Five Texas A&M women saddle up for national championship run
Aggies earn spots on collegiate rodeo’s biggest stage
Early mornings, long days in the practice pen, hours in the gym, and thousands of miles on the road all led to one destination for the Texas A&M Women’s Rodeo Team: the College National Finals Rodeo, CNFR, June 16-20 in Casper, Wyoming.
After a successful 2025-26 season, five Aggie rodeo athletes qualified for the national championship, continuing a long tradition of excellence for Texas Aggie Rodeo. It marks the 13th time a full Texas A&M women’s team has qualified for the finals.
“This rodeo season has been a whirlwind,” said Roger Hanagriff, Ph.D., instructional associate professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Animal Science and Texas Aggie Rodeo coach. “We’re also incredibly proud that our 2026 Texas A&M College Rodeo was named Southern Region College Rodeo of the Year, which highlights the commitment, talent and efforts of the team as a whole.”
Earning a place at the national finals
The College National Finals Rodeo represents the highest level of collegiate rodeo competition. Student-athletes compete in events throughout the season, earning points from September through April. The top competitors from each region advance to the national finals. Texas A&M University has sent athletes to the finals every year for the past two decades.
“Our team had an extremely successful rodeo season, winning six champion women’s team titles and numerous individual champion and reserve champion titles,” Hanagriff said.
The 2026 CNFR qualifiers from the Texas A&M Women’s Rodeo Team are:
- Lucy Richards ’28, Hereford, agricultural economics.
- Ceily Simpton ’27, Navasota, agricultural communications and journalism.
- Emma Matchett ’29, Marquez, animal science.
- McKinlee Paschal ’27, Nome, public health.
- Devin Young ’29, Rosanky, biomedical sciences.
The Aggies also claimed several southern region honors, including the Champion Women’s Team title and Champion All-Around Cowgirl recognition for Richards. Simpton earned Champion Barrel Racer, while Matchett, Paschal and Young also finished among the region’s top barrel racers.
Student-athletes fueled by dedication and tradition
For many team members, rodeo is more than a sport. It is a family tradition, a lifelong passion and the result of years of dedication.
Emma Matchett
Competing in both breakaway roping and goat tying, Matchett comes from a family deeply rooted in rodeo. Guided by her mother, a former goat tyer and breakaway roper, and her grandfather, she learned the value of hard work, discipline and perseverance at an early age. One of Matchett’s favorite memories from the season came from watching the development of her goat horse, Trapper. After training him for goat tying just a year ago, she has watched his confidence and ability grow with every run. The pair capped off the regular season with a second-place finish at the final college rodeo, making their qualification for the CNFR even more rewarding. Now, Matchett looks forward to seeing what she and Trapper can accomplish in Casper.
McKinlee Paschal
Rodeo is a family tradition for the Paschal, a Nome native who grew up following in the footsteps of her parents and extended family. She began competing at 10 and has not slowed down since. In her first CNFR appearance, Paschal will face the nation’s top collegiate competitors on rodeo’s biggest collegiate stage in barrel racing.
Lucy Richards
A fifth-generation Aggie, Richards entered her first rodeo at just 3 years old, with her dad leading her around the barrels and helping her get started in goat ribbon pulling. Since then, she has competed at every level, including earning the title of 2023 Texas High School All-Around Champion and representing Texas nationally. Richards will compete in breakaway roping and goat tying at the CNFR. Her season highlight came at Texas A&M’s home rodeo at the Brazos County Expo, where sold-out crowds packed the stands both nights. For Richards, that rodeo may not have been her highest placing, but seeing the team’s hard work come to life in front of Aggieland made the moment unforgettable.
Ceily Simpton
Simpton grew up in a rodeo family and has been competing since age 7, spending years building the skills that carried her to a regional championship this season. This season, Simpton helped lead Texas A&M to CNFR in barrel racing. Her horse, Twist Off Fame, earned Southern Region Barrel Racing Horse of the Year honors. One of Simpton’s favorite memories came at Texas A&M’s home rodeo, where she advanced to the short round and finished third in front of a sold-out crowd. For Simpton, the moment showcased not only her success in the arena but also the strong support behind Texas A&M Rodeo and the Aggie community.
Devin Young
Young grew up in a rodeo family surrounded by cattle and horses, competing in multiple rodeo events before finding her focus in barrel racing. As she prepares for her first CNFR appearance, Young is especially excited to compete alongside her horse, Tequila, a partner she has ridden since she was 11 years old. Years of hard work together helped the pair achieve a longtime goal, making qualification for the CNFR one of the most meaningful accomplishments of Young’s rodeo career.
Chasing a national championship
At the CNFR, athletes compete individually and as a team through multiple rounds, aiming to advance to the championship round.
“Our athletes’ work ethic and dedication are second to none,” Hanagriff said. “The season is long, and there are ups and downs for every athlete, but our students continue to work and train hard to be successful.”
Clay Mathis, Ph.D., professor and head of the Department of Animal Science, said the team’s success reflects the department’s commitment to student development through competitive teams and experiential learning.
“Competitive teams are a staple in the Department of Animal Science,” Mathis said. “This team represents the excellence we see in our students every day, and we are proud of their achievement.”
To support these Aggie rodeo student-athletes, tune into ESPN3 and follow along on social media at the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science and Texas Aggie Rodeo Facebook pages.
