MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin women's rodeo team piled up 3,106 points after 10 regional rodeos to win the Ozark Region for the first time since 2004. Missouri Valley College was second with 2,208 points, while Southern Arkansas University was third with 2,135.

The UT Martin women finished first in four of the 10 regional rodeos, taking the team title at West Alabama, Northwest Mississippi, UT Martin and Arkansas-Monticello. The women were second at Missouri Valley College, Southern Arkansas (fall) and Southern Arkansas (spring).

By virtue of winning the Ozark Region, the UT Martin women will advance to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in June at Casper, Wyo. UT Martin's women recorded their best-ever finish at the CNFR in 1993 when they were tied for eighth.

UT Martin's Brittany Pratt and Abby McDuff finished second and fourth respectively in the women's all-around. Pratt had 773 points, while McDuff had 703 points. Both cowgirls worked more than one event throughout the year to finish among the top five in the all-around.

UT Martin had four in the top 20 of the Ozark Region's barrel racing. Heather Moore won the barrel racing title with 1,300 points, while Molly Alexander was third with 440 points. Maggie Wright was eighth and McDuff was tied for 16th.

In the breakaway roping, Pratt was fourth in the region; McDuff was tied for 12th; and Moore finished 33rd.
McDuff and Pratt were eighth and 14th in the region's goat tying event.

The UT Martin men finished second in the Ozark Region with 5,380 points, while Missouri Valley College (MVC) won the Ozark Region title with 8,705 points. Both MVC and UT Martin will advance to the CNFR.

The UT Martin men finished second in last year's Ozark Region, advanced to the CNFR and finished ninth in the nation. In 2008, UT Martin finished third in the nation.
Cory Kirk and Jordan Thrasher were seventh and eighth in the region in the men's final all-around standings.

UT Martin's Chase Miller was fourth in the saddle bronc riding competition while Evans Alley and Ty Hughston finished seventh and eighth.
Josh Chase and Casey Cason were second and third respectively in the bareback riding, while Jeff Askey won the bull riding title.

UT Martin's Zach Jackson will advance to the CNFR with his second-place finish in the Ozark Region's bull riding. Jackson grabbed his ticket to the national finals by virtue of bucking the only bull in the region's final rodeo at Arkansas-Monticello.

#UT MARTIN#