Three Lions Qualify for College National Finals Rodeo

A person in western wear featuring a vest with the logo for Texas A&M University-Commerce

Following another successful season, three members of the Texas A&M University-Commerce Rodeo Team qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) this summer.

A&M-Commerce student-athletes Rylee George, Addie Weil and Kaden Profili all ranked high enough in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southern Region standings at season's end to earn a spot in the finals.

George, a graduate student from Oakdale, Calif., majoring in agricultural sciences, qualified for the CNFR for the fourth time in her career in the Breakaway Roping event. Her season-best finish was winning the Texas A&M University Rodeo event in March 2024. She also tied for first at the Northeast Texas Community College Rodeo in October 2023. George finished 27th in the nation at last year's CNFR.

Weil, a sophomore from Edna, Kan., currently double majoring in animal science and biological sciences, is making her second appearance at the CNFR in the Breakaway Roping event. She took the victory in the season-opening rodeo at Panola College in September 2023 to mark her highest finish of the season. At the 2023 CNFR, Weil finished 13th in the nation.

Kaden Profili, a senior from Jacksonville, Texas, majoring in agricultural science and technology, is making his fourth appearance at the CNFR in Team Roping as a Heeler. He won the event at the Southwest Texas Junior College rodeo and tied for first place at Northeast Texas Community College, both in October 2023. At last year's CNFR, while competing for Trinity Valley Community College, Profili tied for 7th in the nation, his best CNFR finish.

These three student-athletes look to make it three years in a row with a victory at the CNFR, as the A&M-Commerce Rodeo Team has boasted a national champion each of the last two years. In 2022, Bryana Lehrmann captured the title in the Breakaway Roping event and the Women's All-Around category. In 2023, Kincade Henry repeated as the National Champion in Tiedown Roping, having also taken the title in 2022 with Panola College.

The College National Finals Rodeo will take place at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, Wyo. from June 9-15.

(Photo caption: Three A&M-Commerce Rodeo Team members qualified for the 2024 College National Finals Rodeo. | Photo by Matt Strasen, A&M-Commerce Marketing and Communications)