DANBURY, CT. – The University of Minnesota Crookston equestrian team has officially announced membership in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The Golden Eagles will begin competing in the ECAC during the 2021-22 season. The ECAC now expands to an eight-team league for equestrian. The Golden Eagles will compete with Delaware State University, South Dakota State University, Sweet Briar College, University of California-Davis, Southern Methodist University, SUNY-New Paltz, and the University of Tennessee-Martin.
“We are very excited to join one of the premier conferences for collegiate equestrian,” said Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson. “This allows us to continue to build on our outstanding history as an equestrian program and look toward the future of what our program can become.”
UMN Crookston will compete in both the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) and the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA). The Golden Eagles have won the regional championship at the IHSA level in hunt seat equestrian the last three seasons. Minnesota Crookston will now have the opportunity to compete for an ECAC Championship. The Golden Eagles had the chance to compete for the NCEA National Championship in 2018 and will be able to do so again for the 2021-22 season.
The Golden Eagles have ECAC matches scheduled for the 2021-22 season against South Dakota State (Oct. 30, Feb. 18, and March 12), SUNY-New Paltz (Oct. 30), and University of Tennessee-Martin (March 11). In addition, UMN Crookston is slated to compete against defending NCEA Champion University of Georgia Feb. 19.
