Our team has been around for several decades and has always been very successful. Our past alumni have various degrees such as Agricultural Science, Biology, Nursing, History, English, and Business. Our alumni have gone on to extraordinary graduate schools like Texas A&M, the University of Iowa, Sam Houston State University, the University of Missouri, the University of Nebraska, and Purdue University. These past riders love to catch up on team news and help out at horse shows. Here is a spotlight on some of our great equestrian team alumni.
Olivia Noack (Class of 2024)
Olivia Noack (2024) pictured with a horse during her internship in North Carolina.
Olivia Noack graduated in 2024 with her Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture Science degree. During her four years on the team, she served as Vice President for two years and showed on both the hunt and stock teams. Olivia mentioned that being involved with the team opened up opportunities for her during college when the team traveled to Omaha, NE for the FEI World Cup Finals in 2023. “I met someone who found me a working internship opportunity, so I was able to spend the next summer in North Carolina at a dressage/eventing barn!” Now located in Columbia, MO, she is perusing her DVM at the University of Missouri. While she doesn’t have any personal horses at the moment, she enjoys any chance she gets to ride in her free time!
Sarah Szachnieski (Class of 1998)
I’m a 1998 graduate of Truman State University with a degree in Agricultural Science, emphasizing Equine Science.
Sarah Szachnieski competing her current mare “Mae” at a dressage show.
At Truman, I was active with the Horseman’s Association as well as the Equestrian Team. I rode hunt and stock seat with Coach Don Delaney and even got an opportunity to ride at zones. After graduation, my career path did not involve horses; instead, I worked for the USDA- Natural Resource Conservation Service for 28 years. In an exciting turn of events, after taking an early retirement from USDA in 2025, I accepted a position with the St. Charles County Parks Department as an Events Coordinator for the National Equestrian Center in Lake St Louis in 2026. Throughout my adult and postgraduate years, I have had and/or leased horses and actively competed in hunt seat and dressage.