| SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 18, 2008 - March The Westmont Men’s Club Polo Team has repeated as champions of the U.S. Polo Association Western Regionals at the Santa Barbara Polo Club. Westmont beat UC Davis 14-10, March 9, and advances to the USPA National Intercollegiate Championships in Lexington, Ky., April 1-5.
The team nearly succeeded in its unexpected quest for a national championship last year, losing 12-8 to Texas A&M in the finals at the Kentucky Horse Park.
This year’s team includes returning players Collin White, a sophomore from Napa, and Alex de La Torre Bueno, a sophomore from Ojai. Josh Decker-Trinidad, a freshman from Florida, replaced Ryan Cronin-Prather, who graduated last year.
John Westley, owner of the Santa Barbara Polo School, coaches the team.
Polo became a club sport on campus seven years ago, but students were unable to field a team two years ago. The team practices with Westley Tuesday through Saturday at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club and plays games on Sundays, riding horses on loan from the Santa Barbara International Polo Training Center. |
