Athletic Report
May 20, 2002

ENMU RODEO TEAMS ARE READY FOR CONFERENCE FINALS RODEO
PORTALES, NM – The Eastern New Mexico University rodeo teams, under the direction of Head Coach David Browder, are ready for the Conference Finals Rodeo, set for May 24-26 in Hobbs, N.M. ENMU will be represented by three members of the men’s team and by four members of the women’s team. In the men’s division, James Gililland (Fr., Tularosa, NM/Tularosa H.S.) and Ky Atwood (Sr., Roswell, NM/Odessa College) will lead the way for ENMU.

Gililland is ranked first in the Southwest Region as a heeler, and Atwood is ranked second in the Region as a header. Gililland and Atwood have already qualified for the National Finals Rodeo, June 9-15, in Casper, Wyo. Kyle Dutton (Sr., Los Lunas, NM/La Mesa H.S.) also will represent the ENMU men’s rodeo team at the Conference Finals Rodeo. He qualified in calf roping and is tied for sixth in the Region.

The ENMU women’s team has qualified two competitors in both barrel racing and goat tying. In barrel racing, Kristin Gendron (So. Templeton, CA/Templeton H.S.) finished fourth in the Region and Johnna Garcia (So., Clayton, NM/Clayton H.S.) finished 12th. In goat tying, Ashley Sultemeier (Fr., Melrose, NM/Melrose H.S.) ranked seventh in the Region, while Kelly Jo Jump (Sr., Reserve, NM/Mesalands Community College) placed eighth in the Region.

All four cowgirls are capable of earning a high finish in Hobbs. At the Conference Finals Rodeo, athletes from ENMU and other Southwest Region teams will compete against cowboys and cowgirls from the Southern Region and the Grand Canyon Region. Top finishers at the Conference Finals will advance to the National College Finals Rodeo, where Gililland and Atwood hope to be joined by several other Greyhounds and Zias.Last year, Jump and Garcia represented ENMU at the NCFR.

Eastern New Mexico University 2002 Conference Finals Rodeo Qualifiers MEN’S TEAM Athlete Event Place* Points* Ky Atwood Team Roping (Header) 2nd 147.5 points Kyle Dutton Calf Roping 6th tie 150.0 points James Gililland Team Roping (Heeler) 1st 240.0 points WOMEN’S TEAM Athlete Event Place* Points* Johnna Garcia Barrel Racing 12th 95.0 points Kristin Gendron Barrel Racing 4th 180.0 points Kelly Jo Jump Goat Tying 8th 150.0 points Ashley Sultemeier Goat Tying 7th 170.0 points * Individual rankings and points are in the Southwest Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA)