Delaware State Hornets Equestrian Team to Battle for 2011 National Championship

Waco, TX - The field is now set after the Varsity Equestrian Selection Committee chose the 2011 Varsity Equestrian National Championship (VENC) seeds. This year’s championship will be held April 14-16, 2011, in Waco, TX, and is expected to provide plenty of excitement throughout the competition as the top 12 teams in the country battle it out for the overall national championship title.

In the hunter seat bracket, Auburn University was selected as the No. 1 seed, followed by The University of Georgia as the No. 2 seed. Host institution, Baylor University, will be the third seed, followed by Big 12 foe, Oklahoma State University. Texas A&M University will be seeded fifth, followed by The University of South Carolina (6), Fresno State University (7), Kansas State University (8), Texas Christian University (9), University of Tennessee-Martin (10), Delaware State University (11) and New Mexico State University (12).

On the western side, Texas A&M University earned the No. 1 seed after an impressive 11-1 season. Oklahoma State University will be seeded in the No. 2 spot, followed by Auburn University in the third seed. The University of Georgia rounds out the team who earned a bye with the No. 4 seed. The University of South Carolina will start in the fifth seed, followed by Texas Christian (6), Kansas State (7), Baylor University (8), New Mexico State University (9), University of Tennessee-Martin (10), Fresno State University (11) and Delaware State University (12).

2011 DSU Equestrian Team (Roster - Click Here)
(Photo: DSU SID/Mike Baker)

Complete brackets are available at www.varsityequestrian.com. You can also follow along during the competition at www.baylorbears.com.

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Delaware State University: NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS-ACTION SETTLEMENT AND HEARING

TIME SENSITIVE: FAIRNESS HEARING SCHEDULED DECEMBER 20, 2010 AT 3:00 p.m.

ATTENTION: ALL CURRENT, PROSPECTIVE, AND FUTURE FEMALE STUDENTS OF DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY WHO PARTICIPATE, SEEK TO PARTICIPATE, OR HAVE BEEN DETERRED OR PREVENTED FROM PARTICIPATING IN DELAWARE STATE VARSITY ATHLETICS

PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AS IT ADDRESSES A LAWSUIT THAT MAY AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS.

I. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this notice is to inform you of a proposed settlement in a pending class action lawsuit brought against Delaware State University (“DSU”) on behalf of all present and future female students of DSU (including currently enrolled female students, female students admitted for the 2010-11 academic year, and prospective female students) who participate, seek to participate, or have been deterred or prevented from participating in, or obtaining the benefits of, intercollegiate athletics at DSU. A class-action settlement, which must be approved by the Court, was reached in this class action, which is captioned or otherwise referred to as Foltz, et al. v. Delaware State University, Civil Action No. 10-149 (LPS) (D. Del.), and which is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (the “Litigation”).

The plaintiff class in the Litigation alleges that DSU violated, and is continuing to violate, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681-88 (“Title IX”) by: (1) failing to provide equitable athletic opportunities for its female students (“Participation Claims”); and (2) failing to provide equal recruitment resources to women’s varsity athletic teams (“Recruitment Claims”).

The proposed settlement (the “Settlement”) resolves these claims.

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The DSU Equestrian Team legal action prevails and the parties agree to a Settlement Agreement, whereas,  DSU does not admit any fault or wrongdoing. The District Court ratification of the Agreement is expected December 20, 2010, or soon thereafter.

Delaware State University cuts two sports programs

Athletic Director Derek Carter and DSU may soon be facing Attorney Ronald G. Poliquin, who cited the fact that both the women's equestrian and men's tennis teams are comprised almost entirely of white student-athletes at a historically black college.



DOVER, Delaware - Delaware State University announced on January 13, 2010, that it will eliminate two sports programs to address budgetary issues and to help the institution's other athletics programs become more competitive within its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The University will drop the men's tennis and women's equestrian programs at the end of the 2009-2010 athletics year. The university will continue to honor its financial commitment to the student-athletes who are impacted by this decision and will assist those interested in transferring to another institution of higher education.

The DSU athletics budget is approximately $12 million during the current 2009-2010 athletics year - the largest budget among institutions within the conference. DSU Athletics Director Derek Carter said that the Board of Trustees has recommended that the athletics budget be reduced to a level that is more comparable with the top teams in the MEAC. "The five MEAC institutions that are below DSU in what they spend on athletics all have budgets that are $8 to $9 million this year," said Mr. Carter. "Couple that with the tough economic times that this University is facing, it is impossible to justify such a disparity between DSU and the other top institutions' athletics spending."

Mr. Carter said that DSU regrets the impact this decision will have on the affected student athletes. "We know today's announcement is not good news for our Men's Tennis and Equestrian team members, their dedicated coaches and their faithful supporters," the DSU athletics director said. "While we hope that the student-athletes from the affected teams will continue to attend DSU, we will understand if they decide to transfer to another institution and are prepared to assist them any way we can."

The DSU athletics director said he recommended making the announcement at this time to give the student-athletes as much opportunity as possible to weigh their future directions. The elimination of men's tennis and women's equestrian will reduce the number of DSU intercollegiate athletics teams to 15. In 2009, the University dropped its wrestling program. There are no plans to eliminate any additional DSU sports programs at this time, Mr. Carter said. DSU President Harry L. Williams said while the decision to drop the programs "was extremely difficult," it is nevertheless consistent with his vision of excellence for the overall athletics program at DSU.

"We want all of DSU's athletics teams to be competitive and win championships in the MEAC. But it is impossible to support all our teams toward that end with a budget that is spread too thin," said Dr. Williams. "While it is not a decision we wanted to make, we are confident that it is in the best interest of the overall athletics program and the University as a whole."

Dr. Williams added that as a founding member of the MEAC, Delaware State University has an obligation to continually strive to be a strongly competitive institution within the conference. "This reduction in the number of sports programs helps DSU continue to be a strong permanent partner of the MEAC," the DSU President said. Mr. Carter said that the elimination of the two sports will save the University almost $700,000. He said he will be recommending other cost saving measures that can be implemented to enable the athletics budget to most effectively support the remaining 15 DSU sports programs.

Both the university's men's tennis and the women's equestrian teams will continue to compete in their respective remaining 2009-2010 seasons. DSU will continue to field and support its remaining 15 NCAA Division I sport programs. Those include the women's sports of basketball, bowling, cross country, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball, as well as the men's sports of basketball, football, indoor and outdoor track, baseball and cross country. All of the remaining DSU intercollegiate teams compete in the MEAC with the exception of the women's soccer team, which plays in the Great West Conference.

Delaware State equestrian team may ride to court

DOVER -- There is a place for a women's equestrian team at Delaware State University, its members said Thursday, one day after the school announced it was eliminating the program to cut costs. The complete roster of riders assembled at Delaware State's Administration and Student Services building Thursday afternoon -- including three on horseback -- to protest the school's decision. DSU will also eliminate men's tennis.

The Equestrian team has a 100 percent graduation rate, has served more than 400 hours of community service, has raised $50,000 by itself to help fund the program and has an average grade point average of 3.0. "Sometimes the only way to remedy these kinds of problems is to go to court."

Attorney Ronald G. Poliquin and team member Morgan Scuse addressed DSU's Board of Trustees for a little more than five minutes. No members of the men's tennis team spoke at the meeting. DSU athletic director Derek Carter said the school's decision was final. "Of course it was a difficult decision and a lot of thought went into arriving at the decision," Carter said. "The decision was made and approved by the board. It is final." The team, which has several meetings scheduled with school officials over the next couple of days, is not so sure about that. It did not rule out taking Delaware State University to court to save the program.

Poliquin cited the fact that both the women's equestrian and men's tennis teams are comprised almost entirely of white student-athletes at a historically black college. "In a school that celebrates diversity, it certainly smells bad," Poliquin said. "I think African-American students, caucasian students and Asian-American students should look at this as a sad day at Delaware State. "Sometimes the only way to remedy these kinds of problems is to go to court."

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Tuttle shines for DSU Hornets

Frayser Tuttle has just completed her freshman year at Delaware State University in Dover Delaware. She is attending this predominately black university on a full scholarship. Those two facts do not make this 2007 Powhatan High School graduate’s situation in higher education particularly unique, however the activity which pays her tuition, books, food and housing most certainly is. Tuttle is a star on the Hornets’ equestrian team.

In just its second season competing in NCAA equestrian events, this small (3,800 students) university has gone head to head and hoof to hoof with some of the largest universities in the country and more than held its own. Competing against teams from the Universities of Georgia, South Carolina, Baylor, Auburn, TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas A and M and SMU freshman Tuttle helped to propel the Delaware State riders to a top ten national ranking and an invitation to the National Championships. “She never gets frazzled,” said her first year Head Coach Jennifer Ridgely. “Frayser rides consistently and does so against the best in the country.”

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Delaware State University Equestrian Team to compete for national championship

Photo: DSU Hornets 2008 Esquestrian Team (Courtesy: Carlos Holmes)

DOVER, DE -- Delaware State University's equestrian program has been selected to compete in the Varsity Equestrian National Championships, April 17-18 at the Heart O' Texas Fairgrounds in Waco, Texas.

Delaware State will compete in the Hunt Seat (English) Division championship. The Hornets are ranked 10th among the 12 teams in the tournament.

The national championship field is selected on the basis of winning percentage, strength of schedule and number of competitions. In 2007, University of South Carolina defeated the University of Georgia to win the national championship for the Hunter Seat Division.

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