Baylor EQ Announces 10 Signees for 2025-26

[Allen, Madelon]


BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Nov. 13, 2024

Baylor EQ Announces 10 Signees for 2025-26
Bears add new riders on Signing Day

For more information contact: Madelon Allen; 254-252-7168, madelon_allen at baylor.edu

WACO, Texas – The Baylor Equestrian program has signed 10 new Bears for the 2025-26 roster, announced Wednesday.

Head Coach Casie Maxwell brings on six Jumping Seat riders along with four for Western, including two Reiners and two for Horsemanship.

“We are really excited about this class and what they will bring to our program next year,” said Maxwell. “All of them have a wealth of experience in the competition arena, but more so, they embody the values and energy that will complement our team culture. We can’t wait to get them to Waco next year!”

Jumping Seat
Lila Badham – Honolulu, Hawaii – Punahou High School
Earned fourth in the 2024 National Horse Show Hamel 3’3 Championship … Earned 2nd and 7th in the 16-17 Equitation Division at the National Horse Show in 2024 … Earned 8th at the USHJA Jumping Seat Medal Finals – West Coast in 2024, earned 3rd  in the jumping phase … Emerging Athletes Program National Finalist in 2024, one of just 16 to participate in the clinic … Recipient of the 2024 Shelby Drazan Memorial Award … Named the recipient of the 2024 Leo Conroy Equitation Grant … Outside of equestrian, she was on the varsity Canoe Paddling team for three years … Volunteers at Therapeutic Horsemanship Hawaii … Intends to major in Economics at Baylor … Daughter of Shawn and Kent Badham … Has two older brothers, Shay and Brody.

Sofia Barquin – Alpharetta, Ga. – Rivers Academy
Earned 3rd overall in the 16-17 Age Group Equitation on the Flat at the National Horse show with 22 people in the class … Earned 12th out of 40 in the 16 year-old age group Equitation at Capital Challenge in 2023 … Named top-30 in the Flat at the Jump Seat Finals with a score of 85.6 … Has earned numerous Championship and Reserve Championships in the 15-17 Age Group for Equitation and 3’6 Hunters… Qualified for the NHS Hamel Medal Finals twice … Qualified for the USEF/NCEA East Coast Medal Finals twice … Qualified for the Jump Seat Meal Finals twice … Outside of equestrian she is a 2024 Teen League Basketball Champion … An Honor Roll and National Honor Society student … Leader at her church where she teaches underclassmen every Monday and Sunday … Has raked in over 300 hours of community service for three years in a row .. Traveled to El Salvador on a week-long mission trip where they built three houses; has also traveled outside Nashville on a mission trip as well … Plans to study Biology on the Pre-Veterinary track at Baylor … Daughter of Kelly and Alfredo Barquin … Has an older brother, Lucas.

Allison Dodds – Wimberly, Texas – Wimberly High School
Named top-6 in 2023 in the WCHR South Central Regional Standings… Ranked 32/370 nationally for 3’6 Junior Hunters … Qualified for the 2023 USHJA Hunter Seat Medal Final, 2024 Maclay Regionals, 2023 and 2024 Hamel 3’3” Medal Finals, and the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Junior Hunter Finals ... Ran cross country and track and field for her high school … Was the team captain of the team since 2023 … Has been on varsity cross country and track since 2021 … Was a regional qualifier for track every year since 2021 … District relay champion in the 4x4 in 2023 and area champion in 2023 … A state qualifier for cross country in 2024 … She created, coordinated and led track practice during spring break 2023 where she coached high school and middle school girls … Organized and led a summer running club to improve the team’s district performance from last in 2023 to 5th in the region in 2024 … Has a GPA of 4.791, top 10% in her class … Intends to major in Economics at Baylor … Has completed a manuscript for publication, Perspective, a book about her experience with OCD … Aspires to be a publisher one day … Consistently completed a minimum of 20 hours of community service per year throughout high school … Worked in various food banks, assisted with welcoming freshmen to “Fish Camp” in 2023 and 2024, has provided support at middle school track meets since freshman year … Participated in environmental cleanup efforts, including trash pickup at Jacob’s Well Elementary School … Volunteered at holiday events, distributing food and clothing to the homeless … Daughter of Cody Broadstreet and Doug Dodds … Has three siblings, Will Dodds, Emily Dodds and Kennedy Guera … Related to Deloss Dodds who is the former Athletic Director at the University of Texas.

Morgan McCarthy – Grafton, Mass. – Laurel Springs School
2022 National Horse Show Champion in 14-15 Equitation … 2022 NHS/Hamel Medal Final 10th place finish … 2022 eighth-place finish in New England Equitation Championships … 2022 MHC Junior Medal Champion … 2023 Rhode Island Junior Medal Champion … 2024 Capital Challenge 16 Year Old Equitation Champion … Went to high school based in Ojai, Calif. … Plans to study Business Management at Baylor … Daughter to Leslie Michniewcz and Michael McCarthy … Has an older sister, Samantha McCarthy.

Nyla Semaan – Tampa, Fla. – Sickles High School
Finished second in the USEF/NCEA Finals – East in 2024 … Earned 9th at the NHS Finals in 2024 … 3rd in the Gymnastic Phase USHJA Jumping Seat Finals 2024 … Did community service work with Vista Gardens, beach clean-ups and hurricane relief clean up … Is ServSafe certified and has a Greenhand Degree … Daughter to Karen and Rabih Semaan … Has two older sisters, Myah and Talia.

Emma Vandenhouten – Plantation, Fla. – Calvary Christian Academy
Reserve Champion Devon in 2024, two jumping class wins in the older Small Junior Hunters … Qualified for the 2024 $100,000 WEF Hunter Spectacular Night Class … Earned the Buttons and Bows Sportsmanship Award at the 2018 USEF Pony Finals … Assistant athletic trainer, Mia Cake House Camp volunteer, The Hands and Feet Charity Event counselor, Help and Hope Charity Event counselor and Lilies at Nursery Place volunteer .. Honor Roll member and part of the National Honor Society … Plans to study Medical Humanities at Baylor … Related to Heather Broadbent, a former collegiate golfer at the University of Kentucky and professional golfer … Daughter of Allison and Aaron Vandenhouten … Has a younger brother, Hunter.

Western
HORSEMANSHIP
Taylor Eller – Krum, Texas – Valley View High School
Multiple APHA World & Reserve World Championships … Multiple top-10’s at the 2024 AQHYA World Show … Reserve Champion in the showmanship at the 2024 L1 West Championship … Competed in volleyball and track and field for Valley View … Earned multiple track MOPs… Also earned Most Improved Player for volleyball … Academic All-District for track and volleyball … Member of the A Honor Roll and National Honor Society … Plans to major in Finance at Baylor … Daughter of Tiffany Null … Has a younger brother, Jackson.

Addison Webb – Spring Grove, Ill. – Richmond Burton Community High School
2024 IBHA and NSBA World Champion in Open Trail,14-18 HMS,14-18 SMS, and 14-18 Trail … L2 Justin Exhibitor of the Year  … 2023 Reserve Congress Champion L1 SMS 14-18 and Top 3 NYATT SMS … 2023 L1 East Championship Finalist in 14-18 HMS … 2021 ABRA 13u All-Around Champion … Vice President of the National Honors Society … member of the Math Team …  Class Council President and member of H.E.R.O.S. … Illinois State Scholar … AP Scholar Award … named four times to the High Honor Roll … Plans to study Business Marketing with Sports Strategy and Sales Track at Baylor … Parents are Nancy and Philip Webb … Has an older sister, Savannah.

REINING
Chloe Cannon – Driftwood, Texas – Dripping Springs High School
Two-time TRFAM Qualifier … TRHA Ranch Fuel Rookie L2 Shootout Qualifier … AQYHA World Show Shootout Qualifier … NRHA Derby Unrestricted Youth Champion … Hays County Junior Livestock All-Around Champion … State 4-H Championship and Reserve Championship … Great Summer Slides Youth Championship … Plans to major in Business at Baylor … Daughter of M’liss and Mike Cannon.

Lenzi Halling – College Station, Texas – College Station High School
Currently the 2024 STRHA year-end leader in the Non-Pro, Int Non-Pro, Limited Non-Pro, and Youth 14-18 … Several top Non-Pro, Int Non-Prop, and Limited Non-Pro finishes … First in Youth 14-18 at the 2024 100x Cowtown Classic, 100x Brazos Slide and NRHA Derby … 2024 AQHYA World Show 11th place finish in Level 3 Reining 11th place and 14th place in Level 2 Reining … 2023 STRHA Year-End leader in Youth 14-18 … 2023 AQHYA World Show 13th place finish in Level 3 Reining and 6th place in Level 2 Reining … First place finish at Run for a Million Rookie Qualifier at the NRHA Derby 2023 … AP Scholar with Honor … National Honor Society member … Member of the marching band and concert band … Community service with the Animal Humane Society, trash collection and more … Plans to major in Biology at Baylor … Daughter of Jennifer and Derek Halling … Has two older brothers, Jeremy and Jacob.

To stay up to date all year long on all things Baylor equestrian, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorEQ.

- BaylorBears.com -



__________________________________

Madelon Allen | Associate Director of Athletics Communications
A&T, EQ, VB, BaylorBears.com
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-252-7168

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