Hill College Rodeo teams near halfway mark of 2024-25 season
As the Hill College men’s and women’s rodeo teams are nearly halfway into their 2024-25 season, the men’s team currently sits in third place while the women’s team is eighth in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southern Region standings.
Head Rodeo Coach Paul Brown, who enters his 35th year at Hill College, is pleased with his teams' performances so far and said there is still a lot of rodeoing to be done this season.
“Our team has performed extremely well, but just not all together at one time,” Brown said. “We have one transfer (Brayze Schill) who is just now getting to rodeo who will be an added bonus to the team (in collegiate rodeo, if you transfer from one school to another without graduating, you have to miss 25 percent of the rodeos). In fact, his first rodeo back was McNeese State University where he finished second in the bareback riding.”
Brown also said Hill College has six rodeos remaining on the schedule – so anything can happen.
“Holt Brockenbush has been consistently hovering around the Top 4 spot in calf roping and sixth in steer wrestling,” Brown added. “Also, he is just outside the all-around requirement.”
Sam Shofner is currently in the fourth spot in steer wrestling and seventh in team roping.
Brown said both Brockenbush and Shofner may end up the top all-around contestants in the Southern Region.
“Bryce Jensen (Huntsville) currently sits atop the bull riding event leaderboard with 285 points and has been riding outstanding – having to miss a rodeo for the PRCA Texas Circuit rodeo and permit finals,” Brown added.
Last year’s College National Finals (CNF) Rodeo Tie Down Roping Champion Koby Douch (Huntsville) is in ninth place in the standings but has ample time to still move.
“James Arviso, our other CNF Rodeo defending champion, has limited competition because of the PRCA permit finals and the Indian National Finals,” Brown said, “but he should bounce back with a vengeance and help Hill College make a move toward the top of the Sothern Region.”
Other Hill College athletes that have been strutting their stuff include Ty Turner and partner Brykn Burnett in team roping; Tripp Brown in calf roping; Mason Vaculin placing in both team roping and calf roping; Kris Baker in bull riding; and Colton Miller in saddle bronc riding.
Shofner, Jensen, Arviso, and Douch all competed at the CNFR last year for Hill College.
The men’s team currently has 1,024.33 points and is third overall behind only Panola College and McNeese State University.
The women’s team has had a few contestants make its name known.
“Sage Webster is setting in the Top 10 of the breakaway and had to miss a rodeo to qualify for the upcoming 'Million Dollar Shootout’,” Brown said. “Harley Potter has placed in barrel racing; Laren White got some points in breakaway roping at the first rodeo along with Morgan Young; and Alex Rodell has been tough in both goat tying and breakaway roping setting herself up for a potential All-Around run.”
Both Hill College men’s and women’s rodeo teams will be traveling to Huntsville to participate in the Sam Houston State University Rodeo Nov. 7-9 to round out the fall semester. They will pick up action again in 2025 with rodeos at Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas A&M University, Trinity Valley Community College, Wharton County Junior College, and will be finishing the season at Hill College.
For more information on the Hill College men’s and women’s rodeo programs, please visit https://hillcollegeathletics.com.
2024-25 Hill College Men’s and Women’s Rodeo Team Roster (alphabetically, by first name)
Addi Young, BK, Freshman
Alex Rodell, BK/GT, Sophomore
Ashton Cole, CR, Freshman
Aspen Ladd, BK, Freshman
Brayden Gates, TR, Sophomore
Brayze Schill, BB, Sophomore
Bryce Jensen, BR/BB, Sophomore
Brykn Burnett, CR/TR, Freshman
Codee Biedrzycki, BA, Freshman
Colton Miller, SB/TR, Freshman
Colton Payne, TR, Sophomore
Dylan Fontenot, BR, Freshman
Emily Chigio, BA, Sophomore
Harley Potter, BA, Sophomore
Holt Brockenbush, CR/SW/TR, Freshman
Jaley Neal, BA/GT, Freshman
James Arviso, TR/CR, Sophomore
Jolee Alvey, BK/BA/TR, Freshman
Julian Johnson, TR, Sophomore
Kevin Greenwood, Sophomore
Koby Douch, CR, Sophomore
Kris Baker, BR, Freshman
Lauren White, BA/BK, Sophomore
Lawson Horner, TR, Freshman
Luke Leathers, TR, Sophomore
Malachi Anderson, BR, Sophomore
Mason Vaculin, CR/TR, Sophomore
Maycee Cagle, BK, Freshman
Morgon Young, BK, Freshman
Paris Littleben, BK/TR, Sophomore
Sage Webster, BK, Freshman
Saige Brown, BK, Sophomore
Sam Shofner, SW/TR, Sophomore
Sydnee Mowry, BA, Sophomore
Sydney Southwell, BA, Freshman
Tanner McBride, TR, Freshman
Taylor Rouse, TR, Freshman
Tripp Brown, CR/SW, Freshman
Ty Turner, TR, Sophomore
Head Coach – Paul Brown