by Katherine O. Rizzo (first published in the March 2025 Equiery)
The University of Maryland (UMD) has long been involved with the horse industry through their Campus Farm, off-and-on breeding program, riding club, and intercollegiate teams. Up until now, however, its collegiate teams have been in hunt seat equitation or eventing. This season, UMD became one of three new schools to officially join the U.S. Polo Association (USPA) Intercollegiate/Interscholastic league.
The UMD Polo Club was co-founded by junior Gabby Chiasera (club president) and freshman Tori Picha (club vice president and Maryland Horse Council member) with club’s treasurer Delaney O’Neil. “I’ve played polo since I was in third grade and really wanted to continue at college,” said Baltimore native, Chiasera. Chiasera reached out to Jenny Swartz and Posey Obrecht, both Marylanders who have played at the top level of the sport, for guidance on how to get a team started. “I’m just so grateful for them and Tori and everyone else who has helped us get going,” she added.
The UMD Polo Club is made up of about 10 riders from all different types of equestrian backgrounds. The school’s official USPA Intercollegiate/Interscholastic team, however, is all experienced polo players… and all women. “A lot of talented young women polo players have come out of the State, and it’s so great to be able to offer them a collegiate level team to play on right here in Maryland,” Chiasera said.
“We have only one team at the moment because the majority of our club are actually beginner polo players,” Picha said. “This season we’ve been focusing on local matches and scrimmages with the goal of traveling more next season.” Chiasera added, “everyone in the club has some sort of riding background and each is a really solid rider. We are just teaching them to play polo!”
The club and team are based out of Garrison Forest School in Owings Mills, where both Chiasera and Picha played in their pre-collegiate years. Garrison Forest has had a USPC Interscholastic team for many years. The UMD team practices on Garrison Forest’s horses and often scrimmages against other teams at the school. Most USPA Interscholastic teams are run out of established polo clubs versus middle and high schools. “We are one of only two schools in the whole country to have a team,” said Cailin Phebus, one of Garrison Forest’s polo coaches. Phebus, along with the other Garrison coaches, also teaches and coaches the UMD players.
The UMD team, as well as the other 56 teams across the country, are outfitted with custom logo-wear through USPA’s Collegiate Partnership Program. The program provides collegiate teams with jerseys, player whites, polo shirts, caps, a watch, equipment gear bags, exclusive USPA Pro merchandise and a monetary donation. “We are so thankful for all USPA’s support and love wearing the gear they have made for us,” Picha said.
“Our long-term goal is to pull together a competitive women’s team and make it to nationals at some point,” Chiasera said. “It’s all a lot of fun and really exciting to be a part of.”
