Editor’s note: Megan Rossiter enters her first season as SDSU equestrian head coach. Her team opens the season Friday at Waco, Texas.

Q. What brought you to SDSU to become the head equestrian coach?

A. I was training horses in Colorado and my plan was to get back into coaching at some point, [after being at Oklahoma State] so I was waiting for a position to open up.  A great position opened up at SDSU, I applied and I was eventually hired.

Q. What are some of the goals that the team has for the season?

A. This is our first year switching formats to just Varsity Equestrian, which has actually just changed names to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association. We have some very talented women on the team already and we hope for as many wins as possible and an invitation to the national competition in Waco, Texas this spring.

Q. What kind of philosophy do you have when you’re coaching the riders?

A. We’re like other sports, but it’s a little different because of the addition of the horse.  The athletes have to have a lot of finesse with the horses. If the rider is nervous, that emotion can transfer to the horse and it affects the horse’s performance.

Q. After being here for a few months, how has the transition gone?

A. I started here in June and the Athletic Department is really welcoming. The other coaches, administrators and everybody else has really gone out of their way to help make the transition smoother.

Q. How has the team adjusted to having you on board as the head coach?

A. I was nervous to meet the team.  I met only a handful of the team’s members over the summer, so I met the majority of the team in late August when school was about to start.  I didn’t know what to expect, but they’re enthusiastic ladies. They are excited about the positive changes they see happening and they are easy to work with because they are so excited.