CROOKSTON, Minn. -  The University of Minnesota Crookston athletic department announced the promotion of Kayla Krueger to head equestrian coach. Krueger has spent the last two seasons as the assistant coach under Brooke Leininger. Krueger will oversee both the hunt seat and western equestrian teams for the Golden Eagles.

"We are excited to be able to promote Kayla to head coach for the equestrian program," said Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson. "It is always great when we can promote one of our own and not only has Kayla been an assistant coach for us, but she was also a student-athlete at UMC. Kayla has been a part of a lot of success in recent years for the equestrian program and we believe she is the right person to continue to lead the program into the future."

"I could not be more excited to have the opportunity to move into the head coaching position for the equestrian team," Krueger said. "My last two years serving as an assistant coach have given me the chance to really find my groove in coaching this fine bunch of young women. This years team is coming into the season stronger than ever with a solid group of returners, as well as many talented up-and-coming freshman and transfers."

During her two seasons as assistant for the UMC program, Krueger helped oversee the western program, while also serving as an assistant for the hunt seat program. During the 2014-15 season, Krueger helped the western team win the Reserve High Point Title at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Regionals. In addition, she helped Danielle Schelonka and Chloe Nelson advance to the IHSA National Championships, where Schelonka was named Reserve National Champion in the Individual Novice Class.

In her first season as an assistant coach, she helped western rider Shannon Salm advance to the IHSA Semifinals. In addition, the team found many successes on the hunt seat team, as well. Emily Steeley as captured the Cacchione Cup for the region the last two seasons. The Cup is given to the best Open Hunt Seat rider in the region. She also helped the team capture back-to-back Regional Championships during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

Prior to becoming an assistant coach, Krueger worked as a horse riding instructor for five years at Camp Birchwood in Laporte, Minn., and worked as a stable hand at Rocky Meadow Farm for seven years in Guthrie, Minn. The year prior to returning to UMC, she was working as a horse trainer in Montana.
As a student-athlete, Krueger was a highly accomplished rider for the western team over her three-year career at UMC. She advanced to the IHSA Western Semifinals in Findlay, Ohio as a junior, where she placed sixth in the Advanced Horsemanshiip division. Krueger helped the Golden Eagles take fifth place overall as a team at the IHSA Western Semifinals in 2011.

The Walker, Minn. native, graduated from Minnesota Crookston in the Spring of 2012 with a bachelor of science degree in equine science with an emphasis in agricultural business. Krueger also serves as a teaching specialist in the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

"For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

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The University of Minnesota Crookston is a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.