The National Collegiate Equestrian Association head coaches returned from a two-day caucus in Dallas today with an action plan designed to successfully position collegiate equestrian within the NCAA structure.  As a result of this meeting, short and long term goals were identified and appropriate strategies employed to address the Committee on Women’s Athletics’ recommendation to remove equestrian from the NCAA emerging sports list. The CWA decision was based on not adhering to the suggested 10-year timeline stipulated for emerging sports to reach 40 sponsoring institutions.

In addition to the strategies, the NCEA has added to its Executive Board the positions of Vice President of Fundraising, Vice President of Communications and Vice President of Sport Advancement.  The Executive Board will be engaging the many supporters of Equestrian to directly support the current universities, future universities and operation of NCEA.

“Equestrian is changing and we have the opportunity to become mainstream,” NCEA President Meghan Cunningham said. “From its long history as an Olympic sport to tremendous growth seen in our youth numbers to recent coverage on ESPN, the sport is growing. We leave Dallas knowledgeable of the challenges ahead but also focused and driven for success.”

The NCEA provides more than 800 female student athletes collegiate participation opportunities and has 23 participating schools, at both the NCAA Division I and Division II levels that offer the sport through their athletics departments.  It is important to preserve equestrian because it offers so many opportunities for female student-athletes.  Both the Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference currently offer conference-sponsored championships and the NCEA hosts a National Championship in Waco, Texas, annually for the NCEA’s top-12 teams.