Vixens win fifth ODAC title; Fraley, Schlosberg, Wroten earn individual honors

For the fifth time in school history, Sweet Briar is the Old Dominion Athletic Conference equestrian champion, as the Vixens finished atop the conference at the ODAC Championships at Bridgewater Equestrian Center on Saturday.

Sweet Briar was represented at the ODAC Championships by first-year Maggie Fraley (White Haven, Pa.), sophomore Katie Balding (Williamsburg, Va.), sophomore Lily Peterson (Ashland, Va.) and senior Emily Schlosberg (Fairfax, Va.), to win the fifth conference title in school history and the first since the 2016 season.

The Vixens were second to Randolph, following the first session of over fences, with a team total of 238.75. In the opening session, Schlosberg led the Vixens with 83 points. Peterson scored 81, Fraley 70.5 and Balding 70.5. The final round of over fences saw the Vixens atop the standings with 248.25 points, led again by Schlosberg. Schlosberg led with 84 points, followed by Fraley at 83.75, Peterson at 80.5 and Balding with 79.5.

Balding and Fraley rode on the flat for the Vixens, with Fraley scoring 84 points and Balding 82 to give Sweet Briar 166 points. The Vixens were second to Hollins on the flat, but earned enough team points on the day to secure the team title at the conclusion of the event. Sweet Briar scored 17 team points, finishing ahead of Hollins’ 16 , while Randolph finished third with 14 points.

In addition to team success, the Vixens picked up three individual honors at the conclusion of Saturday’s show.

Schlosberg concluded her ODAC career by earning ODAC Rider of the Year honors for the second time in her career. Schlosberg becomes the seventh rider in ODAC history to earn Rider of the Year laurels multiple times in their career. Schlosberg’s honor marks the fourth Rider of the Year in the last five years for Sweet Briar and the fifth all-time ODAC Rider of the Year honor in school history.

Fraley was named ODAC Rookie of the Year, the fourth in the last five years for Sweet Briar and fourth all-time. Fraley joins Makayla Benjamin, Schlosberg and Peterson as Sweet Briar riders who have been named Rookie of the Year.

For the fourth time in her career, Sweet Briar head coach Mimi Wroten was named ODAC Coach of the Year. Wroten’s honor is not only the fourth of her career, but mark the fifth time a Sweet Briar coach has earned ODAC recognition.

Three Vixens earned All-ODAC honors, with Fraley, Peterson and Schlosberg all getting the nod. Peterson and Schlosberg earned All-ODAC honors for the second time in their careers, while Fraley earned her first nod from the conference.

The Sweet Briar ODAC riders will next return to action with the NCEA team at the NCEA National Championships in Waco, Texas on Wednesday against Delaware State over fences and No. 3 Oklahoma State on the flat.