The ranking comes after a fast start to the 2026-27 season. The unranked Hornets opened Sept. 24 against Texas A&M, then ranked No. 2 in the NCEA, and lost 13-5. They still won the reining event, tied the Aggies in the western portion and claimed two of the four Most Outstanding Performer awards. Freshman Daicey Richardson earned MOP honors in equitation on the flat with a team-best 87 aboard Tito. Senior Bailey Henderson took MOP in reining with a 69.5 aboard Waldo. Texas A&M sits at No. 5 in this week's poll.

The Hornets followed with a statement win Sept. 25 at Redstone Ranch, sweeping all four events and all four MOP awards in a 15-4 victory over Minnesota Crookston. Delaware State finished with 1,403.5 total points to Minnesota Crookston's 1,330. Sophomore Melissa Acker earned MOP in fences with a 90 aboard Gino, Richardson earned MOP in equitation on the flat with an 88 aboard Baxter, sophomore Cheyenne Brand earned MOP in horsemanship with a 73 aboard Maverick and Raegan Rapier earned MOP in reining with a 70 aboard Wally.

Four Hornets riders were later named ECAC Riders of the Week for their play on opening weekend.
The ranking builds on momentum from last spring, when Delaware State opened the ECAC Championship with a 12-7 win over then-No. 5 Minnesota Crookston. The Hornets also tied the Western scoring total with South Dakota State at 708.5 in February and posted higher raw scores than Minnesota Crookston in a close February loss.
Coach Jennifer Ridgely says, "Earning a place in the NCEA Top 10 is something our entire program takes pride in. Our student-athletes have worked tirelessly throughout the season, and this ranking is a testament to their determination, resilience, and belief in one another. We're excited about the progress we've made and focused on continuing to build on our success."

Delaware State competes in the NCEA and is a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Come see the team on their next meet date January 22^nd against South Dakota State University.
For more information on Delaware State equestrian, visit dsuhornets.com or follow the team on X (@DSUEquestrian) and Instagram (@delstateequestrian).