Meghan Boenig - Equestrian Coach - University of Georgia Athletics

Meghan Boenig

Title:
Equestrian Head Coach
Email:
mboenig@sports.uga.edu
Phone:
706-310-2215

Meghan Boenig came to Georgia in October of 2001 as the first head coach of the Georgia equestrian program. During her time with the Bulldogs, Boenig has led the program to unprecedented heights including seven National Titles, six Southern Equestrian Championships, seven reserve championships, three Southeastern Conference titles and an 86-14 dual-meet regular season record at home. Boenig also helped lead the charge of restructuring Varsity Equestrian to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association in the fall of 2011 and has served in NCEA leadership roles, including president.

An undefeated 6-0 home record, including five Jumping Seat competition sweeps (three Fences and two Flat), highlighted the 2023-24 season as the Georgia equestrian team finished 9-6 on the season. The Bulldogs finished third at the SEC Championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCEA National Championship. Senior Jordan Toering and junior Catalina Peralta were named to the All-SEC Flat Team. Toering was also named to the NCEA Ariat All-America first team after posting 10 wins on the season and receiving one MOP honor against Baylor.

Under Boenig’s leadership, eight Bulldogs received All-SEC honors and five were tabbed NCEA All-America riders. She coached the Flat team to a team-leading 45 individual wins with eight riders garnering MOP honors throughout the season. Senior Sophia Pilla posted a 5-1 home record and was undefeated during the spring season. She received the highest Flat score over all three days of competition at the NCEA Championships and earned three MOP honors against UT Martin, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. Pilla rode to a high score of 91 against Baylor, recording the highest score of all Bulldogs for the season.

The Bulldogs finished third at the SEC Championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCEA National Championship. Senior Ceci Bresch was named the SEC Flat Rider of the Year after riding to a 12-4 record overall. She won a total of six MOPs and received NCEA First Team All-America honors. She rode to four scores that were higher than any other SEC Flat rider.
Seven Bulldogs received All-SEC honors and six riders claimed NCEA All-America nods. Boenig coached the Bulldog Flat squad to scoring the top eight scores among all SEC riders throughout season. Sophia Pilla scored a 99 in Flat against South Carolina which is the highest score among all SEC riders this season, tying the best score in program history. She’s only the third Bulldog to achieve the near-perfect mark and the first since 2019. Bresch received a Flat score of 97 twice in the same day against South Carolina and Sweet Briar. Nora Andrews scored a 97 at Texas A&M. A Flat score of 97 is the second highest score among all SEC riders this season and the fourth highest Flat score in Georgia program history.

Under Boenig’s leadership in the 2021-22 season, Sophomore Jordan Toering and junior Caitlin Lyons were named SEC Rider of the Year for Flat and Reining, respectively. Jillian Stopperich was named Freshman Co-Horsemanship Rider of the Year while Jax Bound was named the Freshman Reining Rider of the Year. Eight Riders garnered 11 All-SEC honors and seven riders claimed eight NCEA All-America honors.  The team finished the season in the quarterfinal round of the NCEA National Championship with a 8-6 overall record and third place finish in the SEC. Ranked sixth in the nation, Georgia upset No. 1 Auburn, 13-7 at home.  It marked the first win against Auburn since the 2018 SEC Championship, and the first at home since 2016.  It was the largest margin of victory over the Tigers since 2015 in the first round of the SEC Championship. Additionally, Bulldogs shattered records under Boenig’s watch. Toering scored a 97.5 in Flat in the regular season finale against UT Martin, which is the fifth highest in program history.  Sara Lewis broke an SEC Championship record in Horsemanship, scoring a 231 for her ride, which tied with Auburn’s Olivia Tordoff at the conclusion of the championship weekend. The previous high score of 225.5 was set in 2019.  Jax Bound’s score of 219.5 is the best Reining score recorded in SEC Championship history.  The previous high score was a 215.5, also set in 2019.

During the 2020-21 season, Boenig led the Georgia equestrian team to the program’s seventh National Championship. The team’s accomplishments earned her NCEA Coach of the Year recognition. After finishing a conference-only regular season with a 3-3 dual-meet record, the Georgia equestrian team earned a second-place finish at the Southeastern Conference Championship. Under Boenig, five riders were named to the All-SEC teams, five freshmen were selected to the SEC All-Freshman team and Jordan Toering was named the SEC Freshman Fences Rider of the Year. Under her guidance, three riders landed spots on NCEA All-American teams, while 13 earned a place as NCEA Academic All-Americans and another 27 were named to the NCEA Academic Honor Roll. Boenig also saw senior Ali Tritschler crowned as the Most Valuable Players of the NCEA Championship in Flat, as well as eight riders named to the NCEA All-Championship team.

Before the 2019-20 season ended abruptly due to COVID-19, the Bulldogs went 6-6 in regular season action, finishing the season ranked sixth overall.  In the final event rankings, the reigning Fences national champions finished this year ranked third and defeated all Southeastern Conference opponents. The Flat squad finished sixth with eight wins. On the Western side, Horsemanship checked in at No. 8 and Reining ranked tenth.

Five Bulldogs received All-America recognition from the NCEA. Senior Ali Tritschler named to the second team for both Flat and Fences, while junior Jordan Carpenter was tabbed to the second team for Reining. Sophomore Sara Lewis (Horsemanship), senior Grace Bridges (Flat), and junior Hayley Mairano(Flat) were all given Honorable Mention for their respective disciplines. Additionally, Tritschler garnered All-SEC awards for both Fences and Flat, while senior Bridges was recognized for Flat. Carpenter received the honors for Reining.

Under Boenig’s direction in 2018-19, the Georgia equestrian team finished as the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Reserve National Champions and claimed four out of seven event national titles to complete the season. Georgia won national titles in Horsemanship, Reining and Equitation Over Fences at the 2019 NCEA Championship. The Bulldogs were also crowned overall Western discipline champions.

Senior Graysen Stroud earned SEC Reining Rider of the Year on top of Courtney Blumer and Sarah Lewis receiving SEC Freshman Rider of the Year accolades for Reining and Horsemanship, respectively.  Numerous riders received All-SEC NCEA Ariat All-America recognition across all events. Additionally, at the conclusion of the academic year, Emma Mandarino was a Top 30 nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

In 2017-18, four-time SEC Coach of the Year, Boenig and her team defended their SEC title and rode to a Reserve National Champion finish at the NCEA National Championship. Georgia claimed four SEC and two NCEA Rider of the Year awards in addition to seven Bulldogs earning nine NCEA Ariat All-America honors. Boenig also coached her squad to a NCEA Equitation on the Flat National Championship.

In 2016-17, Georgia was crowned SEC Champions and NCEA Reserve National Champions after riding to a 9-4 regular season record. Under Boenig’s direction, Meg O’Mara was named SEC Rider of the Year and Sydney Hutchins was named SEC Freshman Rider of the Year for both Hunter Seat events. Georgia had four riders claim six spots on All-SEC teams and five riders earned seven NCEA All-America honors.

For the 2016-17 season, the Bulldogs finished second as hosts of the 2016 SEC Equestrian Championships and went on to finish tied for third at the NCEA National Championship. Five riders were named SEC Rider of the Year and one earned All-Championship Team honors at the SEC and NCEA Championships for Equitation on the Flat.

Georgia claimed the Southeastern Conference Championship with Boenig at the helm during the 2014-15 season. It was the program’s first ever-SEC title since the sport was adopted by the conference in 2013. At the SEC championship, Boenig had two riders named to the SEC All-Championship team. The Bulldogs then rode to a reserve championship finish at the 2015 NCEA National Championship after posting a 9-4 record in the regular season. Under Boenig, Georgia put eleven riders on All-SEC teams and claimed six of a possible eight SEC Rider of the Year honors. Boenig also had seven riders earn NCEA All-America honors and 13 named to NCEA Academic All-America Teams. At the national championship, Boenig saw two riders earn Most Outstanding Player awards and three riders named to the NCEA All-Championship team.

During the 2013-14 season, Boenig led the Georgia equestrian team to the program’s sixth National Championship. After finishing the regular season with a 9-3 dual-meet record, the Georgia equestrian team earned a second-place finish at the Southeastern Conference Championship. Under Boenig, seven riders were named to the All-SEC teams, two freshman selected to the SEC All-Freshman team and two riders were named as the SEC Riders of the Year. Under her guidance, six riders landed seven spots on NCEA All-American teams, while 12 earned a place as NCEA Academic All-Americans and another 19 were named to the NCEA Academic Honor Roll. Boenig also saw two riders crowned as the Most Valuable Players of the NCEA Championship, as well as three riders named to the NCEA All-Championship team.

Boenig is a 1999 graduate of Berry College where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. Prior to her arrival at Georgia in October of 2001, she spent two years as an assistant coach at Texas A&M during which time she also earned a Master’s Degree in Animal Science.

Her two seasons at Texas A&M were deciding factors in her hiring as the Bulldogs’ inaugural head coach. Georgia sought a coach with the knowledge of working hand-in-hand with a university’s Animal Science community in forging a new equestrian team, something the Aggies had enjoyed during her tenure there.

The former Meghan Nolan is married to Markus Boenig. They are proud parents of two sons, Josef and Mathew.