Campus Equestrian: Zone 4, Region 3 Home Page

IHSA ZONE 4 - REGION 3

The 2025-26 season was the start of a new era for Zone 4, Region 3. For the past two decades St. Andrews University was close to a lock to win the region for both hunter seat and western. But with the Laurinburg, North Carolina school closing its' doors last May other programs were destined to take the blue ribbons that had previously gone to the Knights. During St. Andrews' final IHSA season North Carolina State University was in a close race for the top spot in the Region 3 hunter seat team standings, ultimately finishing only three points out of first place. One of the reasons for this was first year head coach Carly Parent (on right). Though the Wolfpack came up short in both 2025 and 2026 they do in fact have the only Region 3 hunter seat rider headed to 2026 IHSA Nationals in Sadie Parker (on left). Parker placed second in individual intermediate flat at both Regionals (which was when this photo was taken) and again at Zones in Towson, Maryland on April 4th (photo courtesy of Lindsey Allen).

The team which won the 2026 Region 3 hunter seat Region Title is the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. This was the first time in program history that the Seahawks won a region title and as far as we can tell UNC-W had never finished as high as second prior to this season. Julia Mangual of UNC-W is seen here after placing second in individual open flat at Regionals on March 1st. Mangual rode twice at Zones on April 4th, placing fourth in individual open flat and third in team open flat. Mangual was the only member of the Seahawks to place above fourth in a team class that day (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

Lindsey Allen (not pictured), who competes for East Carolina University, took nearly all the photos you will see on this page at the moment. Allen took a great many photos during Regionals which the Pirates hosted at Cottonwood Farm on March 1st. Several of these photos show the top two riders in one of the Regional classes side-by-side including this photo of UNC-Charlotte's Aleta Luyendyk (on left) and North Carolina State's Jenna Nelson (on right). A junior from Raleigh, North Carolina, Luyendyk won individual open over fences at Regionals and followed it up with a fifth in the division as Goucher College hosted Zones on April 4th. From Hillsborough, North Carolina, Nelson followed up her second with a seventh over open fences at Goucher to close out her junior year (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

For several seasons now Courtney Blackwell (on left) has been the head coach of both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. In this photo Blackwell is the Duke coach. On the right is Zoe Foose of Duke, who is seen here with a blue ribbon won in individual intermediate over fences at Regionals on March 1st (you can even see some of the awards table on the right). Foose closed out the season with a fourth in the same division at Zones (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

At least two Region 3 regular season shows as well as Regionals were held at Cottonwood Farm (Region 3 held a total of five regular season shows). And the only rider from host school East Carolina University to place top two at Regionals is Lauren Heath (on left). A senior from New Bern, North Carolina, Heath was second in individual limit fences at Regionals and ninth in the division at Zones to close out four seasons with the Pirates. On the right is Georgia Boggess of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. From Winston - Salem, North Carolina, Boggess followed up her win at Regionals in limit fences with two rides at Zones. After placing fifth in team intermediate fences Boggess closed out her senior year by placing eighth in the individual limit over fences a short time later on April 4th (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill had five rides at '26 Regionals including one for Kylie Smith (pictured). Smith was second in individual introductory equitation on March 1st and closed out the season with a sixth in the same class at Zones just over one month later (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

North Carolina State University advanced four riders through Regionals to Zones. Sarah Toll of the Wolfpack (on left) posed with coach Parent after placing second at Cottonwood in intermediate fences. Toll would finish sixth in the division at Zones (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

Previously we saw coach Blackwell with a Duke rider. Now coach Blackwell is seen with Sydney Woodroof of the Tar Heels. A blue ribbon winner in individual open flat at Regionals, Woodroof was the first of two University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill riders to compete at Zones on April 4th. Woodroof was sixth in individual open flat at Zones, which for once was held under sunny skies in Towson, Maryland (rain in 2023 and snow in 2015 fell the last two times Goucher had hosted; Photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte advanced two riders to Zone 4 Zones, with Sophie Croker Poole (on left) being the second one to go forward. Seen here with 49'ers head coach Debbie Campbell, Croker Poole won the individual limit flat at Regionals and placed tenth in the division at Zones (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

Darcy Johnston of North Carolina State University (pictured) was second to Croker Poole at Regionals and sixth in individual limit flat at Zones to close out her junior year (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

Coach Blackwell is seen here with yet another Chapel Hill rider in Ali O'Brien (on right). A sophomore from McLean, Virginia, O'Brien won the individual intermediate on the flat class at Regionals one place ahead of Parker (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

Seen here at the November 10, 2024 East Carolina show, McKenzie Morgan of Duke University holds "Cha Ching" after placing second in open flat. A junior from Blufton, South Carolina, Morgan finished on top of the Region 3 hunter seat open rider standings for the 2025-26 season. We are checking the record books to find out the last time a Duke rider led the region in open points and competed at Zones in the Cacchione Cup class.

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington had in fact finished only five points behind NC State and eight behind St. Andrews in 2024-25, so the jump to first place might not have been as much of a surprise to those familiar with Region 3. Seahawks head coach Carter Hewett (on left) is seen here with Grace Mock, who had just won the individual introductory division at Regionals when this photo was taken. Mock just missed going to Nationals individually, placing third at Zones in the individual intro class. The Seahawks had five individual rides at Zones not to mention a full hunter seat team entered (photo courtesy Lindsey Allen).

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The Zone 4, Region 3 Smorgasbord

Schools competing in Zone 4, Region 3 during the 2025-2026 school year: Davidson College, Duke University, East Carolina University, Elon University, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Charlotte and University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Winter/Spring 2026 Show Schedule for Zone 4, Region 3:

Sunday, February 15 East Carolina University (Host) at Cottonwood Farm, Vanceboro, NC 10:00AM ENGLISH ONLY - RE-SCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY 8TH

Sunday, March 1 Zone 4, Region 3 Hunter Seat Regionals at Cottonwood Farm, Vanceboro, NC Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Saturday, March 7 Virginia Tech (Host) at the Alphin - Stuart Livestock Arena, Blacksburg, VA 9:00AM 2 WESTERN ONLY - RE-SCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY 13 AND 14

Sunday, March 8 Zone 4, Region 3 Western Regionals at the Alphin - Stuart Livestock Arena, Blacksburg, VA 10:00AM WESTERN ONLY - RE-SCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY 15TH

Saturday, March 21 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 1 Hosted by New Mexico State University at the New Mexico State Equestrian Center, Las Cruces, NM Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Sunday, March 22 WESTERN SEMIFINALS - DAY 2 Hosted by New Mexico State University at the New Mexico State Equestrian Center, Las Cruces, NM Time TBA WESTERN ONLY

Saturday, April 4 ZONE 4 ZONES Hosted by Goucher College on campus, Towson, MD Time TBA ENGLISH ONLY

Friday through Sunday, May 1 - 3 IHSA NATIONALS at Tryon International Equestrian Center, Mill Spring, NC Time each day TBA ENGLISH AND WESTERN

North Carolina State University shows Western with schools from other regions. Show Schedule subject to change.

Recent Region 3 Team Champions (Region 3 created from a portion of Region 2 prior to the 1999-2000 season; Western introduced to Region 3 in the fall of 2005):

Hunter Seat:

2000 - Virginia Intermont College
2001 - Virginia Intermont College
2002 - Virginia Intermont College
2003 - Virginia Intermont College
2004 - Virginia Intermont College (2003-04
IHSA Hunter Seat National Champions)
2005 - Virginia Intermont College (2004-05
IHSA Hunter Seat National Champions)
2006 - Virginia Intermont College
2007 - Virginia Intermont College (2006-07
IHSA Hunter Seat National Champions)
2008 - Virginia Intermont College
2009 - Virginia Intermont College
2010 - Virginia Intermont College
2011 - St. Andrews Presbyterian College
2012 - St. Andrews University
2013 - St. Andrews University
2014 - St. Andrews University
2015 - St. Andrews University
2016 - St. Andrews University
2017 - East Carolina University
2018 - St. Andrews University
2019 - St. Andrews University
2020 - St. Andrews University
2022 - St. Andrews University
2023 - St. Andrews University
2024 - St. Andrews University
2025 - St. Andrews University
2026 - University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Western:

2006 - St. Andrews Presbyterian College
2007 - St. Andrews Presbyterian College
2008 - St. Andrews Presbyterian College
2009 - St. Andrews Presbyterian College
2010 - St. Andrews Presbyterian College
2011 - St. Andrews Presbyterian College
2012 - St. Andrews University
2013 - St. Andrews University
2014 - St. Andrews University
2015 - St. Andrews University
2016 - St. Andrews University (2015-16
IHSA Western Co-National Champions)
2017 - St. Andrews University (2016-17
IHSA Western National Champions)
2018 - St. Andrews University
2019 - St. Andrews University
2020 - St. Andrews University
2022 - St. Andrews University
2023 - St. Andrews University
2024 - St. Andrews University
2025 - St. Andrews University
2026 - Clemson University

Regional Qualifiers

Open Level Rider Standings

Team Standings

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