Over the weekend, freshman cowboy Marcus Theriot led East Mississippi Community College to fifth place in the College National Finals Rodeo along with claiming the All-Around national championship and tie-down roping titles.

Theriot was the clear winner of the All-Around title finishing 120 points ahead of the reserve champion Clayton Biglow of Feather River College according to a press release. Theriot totaled 510 points while competing in three different events.

“Marcus is a true champion and deserves all the honors he has received. He always has a great attitude and brings the best out of everyone,” said Theriot’s coach Morgan Goodrich.

Theriot captured the CNFR’s tie-down roping title with a composite time of 38.1 seconds throughout the week, including 8.0 and 8.2-second efforts during the second and third short-go rounds of preliminary competition heading into the finals on Saturday, according to the release from EMCC. However, during the finals, Theriot claimed a 9.8-second showing during the finals; but as a result the other competitors struggling in the event as well, Theriot claimed the tie-down roping champion title as a freshman, according to the release.

In her sixth year with EMCC, Goodrich said she has never seen anyone come into the college level as versatile as Theriot.

“He really doesn’t have a strongest event because he is competitive in all three of them. He is able to come here and have a chance to win in all three and that is something really special,” said Goodrich.

Theriot was a standout cowboy in high school, earning the 2014 National High School Finals Rodeo All-Around Cowboy for the Poplarville Hornets.

EMCC Sports Information Director David Rosinski said he is excited about Theriot’s future at EMCC.

“It’s absolutely phenomenal seeing what Marcus is able to do as a freshman. At EMCC, we are well known for our football program, as we have won three national titles in the past five years; so it is great seeing other aspects of the college being recognized on a national level. We are happy to have Marcus and the rest of the rodeo team represent the Lions,” said Rosinski.