Equestrian Earns 10th Regional Title in History, McConville High Point Rider

Stonehill earned its 10th Zone 1, Region 4 Championship, first since 2012 


McConville tallied her fourth and fifth first-place ribbons on the season and first high point rider ribbon

STOUGHTON, Massachusetts (March 23, 2019) – The Stonehill College equestrian team capped off a first-place finish atop the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Zone 1, Region 4 standings with a first-place finish at the final Point Show of the season, cohosted by the Skyhawks and Bridgewater State University at Winters End Farm, on Saturday. It marks the third-straight high point performance for the Skyhawks.  

Stonehill won the region by 22 points and will now compete at the IHSA Zone 1 Championships as a team, hosted by Boston University in Hanover, Massachusetts at Holly Hill Farm on Saturday, March 30. The top two teams of that show will earn a trip to the IHSA Nationals in Syracuse, New York at the New York State Fairgrounds from May 2-5.

The Skyhawks earned their 10th Zone 1, Region 4 title in program history, as they saw two first-place ribbons. This regional championship is the first since 2012 for Stonehill, as they won the region by 22 points. Along with its third-straight high point show of the season and Stonehill also saw junior Emma McConville earn high point rider of the show with her two first-place ribbons.

The junior was also named Cacchione rider for the Skyhawks which gives her the automatic nod to the Zone 1 Championships, but she will also compete in the open fences class at Zone 1, Region 4 Championships next week after qualifying for her second IHSA Zone 1, Region 4 Championships on March 9. McConville earned her fourth and fifth blue ribbons of the season on Saturday with first place in open fences and open flat equitation.


Hanson will join McConville at Regionals, as she finished second in intermediate falt at the final Point Show of the season

Stonehill also saw three second-place finishes in junior Mariah Hanson, sophomore Shannon Gorsky, and freshman Hannah Lennon. Hanson saw her second red ribbon of the season as she competed in intermediate flat. Hanson will join McConville next weekend at regionals as she qualified for novice flat and intermediate fences this season for her second appearance at regionals.

Gorsky, in her fourth show of the season, earned her second red ribbon of the season in novice flat, while Lennon tallied her fourth second-place ribbon in her career in walk-trot-canter equitation.

Senior Rachel Scibek joins McConville and Hanson next week as she will appear in her first Zone 1, Region 4 Championships qualifying in novice fences. This weekend she placed fourth in intermediate fences. Freshman Olivia Cerretani also placed fourth but in walk-trot in her eighth show of the season.

The Skyhawks' six qualifying riders have this week to prepare for the IHSA Zone 1, Region 4 Championships which will take place on Saturday, March 30 at Holly Hill Farm in Hanover, Massachusetts hosted by Boston University.

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