In a physical matchup where both teams battled for every inch of the pitch, Texas A&M women’s polo opened its season with a tough 17–13 loss to the University of South Carolina Aiken on Friday, Feb. 6, at the Texas A&M Club Polo Stables. 

A&M entered the matchup riding the momentum of its sixth national title after defeating Virginia 12-10 in the United States Polo Association Division I National Intercollegiate Championship on March 30, 2025. Sitting at No. 2 behind the No. 1 Pacers, the Aggies’ early lead was exhausted in the final two chukkers, denying the upset.

In arena polo, each team fields only three players: the No. 1 is the primary offensive attacker, the No. 2 is a strong offensive player who also rotates into defensive responsibilities, while the versatile No. 3 plays both offense and defense, typically leading transitions and executing long, accurate hits.

At the end of each seven-and-a-half-minute chukker, players swap horses with the opposing team, leading them behind the stands for a quick walk before returning to the arena to continue the match.

At the sound of the horn, psychology senior captain No.1 Josie Dorsey opened the first chukker, taking control of the ball to open with the first Aggie score in the opening two minutes. USC Aiken quickly answered as junior No.2 Madison Jordan pushed the pace with an aggressive attack to close the first chukker with a 5–2 advantage.

A&M turned the tide in the second chukker behind a defensive stand led by nutrition junior No. 2 Francesca Felhaber, whose physical play and teamwork with Dorsey shut down USC Aiken’s momentum. Players slammed together, riding side-by-side and pushing one another against the arena boards to win possession.

The duo caused multiple turnovers, knotting the match at the 30-minute mark. The Aggies rode the defensive energy into a 7–5 surge to end the second chukker.

“Josie [Dorsey] and Francesca [Felhaber] have been playing together a lot, and that chemistry really shows,” men’s polo freshman Mitch Coventry said. “They’re two really strong players for us.”

Heading into the second half, head coach Mike McCleary ‘71 remained confident in his group, emphasizing unity over individual play and fundamentals.

“Control the man, you control the ball,” McCleary said. “Each of them is an individual, but together, if they play like a team, [they] can beat anybody.” 

After halftime, the focus shifted to spacing and discipline as A&M looked to settle the pace. The Aggies struggled to create space and move the ball upfield as the Pacers crowded passing lanes and collapsed quickly on possession. 

The third chukker opened with an aggressive comeback by the visiting team. The physicality repeatedly pressured Dorsey and limited A&M’s ability to build possession. Dorsey endured multiple hard rides from USC Aiken’s Jordan. A well-timed tail shot disrupted A&M’s momentum, leading to another goal for the visitors. USC Aiken carried the push through the chukker for a 9–7 lead heading into the final period.

“They’re a physical team, but so are we,” Dorsey said. “That’s kind of our motto: to be physical, aggressive and loud the whole time.” 

The Aggies rode hard into the final chukker but were frustrated by the Pacers’ ability to maintain control, trampling the Aggie lead and securing a 17–13 win.

“We got tired the last chuckler,” McCleary said. “We just need to be better conditioned. The golf course at A&M is two miles all the way around. The girls used to run laps out there, and that’s the kind of fitness it takes.”

This will be McCleary’s final season on the sidelines after he helped found the program in 1971. After more than five decades with the team, he said the decision to retire came naturally.

“The kids started having to take care of me more than I was taking care of them, so it was time,” McCleary said.

Throughout his tenure, McCleary has emphasized sportsmanship and team camaraderie as core values of the program. Each year, he recognizes those qualities by awarding a $1,000 saddle to the player who best exemplifies such values.

Coming off the national title, the Aggies had a lot of nerves heading into the game, according to Dorsey.

“This was definitely the biggest, most anxious game of the season,” Dorsey said. “The biggest thing I’m reminding them is that it’s early. We have strong freshmen coming into a rebuild, and these are growing pains.”

A&M will look to get back in the winning saddle when it returns to the pitch against No.3 Virginia at the Texas A&M Club Polo Stables on Sunday, March 1, at 6 p.m.