Delaware Valley University (on left) and the University of Lynchburg (on right) each scored 39 points at the Pre-Season Tournament of Champions invitational hosted by Goucher College on September 27th. Both schools earned three blue ribbons, but Del Val earned two red ribbons compared to one for Lynchburg. Thus the Aggies earned official high point team honors.

DELAWARE VALLEY UNIVERSITY WINS TIEBREAKER WITH LYNCHBURG TO WIN 2025 PRE-SEASON CLASSIC

Towson, MD - Led by a first and a second from Grace Allen, Delaware Valley University claimed first place at the Pre-Season Tournament of Champions invitational. This was the first of four tournaments scheduled during the 35th anniversary season of the T of C series. The University of Lynchburg was second after Del Val won the tiebreaker, while Savannah College of Art & Design claimed both the third and fourth place team ribbons. SCAD team Bee - Strong scored 36 (three fewer than the Aggies and Hornets) while SCAD team Bee - Power scored 34.

Jessica McElhaney, a Lynchburg sophomore from Virginia Beach, Virginia claimed first place in the High Medal division while Grace Allen, a Delaware Valley senior from Ottsville, Pennsylvania was second. 2025 IHSA Nationals Cacchione Cup Champion Alexander Alston of Savannah College of Art & Design was third. Adriana Hardin of host Goucher College (sophomore, from Royersford, Pennsylvania) won the Low Medal division while SCAD freshman Nathaniel Biery was second in his first tournament appearance. Haylie Johnson of defending IHSA National Champion hunter seat team Purdue University was third in the low medal. The Equestrian Talent Search (ETS) Medal class was won by Julianne Bucsku of Clinton, New Jersey while Emma Kaminski of Perry Hall, Maryland claimed second place. Lainey Risley of Castle Hayne, North Carolina was third.

Campus Equestrian is working on an expanded version of this story which may include the T of C official press release. Please check back in October to see if the story seems longer!

Class-by-class results, in the order in which they were held (Note: Several Goucher College riders competed for Towson University in order to help Towson fill divisions for which they did not have an entry):

Open equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Maggie Childs, Alfred University. 2. Henry Hollis, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong. 3. Zoey Horn, University of Lynchburg. 4. Kendall Ball, Towson University. 5. Hope Verschleiser, Goucher College. 6. Hallie Phillips, Mount Holyoke College.

Open equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Emily Richardson, University of Rhode Island. 2. Grace Allen, Delaware Valley University. 3. Chandra Kyrwood, Marist University. 4. Abby Cole, Purdue University. 5. Alexander Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power. 6. Isabella Olejniczak, Penn State University (State College).

Intermediate equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Ava Jackson, University of Lynchburg. 2. Audrey Hostrawser, Purdue University. 3. Christina Mlynarski, Towson University. 4. Genevieve Barnett, Marist University. 5. Caroline Talbots, Penn State University (State College). 6. Addison Keyworth, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong.

Intermediate equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Alex Miller, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power. 2. Carly Bitler, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Adriana Hardin, Goucher College. 4. Tiara D'Amico, Delaware Valley University. 5. Keely Grady, University of Rhode Island. 6. Will Utzman, Alfred University.

Limit equitation over fences - Section A: 1. Cameron Andruskiewicz, Goucher College. 2. Emi Graf, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Nathaniel Biery, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong. 4. Lauren Dunnett, Purdue University. 5. Abigail DeLumen, University of Rhode Island. 6. Stephen Kuss, Alfred University.

Limit equitation over fences - Section B: 1. Alicia Smoot, Delaware Valley University. 2. Shea Henry, Marist University. 3. McKenzie Burch, University of Lynchburg. 4. Bella Quill, Penn State University (State College). 5. Peter Cavagnac, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power.

Limit equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Adam Matejko, University of Lynchburg. 2. Cameron Andruskiewicz, Goucher College. 3. Peter Cavagnac, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power. 4. Jaden Merrill, Towson University. 5. Stephen Kuss, Alfred University. 6. Elsa Heacock, Delaware Valley University.

Open equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Grace Allen, Delaware Valley University. 2. Kayla Bardgett, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong. 3. Tyler Manchester, Marist University. 4. Abby Talcott, Purdue University. 5. Emily Richardson, University of Rhode Island. 6. Lili Evans, Mount Holyoke College.

Limit equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Kate Smith, Mount Holyoke College. 2. Shea Henry, Marist University. 3. Olivia Jurado, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong. 4. Oliva Lints, University of Rhode Island. 5. Yasmin Pirbhai, Purdue University. 6. Paavani Chhaya, Penn State University (State College).

Open equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Alexander Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power. 2. Jessica McElhaney, University of Lynchburg. 3. Ani Sydorowych, Alfred University. 4. Kendall Ball, Towson University. 5. Hope Verschleiser, Goucher College. 6. Isabella Olejniczak, Penn State University (State College).

Introductory equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Kelsey Olivadoti, Purdue University. 2. Kameron Riggs, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power. 3. Izzy Rabiner, Alfred University. 4. Max Davis, Goucher College. 5. Veronica Vogelman, Marist University. 6. Deleah Neal, Penn State University (State College).

Novice equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Payton Gault, Purdue University. 2. Lexie Stoebenau, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong. 3. Christina Whiteman, Goucher College. 4. Keira Sims, Alfred University. 5. Bessie Huggins, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Grace Hutson, Towson University.

Introductory equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Hannah Durrwatcher, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong. 2. Madison Heitman, Delaware Valley University. 3. Lia Liang, Mount Holyoke College. 4. Grace Gunning, University of Rhode Island. 5. Amaya Schuler, University of Lynchburg.

Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section A: 1. Maggie Mitchell, Delaware Valley University. 2. Hallie Phillips, Mount Holyoke College. 3. Ella Luhn, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power. 4. Ella Smith, Goucher College. 5. Remy Guertin, University of Rhode Island.

Novice equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Clair Humphreys, University of Lynchburg. 2. Sarah Bowe, Penn State University (State College). 3. Amelia Parsons, Delaware Valley University. 4. Madison Poulin, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power. 5. Sam Blaschak, Marist University. 6. Hannah Slater, University of Rhode Island.

Intermediate equitation on the flat - Section B: 1. Bella Quill, Penn State University (State College). 2. Henry Hollis, Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong. 3. Julia Reid, Marist University. 4. Ava Jackson, University of Lynchburg. 5. Audrey Hostrawser, Purdue University. 6. Will Utzman, Alfred University.

Equestrian Talent Search Medal Results: 1. Julianne Bucsku, Clinton, New Jersey. 2. Emma Kaminski, Perry Hall, Maryland. 3. Lainey Risley, Castle Hayne, North Carolina. 4. Sophie Almeida, Sandy Hook, Connecticut. 5. Cameron Gill, Harwood, Maryland. 6. Olivia Roman, Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Low Medal Division Results: 1. Adriana Hardin, Goucher College. 2. Nathaniel Biery, Savannah College of Art & Design. 3. Haylie Johnson, Purdue University. 4. Grace Hannah, Penn State University (State College). 5. Sophia Bull, Mount Holyoke College. 6. Cameron Andruskiewicz, Goucher College.

High Medal Division Results: 1. Jessica McElhaney, University of Lynchburg. 2. Grace Allen, Delaware Valley University. 3. Alexander Alston, Savannah College of Art & Design. 4. Hope Verschleiser, Goucher College. 5. Abby Shelchuk, Purdue University. 6. Hallie Phillips, Mount Holyoke College.

Final 2025 Pre-Season Tournament of Champions Team Totals:

Delaware Valley University - 39 (High Point Team; Won Second Tiebreaker with two red ribbons)

University of Lynchburg - 39 (Reserve High Point Team)

Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Strong 36

Savannah College of Art & Design - Team Bee - Power 34

Purdue University - 32

Mount Holyoke College - 30 (official sixth place)

Goucher College - 30 (official seventh place)

Marist University - 29

Alfred University - 23

University of Rhode Island - 22

Penn State University (State College) - 21

Towson University - 14

(For more info about the Tournament of Champions series please e-mail JimArrigon@hotmail.com or visit the Equestrian Talent Search page on Facebook)