University of West Alabama wins women’s rodeo national championship

The University of West Alabama women’s rodeo team are national champions.

The team won its first national championship in women’s rodeo Saturday at the 2023 College National Finals Rodeo Saturday night in Casper, Wyo.

It’s the first title since the school’s football team won the 1971 NAIA national championship.

The West Alabama women claimed the title by scoring 698.3 points, followed by Montana State, Wyoming, Southwest Oklahoma State and Texas A&M in the top five of a 32-team field.

The UWA men were 31st.

“This is an exciting time for our team, school and town,” Head Coach Daniel Poole said. “These ladies worked so unbelievably hard to get to this point. It took an army to accomplish this, but it needs to be said that none of it would have been possible without Coach (Lucas) Brown, Coach (Ryder) Ladner and those other 10 ladies cheering us on from home.”

Team members Taycie Matthews took the top spot in intercollegiate barrel racing, and JT Ellison also won an individual event national title in steer wrestling.

Matthews and Ellison’s individual national championships are the second and third in Tiger Wrangler history. Zach Wilson was the 2013 tie down national champion.

“I have watched JT for four years pour his heart and soul into it,” Poole said. “That is why he is national champion. It’s a special moment watching his hard work pay off.”