Hill College rodeo teams regionally, nationally ranked mid-season
Jessyca Brown
Monday, March 8, 2021 11:30 AM
Athletics
Hillsboro, TX
The Hill College Rodeo Teams are halfway through the 2020-2021 season, and both the men’s and women’s teams are off to a great start.
The men’s team is currently ranked No. 2 in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southern Region and No. 10 nationally with 2,093.5 points. The women’s team is currently ranked No. 4 in the region and No. 20 in the nation with 708.5 points. The NIRA is made up of over 100 colleges and universities across 11 regions nationwide.
The teams have competed in five rodeos so far and have consistently placed in the top six teams at each rodeo, with the men’s team earning first place at the Northeast Texas Community College rodeo in October. Seven members of the women’s team and 15 of the men’s team have also placed during this season’s college rodeos.
“Our team just needs to stay focused and keep doing what they do,” said Hill College’s rodeo team head coach and athletic director Paul Brown. “We need to stay healthy and keep drawing good animals. We have a really good team that is capable of having a great showing at the CNFR [College National Finals Rodeo].”
Parker Fleet, a sophomore saddle bronc rider, was the national reserve champion bronc rider at the 2019 CNFR and is currently holding first place in his event in the region and third place in the nation. This is Fleet’s third and last year rodeoing for Hill College, and he plans to rodeo full-time and make the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) after he graduates.
“Parker should walk away with the regional title and have a great shot at being a [college] national champion,” Brown said. “He has the ability to become a NFR standout for years to come. He works extremely hard at his event and is a great cowboy who can rope, bulldog or do anything to deal with a horse.”
Other standouts on the men’s rodeo team include sophomore bareback rider Tim Murphy, sophomore team roper Colton Brittain, freshman team roper Peyton Walters, and freshman calf roper and team roper Chase Webster.
“Tim is a quality bareback rider and is riding extremely well this year,” Brown said. “Colton is as good as a heeler as there is in the country, and Peyton is a great header with a good partner. Chase is a young timed-event cowboy who shows a lot of promise.”
Despite being injured at the NFR in December and falling in rankings as a result, sophomore bull rider Parker McCown is still making an impact as he’s ranked No. 3 in his event in the region and No. 21 in the nation.
“If our team can qualify for the CNFR in June, he [McCown] still has a chance to be part of that team,” said Brown.
In June, Brown added several experienced champions to his women’s team roster including freshman team and breakaway roper Jordi Edens, and freshman breakaway roper, goat tyer, barrel racer and team roper Gracie Gambino.
“Jordi is one of the top girls in breakaway roping, and Gracie has done well in goat tying,” Brown said. “Both of these girls should make a run at regional titles and help us get to the CNFR.”
Freshman team and breakaway roper Brighton Bauman, sophomore breakaway roper and goat tyer Caxton Martin, and sophomore barrel racer Laney Fowler are also performing well.
“Caxton has been roping outstanding and tying goats extremely well,” said Brown. “Laney has placed in barrel racing, and Brighton has stepped up her game in roping and become part of our team.”
Edens, Bauman and Martin are currently ranked fifth, seventh and eighth, respectively, in the region for breakaway roping.
“Our breakaway ropers have done extremely well so far winning two of the first five rodeos and have a chance to qualify for the CNFR,” Brown said. “Our women’s team has a little ground to make up to qualify, though.”
The top three ranked students in each event and the top two men’s and women’s teams from the NIRA’s 11 regions will qualify for the 2021 CNFR, which will be held in Casper, Wyo. in June. Five rodeos remain in the season.
Hill College will host its rodeo March 26-27. Over 300 contestants from 15 colleges representing NIRA’s Southern Region will compete. Performances will not be held due to COVID-19. The rodeo will start at noon on Friday, March 26, and at 10 am on Saturday, March 27. Each day will feature barrel racing, tie-down roping, bareback riding, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, goat tying, team roping and bull riding events.
Fans may attend, but masks are required, and social distancing is encouraged. Concessions will offer limited food options.
“Collegiate rodeo is going through a challenging time right now, but our students have continued to try to have as much as a normal routine in the rodeo arena as possible,” Brown said. “I am not sure what the future will hold for our sport, but with the support of our administration, we will continue to give student athletes the opportunity to have a place to learn and excel.”
For more information about the rodeo team, visit https://www.hillcollege.edu/Athletics/Rodeo/Rodeo.html or follow Hill College Athletics on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HillCollegeAthletics.
Hill College Remaining 2021 Rodeo Schedule
March 12-13 at Texas A&M University
March 26-27 at Hill College
April 16-17 at Wharton County Junior College
April 29-30 at McNeese State University
May 7-8 at Trinity Valley Community College
Hill College Rodeo Team Roster
Name Event(s) Grade Hometown
Alexi Alexi Barrel Racing SO Turner Valley, Alberta, Canada
Baylee Anderson Barrel Racing FR Whitney, TX
Brighton Bauman Breakaway Roping, FR Okeechobee, FL
Team Roping
Brooke Jordan Breakaway Roping SO Covington, GA
Brice Meyers Calf Roping SO Grandview, TX
Carsyn Sunvison Calf Roping, FR McDade, TX
Team Roping
Caxton Martin Breakaway Roping, SO Alma, KS
Goat Tying
Chase Webster Calf Roping, FR Kamas, UT
Team Roping
Chase Wilson Steer Wrestling SO Decatur, TX
Cheyenne Searcy Barrel Racing SO Whitney, TX
Coda Myers Team Roping FR Sulphur, OK
Cody Rose Bareback Riding FR Angels Camp, CA
Colton Brittain Team Roping SO Rockwall, TX
Dannion Gallagher Team Roping SO Bryan, TX
Dylan Hoffman Team Roping SO Normangee, TX
Dylan Stevenson Saddle Bronc Riding FR Kaufman, TX
Gracie Gambino Breakaway Roping FR Lindale, TX
Goat Tying, Barrel
Racing, Team Roping
Gus McKibbin Team Roping SO Tucson, AZ
Jamarcus Horace Calf Roping SO Conroe, TX
Joe York Steer Wrestling, SO Huntsville, TX
Team Roping
Jordi Edens Breakaway Roping, FR Gatesville, TX
Team Roping
Kaitlyn Burkham Breakaway Roping SO Combine, TX
Katie Burke Barrel Racing SO Carrollton, GA
Kaylee Saulters Barrel Racing FR Axtell, TX
Kelly Kendrick Barrel Racing FR Omaha, TX
Laney Fowler Barrel Racing SO Grandview, TX
Layne York Steer Wrestling, SO Huntsville, TX
Team Roping
Macey Zboril Breakaway Roping SO Caldwell, TX
Madeline Earnest Breakaway Roping, SO Pine Mountain, GA
Barrel Racing
Mallory Witherspoon Barrel Racing SO Kaufman, TX
McCray Profili Team Roping SO Anderson, TX
Meredith Scroggs Breakaway Roping, SO Kelly, LA
Goat Tying, Barrel
Racing
Morgan Elder Barrel Racing FR Caddo Mills, TX
Parker Fleet Saddle Bronc Riding SO Axtell, TX
Parker McCown Bull Riding SO Montgomery, TX
Peyton Walters Team Roping FR Justin, TX
Rance Doyal Team Roping FR Durant, OK
Regan Pavelka Barrel Racing SO Axtell, TX
Sarah Haby Breakaway Roping, SO Atascosa, TX
Goat Tying
Tanner Rawlings Bull Riding SO Bay City, TX
Tim Murphy Bareback Riding SO Simpsonville, SC
Zane Kelley Calf Roping, FR Combine, TX
Steer Wrestling