March 31, 2011 - The Texas A&M Polo team, composed of LHS graduates Amanda and Stephanie Massey, will once again compete at the National Intercollegiate Polo Tournament. This will be the team's third consecutive year at the Nationals since the addition of the Massey's to the program.

In the history of A & M Polo, the women's team has only won two national championships (1994, 1995). The National Intercollegiate Tournament will be at Cornell University April 18-24. The A&M squad has high hopes of earning another intercollegiate title, after a tough loss in the finals of the National Tournament last year. The team was beat by University of Kentucky in the last twenty seconds making the final score 15-14.

"This will be Amanda's last year to compete on the A&M polo team. I know it sounds a bit cliche, but winning a national championship together, really is something we've always dreamed of," said Stephanie Massey, a junior biomedical science major at TAMU. "We came close last year, but hope that this year we can take it all."

The A&M women's Polo Team won the Women's Intercollegiate Central Regional Polo Tournament March 18-20 at the Las Colinas Equestrian Center in Irving.

The A&M team cruised by Oklahoma State University in the semi-finals with a 23-2 victory and went on to beat Southern Methodist University in the finals 18-3.

Both Amanda and Stephanie were named to the Central Region All-Star team. This award is voted on by both players and coaches. Texas A & M also won the "Best Playing String" award for both the men's and women's strings, which is based off of player ratings of the horses throughout the course of the tournament. Jose Aguilar from the men's A&M team was also named to the All-Star team. A&M horses, Rocket, Cactus, Sushi, Scarlet, and Cruella were all top contenders for the "Best Playing Pony" award.

(Pictured top) Award presenter Jessie Upchurch (left) with A&M Women's Polo Team members Stephanie Massey, Frances Hinkle, Chloe Bourgeois and Amanda Massey and Coach Mike McCleary. (Pictured bottom) The Central Region All-Star Team members that includes (from left) Stephanie Massey (TAMU), Amanda Massey (TAMU), Pam Flanagan (SMU) and Chloe Carabasi (SMU). The Massey sisters are graduates of Leonard High School. - Photos courtesy of Sheryll Massey