Fresno State Athletics
Equestrian
- Title:
- Assistant Hunt Seat Coach
- Email:
- khewsonbudnik@csufresno.edu
- Phone:
- 559-278-8526
In her fourth season in 2016-17, the team went 9-8 (4-1 UEC) and won the consolation finals in the UEC postseason tournament and reached the second round of the NCEA National Championship tournament for the second time. During the season, the Bulldogs took down two No.1-ranked teams for the first time in program history and were ranked as high as No. 5 nationally.
Senior western rider Taylor Brown was named NCEA first-team All-America in Reining for the third time and NCEA second-team All-America in Horsemanship for the second time, while junior Rachel Williams earned an NCEA second-team All-America selection in Horsemanship, her second NCEA yearly honor. Brown was also named the UEC Reining Rider of the Year and UEC Horsemanship Rider of the Year, while freshman Shea Gilson was chosen as the UEC Freshman Reining Rider of the Year. During the season, a Bulldog was named NCEA Rider of the Month four times and UEC Rider of the Month seven times, both program records.
Throughout the 2016-17 season, Horsemanship was the strongest event for the Bulldogs, going 41-24-8 in competitions. In Reining, the 'Dogs went 32-41-3 and Fresno State was 32-41-1 in Equitation Over Fences and 31-39-6 in Equitation on the Flat.
In her third season in 2015-16, the team went 4-10 (4-2 UEC) and fell in the first round of the NCEA National Championship tournament. Junior western rider Taylor Brown was named NCEA first-team All-America in Reining, sophomore Sierra Swaffar earned an NCEA first-team All-America selection in Equitation on the Flat, and sophomore Taylor Dixon was chosen for the NCEA All-America Second Team for her performances in Horsemanship. UEC Riders of the Year included Brown for Reining, Swaffar for Equitation on the Flat and Dixon for Horsemanship. Taeya Harle was named UEC Freshman Rider of the Year for Horsemanship. During the season, a Bulldog was named NCEA Rider of the Month three times and UEC Rider of the Month four times.
In her second season in 2014-15, Fresno State won the United Equestrian Conference (UEC) championship and was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally. In April, the Bulldogs capped off the season by reaching the quarterfinal round at the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) National Championships, falling to eventual national champion South Carolina.
Under the tutelage of Hubbard and HewsonBudnik freshman Rachel Williams was named the UEC Horsemanship Rider of the Year while two other Bulldogs won UEC Rider of the Month accolades last season. Williams and Taylor Brown were both named All-Americans by the NCEA in 2015.
The Bulldogs registered some big wins during the 2014-15 season, in February Fresno State defeated No. 2 Baylor and in 2015 defeated three teams ranked top six nationally.
As a student-athlete at Fresno State HewsonBudnik was a strong leader in both English events, Equitation on the Flat and Equitation over Fences while serving as a Hunt Seat Competition committee member for the Bulldog equestrian team.
The four-year varsity letter was named the Most Valuable Player during the 2012-13 season and garnered two All-American Honorable Mention honors during her colligate career – Equitation Over Fences (2010-11), Equitation on the Flat (2011-12).
HewsonBudnik graduated from Westlake High School where she hails from the same training stable as former Bulldog standout, Katie Nenneker.
