IHSA

“This moment belongs to all of us,” said Brianna Jordan, president of the USCA women’s polo team. “But as much as we celebrate today, know this: we aren’t finished. We’re coming back next year to do it all over again and defend our title.” Jordan addressed a crowd of faculty, staff and students gathered outside the Robert E. Alexander Student Activities Center on April 1, where the university celebrated the Pacers’ historic run to the 2026 United States Polo Association Division I Intercollegiate National Championship. USCA secured the national title with a dominant 15-6 victory over Texas A&M University on March 22 in Dallas, marking an impressive season defined by resilience. “In the short history of our polo club at USCA, we have often been seen as the underdogs,” said USCA Chancellor Dr. Daniel Heimmermann. “But year after year, we make sure bigger Division I schools with more established programs know exactly who we are and where we’re from.” That message was reinforced throughout the season. The Pacers opened with a 16-9 win over Texas A&M on Oct. 22, followed by an 11-9 victory against the University of Virginia just two days later. They continued their strong play in the spring, defeating Texas A&M twice more —17-13 on Feb. 5 and 9-7 on Feb. 6. By the time they reached the national tournament, the Pacers were in peak form. They delivered a commanding 25-6 win over Cornell University in the semifinals before carrying that momentum into the championship match. From the opening throw-in, USCA controlled the final against Texas A&M, building a commanding 12-2 lead heading into the fifth chukker and ultimately sealing the title with a 15–6 finish. Beyond the scoreboard, the team’s accomplishments were equally historic. Brianna and her twin sister, Madison Jordan, became the first set of twins to win both interscholastic and intercollegiate national championships as teammates. Individual honors also highlighted the team’s success. Madison and Winnie Branscum were named All-Stars, an award voted on by tournament participants. Branscum’s horse, Fiscal, earned Best Playing Pony honors, while USCA received the Best String award — an impressive feat considering the team competes on rented horses rather than owning its own. During the celebration, the university also recognized the New Bridge Polo and Country Club arena and the Aiken Polo Club for their continued support of the program. Head coach Parker Scott, who was unable to attend, shared his pride in the team through a message read during the ceremony. “We truly appreciate your early support and the consistent encouragement you’ve shared with us since the beginning,” Brianna Jordan said on behalf of the team. The Pacers’ championship season has also drawn recognition at the state level, with the South Carolina House of Representatives passing legislation honoring the team’s achievements, along with local and state news outlets recognizing the success. The team is scheduled to be honored at the state capital later in April. With a national title secured and a legacy growing, the Pacers have made one thing clear — they are no longer underdogs, but a program to beat. The team members have not only delivered standout performances during their championship season, but also excel in the classroom. Brianna is a junior majoring in graphic design, Madison is a sophomore studying sociology, and Winnie is a sophomore majoring in biology, each maintaining a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

AIKEN, S.C. - March 22, 2026 - USCA’s women’s polo team has been crowned national champions after defeating Texas A&M University 15–6 in the 2026 USPA Division I National Intercollegiate Championship in Dallas. The victory marks the first time in USCA history that the women’s polo team has finished a season undefeated. Among approximately 35 collegiate polo programs across the United States, USCA now holds the No. 1 national ranking, finishing ahead of several Division I programs.

The USCA team defeated Cornell University 25-6 in the semifinals of the USPA Division I National Intercollegiate Championship in Dallas, advancing to the national finals on Sunday, March 22. If the Pacers secure the win, it will mark the first time in USCA history that the women’s polo team has completed a season undefeated. The Pacers entered the national tournament as the No. 1 seed after finishing the regular season undefeated — a historic milestone for the program. Among approximately 35 collegiate polo programs across the United States, USCA currently holds the top national ranking, placing ahead of several Division I programs. Since 2022, the team has consistently competed against some of the country’s strongest collegiate programs, including Division I schools such as the University of Virginia and Texas A&M University. The Pacers have also faced other top-ranked programs, including Southern Methodist University, the University of Kentucky, Cornell University and Yale University. Earlier this season, the team traveled to compete in the University of Virginia’s Fall Invitational Tournament. The Pacers defeated Texas A&M 16-9 in their opening match before securing the tournament title with an 11-9 victory over UVA. USCA is competing in the National Finals Tournament at Prestonwood Polo Club in Dallas, where the nation’s top collegiate teams have gathered to compete for the championship title. The Pacers defeated Cornell in the semifinal round to earn their place in Sunday’s national championship match, which will be live streamed on the USPA Polo Network. The team is coached by local polo player and sponsor of the Broken Taco Polo teams Parker Scott, who believes the Pacers have a strong chance of bringing home the national title. “They’ve each played polo for many years individually and hopefully, this is their year as a team. We are pushing for it and want to bring the championship to USCA,” Scott said. Despite competing against programs with larger rosters, USCA’s team is made up of just three players: Brianna Jordan, a junior graphic design major and club president; her twin sister Madison Jordan, a sophomore sociology major and team captain; and Winnie Branscum, a sophomore biology pre-med major who serves as vice president. “All three having played in the United States Polo Association’s Youth Tournament Series. Madison and Brianna both have won interscholastic high school national championships and Winnie comes from a polo playing family and has played extensive arena and grass polo,” Scott said. Brianna Jordan, who plays alongside her sister on the team, said she feels confident heading into the championship match and believes the team is well prepared for the challenge. “I think that we've set ourselves up for success this year as well. Just being very organized and playing as many games as we can,” she said.

For the first time in the University of South Carolina Aiken’s history, the women’s polo team has finished the season undefeated and enters postseason play as the No. 1 seed in the nation, ranking ahead of several Division I programs. Among approximately 35 collegiate polo programs across the United States, the Pacers currently hold the top national ranking. Since 2022, the team has consistently competed against some of the country’s strongest collegiate programs, including several Division I schools such as the University of Virginia (UVA) and Texas A&M University. The team has also faced other top-ranked programs, including Southern Methodist University, the University of Kentucky, Cornell University and Yale University. In October, the team traveled to compete in UVA’s Fall Invitational Tournament. During the first game, the Pacers beat Texas A&M 16-9, then later secured the tournament title with an 11-9 victory over UVA. Following their undefeated season, the Pacers are now headed to the National Finals Tournament in Dallas, where they will face Cornell University, the tournament’s No. 4 seed. The competition will take place March 17-22 at Prestonwood Polo Club. USCA is scheduled to play Cornell in the semifinal round on March 19. If the Pacers advance, they will compete in the women’s national championship match on Sunday, March 22 which will be live streamed on the USPA Polo Network. The team is coached by local polo player and sponsor of the Broken Taco Polo teams Parker Scott, who believes the Pacers have a strong chance of winning the national title. “They’ve each played polo for many years individually and hopefully this is their year as a team. We are pushing for it and want to bring the championship to USCA,” Scott said. Despite competing against programs with larger rosters, USCA’s team is made up of just three players: Brianna Jordan, a junior graphic design major and club president; her twin sister Madison Jordan, a sophomore sociology major and team captain; and Winnie Branscum, a sophomore biology pre-med major who serves as vice president. “All three having played in the United States Polo Association’s Youth Tournament Series. Madison and Brianna both have won interscholastic high school national championships and Winnie comes from a polo playing family and has played extensive arena and grass polo,” Parker said. Brianna Jordan, who plays alongside her sister on the team, says she feels confident heading into the national tournament and believes the team is well prepared for the challenge. “I think that we've set ourselves up for success this year as well. Just being very organized and playing as many games as we can,” she said.

USCA freshman Lucy Cubbage will advance to the next level of competition after earning first place at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Regional Competition held at Lander University on March 7. “I went into regionals knowing that I had a chance to win, but I was really surprised when I ended up taking home first place,” Cubbage said. Competing in the Limit Fences category, Cubbage rode against competitors from several Division I institutions, including Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, Converse, Georgia Southern, Lander, South Carolina, Wesleyan and Wofford. With her regional victory, Cubbage becomes the only freshman rider from USCA to advance to the IHSA Zone competition. The event will take place on March 28 at the Savannah College of Art and Design’s 180-acre equestrian center. Kate Bailey, head coach of the USCA Hunt Seat team, said she looks forward to seeing Cubbage continue competing at the next level. “I’m excited for her,” Bailey said. “She’s worked hard this season, and I believe she has a strong chance heading into Zones.” Cubbage’s advancement reflects the continued growth of the USCA equestrian program and highlights the talent of student-athletes competing at the collegiate level.