since 2019.Â
Â
Additional All-SEC nods went to Rachel McMullen in Fences and Jillian Stopperich in Horsemanship.  Tessa Brown (Fences), Raegan Shepherd (Reining), and Shelby Lynch (Reining) received All-Freshman recognition.Â
Â
McMullen went 10-5 overall in Fences with one MOP and rode to 11 scores of 81 or better, five of which were against SEC opponents.  Stopperich rode to a 9-3 overall record in Horsemanship with two MOPs this season, both against SEC opponents. She received NCEA All-America Honorable Mention and was named the NCEA and SEC Rider of the Month for October. Â
Â
Brown was recognized after going 8-7 in Fences during her rookie season. She won two MOPs, including one at the SEC Championship and rode to nine scores of 80 or better.  In Reining, Shepherd went 2-2 against SEC opponents this year and won one MOP against Auburn, while Lynch rode a 2-2-1 record. Â
Â
The Bulldogs are seeded sixth for the NCEA National Championship taking place April 13-15 at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida. The Bulldogs will face Oklahoma State in the first round on Thursday, April 13 at 2:30 p.m.
Â
Â
Â
Bresch, a native of Barrington, Illinois, was named SEC Rider of the Year in Flat after riding to a 12-4 record overall.  During the regular season she went 2-4 against SEC opponents but went undefeated and took home two Most Outstanding Performer honors on her way to being named to the All-Championship Team at the conference championship two weeks ago.  She won a total of six MOPs this season and received NCEA First Team All-America honors. This season she rode to four scores that were higher than any other SEC Flat rider and a total of six scores of 90 or better.  She scored a 97 twice in the same day against South Carolina and Sweet Briar, which is the fourth highest Flat score in Georgia program history. Â
Â
Bresch also received All-SEC honors in Flat and was joined by Sophia Pilla.  Pilla rode to a 13-3 overall record this season, including seven away wins and two MOP honors.  She also received NCEA First Team All-America honors and was named the NCEA and SEC Rider of the Month in February.  She rode to six scores of 90 or better with an average score of 87.2.  Her high mark of 99 against South Carolina was the highest among all SEC riders this season and is tied for the best score in program history.  She is only the third Bulldog to achieve the near-perfect score and the first since 2019.Â
Â
Additional All-SEC nods went to Rachel McMullen in Fences and Jillian Stopperich in Horsemanship.  Tessa Brown (Fences), Raegan Shepherd (Reining), and Shelby Lynch (Reining) received All-Freshman recognition.Â
Â
McMullen went 10-5 overall in Fences with one MOP and rode to 11 scores of 81 or better, five of which were against SEC opponents.  Stopperich rode to a 9-3 overall record in Horsemanship with two MOPs this season, both against SEC opponents. She received NCEA All-America Honorable Mention and was named the NCEA and SEC Rider of the Month for October. Â
Â
Brown was recognized after going 8-7 in Fences during her rookie season. She won two MOPs, including one at the SEC Championship and rode to nine scores of 80 or better.  In Reining, Shepherd went 2-2 against SEC opponents this year and won one MOP against Auburn, while Lynch rode a 2-2-1 record. Â
Â
The Bulldogs are seeded sixth for the NCEA National Championship taking place April 13-15 at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida. The Bulldogs will face Oklahoma State in the first round on Thursday, April 13 at 2:30 p.m.
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
Georgia Equestrian vs Baylor - Postmeet Video Recap
Friday, October 03
Georgia Equestrian Season Preview
Thursday, October 02
Georgia Equestrian Red&Black Scrimmage Postgame Interview
Saturday, September 20
Georgia Equestrian NCEA Championship vs SMU Highlights
Monday, April 21