CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston athletic department announced the resignation of Kayla (Krueger) Hanson as head equestrian coach for the Golden Eagles. Hanson spent over eight seasons at the top of the U of M Crookston equestrian program. During her time at the helm, Hanson helped guide Minnesota Crookston into the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA). She also was very involved in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and the region. Hanson helped her squad to the NCEA National Championships in 2018. In addition, she helped coach the squad to four-straight IHSA Jump Seat Regional Championships, and two Reserve Regional Championships. Hanson helped the western squad to the 2019 Reserve Regional Championship. In addition, she guided three riders to four national placements including one Reserve National Champion in the jump seat discipline. Hanson also coached Rachel Johnson to a Regional Cacchione Cup nod in 2021.
Prior to her appointment as head coach, Hanson was an assistant coach from 2013-15. She was a student-athlete competing on the western squad at Minnesota Crookston. Hanson was an accomplished rider during her three years (2009-12) with the Golden Eagles. She advanced to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Western Semifinals in Findlay, Ohio as a junior where she placed sixth in the Advanced Horsemanship division. Hanson helped the Golden Eagles take fifth place overall as a team at the IHSA Western Semifinals in 2011. In 2020, (Krueger) Hanson was named to the Minnesota Crookston Equestrian All-Decade Team for the 2010's.
"We are very grateful for the commitment Kayla has had to our department and the equestrian program," said Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson. "She has done a great job leading her squad to great successes in the IHSA and NCEA during her time in the maroon and gold. Kayla has been a part of our athletic department for nearly 15-consecutive years, so she will be greatly missed, but we know she will do great things in her next endeavor and we wish the best to her and her family."
Haley Pembroke, who entered her second season with the program as an assistant coach this season, has been named interim head coach for the equestrian program. Pembroke did a great job as an assistant coach in 2022-23, helping lead the western team. She aided in Juliana Gullo's impressive freshman season where she was named the ECAC Freshman Fences Rider of the Year. Pembroke was a two-time National Champion, NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee, and two-time SEC Champion at Auburn University from 2016-20. She spent two years as a volunteer assistant coach for the IHSA program at the University of Nebraska.
