EMCC women match season-best finish with second-place team showing at Southern Arkansas University rodeo

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Matching their highest finish of the season, the East Mississippi Community College Lady Lions placed second this past weekend at the Southern Arkansas University Intercollegiate Rodeo.  The three-day event concluded Saturday night at the new, $4.4 million SAU Story Arena and Farmers Bank Reception Center.

Equaling their second-place team finish scored at the University of West Alabama-hosted rodeo in the fall, the EMCC women totaled 280 points to fall just 25 points shy of women's team champion Missouri Valley College.  On the men's side, East Mississippi finished in a sixth-place tie with Troy University.  With 855 team points, Tennessee-Martin scored a sizable victory over runner-up Missouri Valley (485 pts) and host Southern Arkansas (385).

Freshman cowgirl Sierra Waldrep led the way for the EMCC Lady Lions by securing 220 points in two events to claim the women's all-around title at the SAU rodeo.  The Town Creek, Ala., native won the breakaway roping competition with a total time of 6.5 seconds, including a long-go clocking of 2.9 seconds.  In addition, both she and teammate Hayley Jo Knox, from Olin, N.C., scored team points in the barrel racing event.

In men's competition, Lion freshman cowboy Tucker Evans, of Ocala, Fla., placed second in saddle bronc riding to claim the team's 110 points.  Additionally for EMCC, Oak Hill Academy product Palmer White scored in the steer wrestling event.

Coach Morgan Goodrich's East Mississippi rodeo teams will play host to the fourth event of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's Ozark Region spring schedule, March 27-29, at Eagle Ranch in West Point.