Fresno State Athletics
Captains Lead by Example
2/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Equestrian
Feb. 15, 2007
FRESNO, Calif. - When Becky Malmo was looking for senior leadership coming into this season, she didn't have to look very far. In Morgan McDonald and Heidi Smith, Malmo has found two outstanding student-athletes who are willing to carry such an awesome responsibility.
"We have two outstanding captains this year," said Malmo, in her third season as the head coach of the Bulldogs. "Both Morgan and Heidi are special people. They are very intelligent and have displayed a wonderful sense of leadership for our program. These two young ladies are going to be successful in life. Their leadership skills transcend the sport. They are leaders in all areas of their lives and that's rare."
The Bulldog return home this weekend with a pair of dual matches against two quality programs, New Mexico State, Saturday at 11 a.m., and perennial powerhouse Texas A&M, Sunday at 8 a.m. Both matches will be held at the Fresno State Student Horse Center and are free of charge.
While Smith and McDonald represent two very distinct disciplines, Western and English (or Hunt Seat), they have a common kinship in their ability to balance the demands of being a Division I student-athlete, producing stellar results in the classroom and in the Equestrian arena. Here's a closer look into these outstanding Bulldog student-athletes.
Bulldog Equestrian Captains
Morgan McDonald
Major: History and Political Science; Emphasis in Pre-Law
English captain Morgan McDonald is an outstanding student who has maintain a 4.0 GPA and earned every possible academic accomplishment available for a Bulldog student-athlete. After college, she plans to attend law school and work on a Master's degree in international business. A native of Canada, McDonald's current passion is ski racing and taking care of her horse, Parker, who joined McDonald in Fresno. Raised on horses, McDonald started riding at the age of 2. She enjoys the camaraderie of the Bulldog team and has high hopes for this season.
"Everyone has been working hard and I want that to show through at every competition this year. I want to do what I can to help my team win," Bulldog Senior Morgan McDonald
Heidi Smith
Major: Mass Communications and Journalism
Heidi Smith, the 2006-07 Bulldog Western captain, was born in the Valley and a talented high school athlete earning varsity letters in volleyball, softball and soccer. Smith came to Fresno State because of its outstanding equestrian program. She enjoys the team chemistry, especially during the training sessions and trips. Smith owns three horses including Travelin' Tina, who is on campus and one of the team's top performance horses. When she's not working with her horses, Heidi enjoys wakeboarding and snowboarding. After college, she plans to continue to compete in shows and pursue a career in advertising.
"My goal is to win a national championship in Western this year. We have a very deep team and a high-level of athletes. We are experienced and accomplished and I think we have a great chance," Bulldog Senior Heidi Smith
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