Equestrian Joins NCEA
9/7/2023 10:00:00 AM | Equestrian
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston equestrian program has joined the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) announced Thursday.
Along with the program's new NCEA membership, Charleston will also retain its membership with the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).
"We are thrilled to be adding the NCEA format to our existing IHSA schedule, all with efforts and intentions to create additional competitive experiences for our all of our student athletes at the College of Charleston," said head coach Natasha V. McCarthy.
The storied Charleston program consists of 27 IHSA National Championship Horse Show appearances, 21 national champion riders, 20 IHSA Region Championships and 10 IHSA Zone 5 Championships.
"We are excited to join the NCEA and add this competitive opportunity to our successful IHSA program and its long history at the College," said Senior Associate AD for Student-Athlete Success and Senior Woman Administrator. "We expect to continue to be a contender in the IHSA for years to come while building our NCEA program to reach those heights as well."
The Cougars will travel to the University of South Carolina on November 3 for their first NCEA competition.
"The NCEA is excited to welcome College of Charleston Equestrian for the 2023-24 season," said NCEA Director Dr. Leah Fiorentino. "College of Charleston Equestrian has been a perennial power in collegiate equestrian for many years and is sure to be successful during its inaugural season. The program will add to the strength of regional competition in the southeast and joins Dartmouth College and Sacred Heart University as the third Division I Single Discipline Equestrian team in the country"
About the NCEA
The NCEA is a governing body to advance the sport of equestrian. In 1998, Equestrian was identified and adopted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) as an emerging sport for women at the Division I and II levels.
NCEA competitions are a head-to-head format, and schools may choose to compete as a single or dual discipline team (Jumping Seat and Western). Each discipline has two events, Jumping Seat Fences, and Flat, Western Horsemanship, and Reining. Teams can play five riders per event, with horses assigned by random draw at the start of the competition. Riders from opposing teams compete on the same horse, and whichever rider receives the higher score earns one point for her team. The level of difficulty is demonstrated by the accuracy of the pattern and how the competitor uses the horse to the best of her ability.
A non-profit corporation, the NCEA was created as a governing body to advance the sport of equestrian. The NCEA is responsible for the development and administration of equestrian rules and guidelines. Equestrian is subject to all NCAA policies and procedures in the same manner as other sports.
Along with the program's new NCEA membership, Charleston will also retain its membership with the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).
"We are thrilled to be adding the NCEA format to our existing IHSA schedule, all with efforts and intentions to create additional competitive experiences for our all of our student athletes at the College of Charleston," said head coach Natasha V. McCarthy.
The storied Charleston program consists of 27 IHSA National Championship Horse Show appearances, 21 national champion riders, 20 IHSA Region Championships and 10 IHSA Zone 5 Championships.
"We are excited to join the NCEA and add this competitive opportunity to our successful IHSA program and its long history at the College," said Senior Associate AD for Student-Athlete Success and Senior Woman Administrator. "We expect to continue to be a contender in the IHSA for years to come while building our NCEA program to reach those heights as well."
The Cougars will travel to the University of South Carolina on November 3 for their first NCEA competition.
"The NCEA is excited to welcome College of Charleston Equestrian for the 2023-24 season," said NCEA Director Dr. Leah Fiorentino. "College of Charleston Equestrian has been a perennial power in collegiate equestrian for many years and is sure to be successful during its inaugural season. The program will add to the strength of regional competition in the southeast and joins Dartmouth College and Sacred Heart University as the third Division I Single Discipline Equestrian team in the country"
About the NCEA
The NCEA is a governing body to advance the sport of equestrian. In 1998, Equestrian was identified and adopted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) as an emerging sport for women at the Division I and II levels.
NCEA competitions are a head-to-head format, and schools may choose to compete as a single or dual discipline team (Jumping Seat and Western). Each discipline has two events, Jumping Seat Fences, and Flat, Western Horsemanship, and Reining. Teams can play five riders per event, with horses assigned by random draw at the start of the competition. Riders from opposing teams compete on the same horse, and whichever rider receives the higher score earns one point for her team. The level of difficulty is demonstrated by the accuracy of the pattern and how the competitor uses the horse to the best of her ability.
A non-profit corporation, the NCEA was created as a governing body to advance the sport of equestrian. The NCEA is responsible for the development and administration of equestrian rules and guidelines. Equestrian is subject to all NCAA policies and procedures in the same manner as other sports.
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