Troy Women Look to Extend Streak at NWMCC

Ozark Region Standings

SENATOBIA, Miss. – With a 500-point advantage in the Ozark Region point standings, and three consecutive team wins dating back to February, the Troy women's rodeo team will look to add to its momentum this weekend as it travels to Northwest Mississippi Community College for the fourth out of five stops on the spring Ozark Region tour.

The Trojans had consistent results last fall, but have since caught momentum and opened up a large lead over Southern Arkansas in the women's team standings. The women, with 2,283 points and just two events to go, is looking to make a run for qualifying at the College National Finals Rodeo this June in Casper, Wyo. The men have recently improved on their finishing results, and have jumped to seventh in the Ozark Region men's team standings with 1,055 points.

The majority of the women's team's points have come in the breakaway roping, goat tying, and barrel racing events, as a Trojan leads in breakaway with two Trojan Spurs in the top-five of the goat tying standings.

Kelsey Kennemer has totaled 443 points this season in breakaway roping, and takes a 75-point lead into the weekend over second-place Chelsey Merrigan of Missouri Valley.

Four Trojans enter the weekend in the top-15 in goat tying, with Kassandra Smith and Kesia Smith tied for second with 520 points each. Southern Arkansas' Loni Pearce has held a substantial lead over all competitors all season, but now sits with just a 10-point advantage over the duo of Trojans in Kesia and Kassandra Smith. Lanie Culligan sits sixth in the standings with 340 points, while Kennemer enters 13^th with 140 points.

Morgan Sellars is the only Trojan to appear in the barrel racing's top-15 standings, and sits 14^th with 140 points.

On the men's side, Zack Mabry and Nelson Wyatt continue to turn in consistent results to count towards the team score, and both appear within the top-five of their respective events. Mabry, who has been paired with Tennessee-Martin's Ben Walker all season, enters the weekend in third in team roping with 445 points, just 10 off second place Ben Runyon and Riley Grisham.

Wyatt's most successful event as of late is the tie down roping category, where he has jumped to sixth in points with 290, and also sits 10^th in steer wrestling with 220 points. Wyatt's success has contributed to 510 total points and ranks him eighth in the men's all-around category entering this weekend's action.

The ninth stop for Troy will begin Thursday night and will run through Saturday at the Northwest Mississippi Community College Multipurpose Arena. The main event will begin at 7:30 each night, and will feature collegiate athletes from 20 different colleges and universities across the nation.

Be sure to check back with www.TroyTrojans.com following Saturday night's short-go round for a recap of the weekend's action, and an update on the Ozark Region points standings.

For more information, be sure to visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can find Troy Athletics on Twitter at @TroyAthletics, Troy Rodeo at @TroyRodeo, and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics, or www.Facebook.com/TroyUniversityRodeoTeam.

Troy University Athletics

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